[CT Birds] Farmington land preservation

[Peregrine Information Consultants]

The sad news about probable development near Hammonasset is, in a small way, balanced by news from Farmington: Yesterday, the people of Farmington voted overwhelmingly -- 2,399 to 509! -- to authorize the town to purchase (and to preserve as open space) 90 acres of a 98-acre working farm in the western part of Farmington. The entire story has been covered pretty well in the Hartford Courant, and was on the front page of this morning's edition. 

Though this cannot make up for the loss at Hammo, it is a small victory and I am very proud of the people of Farmington who chose long-term space, beauty, and habitat preservation over short-term monetary gain. I was glad that this was treated as a town-wide referendum, and I was glad to have a chance to vote on it.

This is in contrast to a similar vote, several years ago, to preserve as open space a parcel on the opposite side of town. In that case, it was a very narrow vote, but it squeaked through, and now the Farmington Reservoir and surrounding acres are preserved as open space for passive recreation (hiking, canoeing, birding, fishing). So in Farmington, we seem to be learning that land preservation is a good investment of our collective resources.

Sarah

Sarah Hager Johnston, BMus, MLS
860-676-2228

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