[CT Birds] Great news for Grassland Birds in Connecticut!

[COMINS, Patrick]

This story was in the Hartford Courant and is great news for grassland birds in Connecticut.  This parcel has the perfect soils and geography to support a thriving grassland bird community, even Upland Sandpipers and Grasshopper Sparrows.  This is part of the state's ~$8,000,000 Grasslands Habitat Conservation Initiative.

I am thrilled about this news, as creating a network of managed grassland habitats is something Audubon CT, COA, CAS and others have been pushing for since the grasslands report came out in 2001.  We need to ensure that there is adequate habitat available before key existing habitats are developed so that there are birds available to colonize the new habitats.  Since this site already supports grassland birds and is also adjacent to additional suitable lands across the Massachusetts border, it is a wonderful step towards that goal.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/nc/hc-sufland0129.artjan29,0,1246499.story

This story also follows on the heels of news of the appropriation for the Conte Refuge that will allow them to make a major purchase in the Fort River Division in Massachusetts, which will also help to stabilize the regional metapopulation of grassland birds.

Patrick Comins, Meriden.