February 12, 2018 – Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced that $6.05 million in state grants are being awarded to 23 municipalities across Connecticut to support the purchase of 2,005 acres of land that will be preserved as open space.

The Town of Lyme was granted $870,000 towards the purchase of a 250-acre property owned by the Johnson family on Rte 82.   The Town voted to purchase the property at last year’s town meeting. This beautiful property has been a priority for Lyme for years and adds valuable open space on the north edge of the trail system and wildlife corridor known as the River to Ridge Preserves, which comprises Jewett preserve, Pleasant Valley, Eno, Mt. Archer, Pickwick. Czikowsky III Preserve also abuts this system and is open to the public, but has no marked trails. Including land preserved by easement, it abuts over 1,700 acres of protected open space. It also contains the highest point in Lyme at 465 feet above sea level. This parcel is in the Eightmile River watershed and is now designated by Audubon as an Important Bird Area.

“Connecticut’s tradition of preserving open space has helped define our landscape and preserve its important natural resources and geographical beauty,” Governor Malloy said. “These grants continue our open space preservation legacy and will increase the availability of open space for our residents across our state.”

The grants are being awarded through the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition program, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and assists local governments, land trusts, and water companies in purchasing open space using funding from the Community Investment Act and state bond funds. This grant program requires match by the grant recipient and requires the open space land be protected by a conservation and public recreation easement, ensuring that the property is forever protected for public use and enjoyment. For more information about the 2018 Open Space Grants