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10/20/2015 12:00 AMFrom the Sound to the marshlands to the northern woods, Guilford is known for is beautiful natural environment. Conservationists celebrated another victory last week when the state announced a grant to support open space in Guilford.
State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr., (D-Guilford) and State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-Guilford) announced the grant for the Guilford Land Conservation Trust (GLCT) on Oct. 16.
The land trust will receive $85,150 from the grant for the preservation 17 acres on forest in Westwoods North. GLCT President Sarah Williams said the grant will be a big help to the organization.
“GLCT has been purchasing land in Westwoods since 1968 and we are thrilled to have had this most recent 17-acre opportunity,” she said. “This grant is a tremendous help to our organization. We paid $225,000 for this 17 acre property in Westwoods, so the grant helps us significantly.”
Guilford was one of 17 communities chosen to receive the grant. In total the grant will protect 949 acres across the state, assist three urban communities in developing community gardens, and establish a natural habitat for environmental education in a fourth urban community.
“This is a competitive grant program and we are thrilled that the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection chose to support our work in Westwoods,” said Williams.
The grant will help protect and preserve the land, according to Scanlon.
“In addition to preserving open space for human recreation, an intact and healthy forest like Westwoods, given it’s proximity to the Connecticut coast, is important in terms of protecting wildlife and water quality in the Long Island Sound,” he said.
Scanlon said the push for the grant is part of the Guilford community’s larger commitment to its environment.
“Guilford residents have a long history of cherishing open space, enjoying outdoor activities, and being environmentally conscious. Over the years as other towns have encroached upon open space and made unwise development choices, we have been successful in maintaining what so many of us love about this community: a steadfast dedication to preserving Guilford’s beautiful features and landscape.”
“Today’s announcement means that Guilford residents can count on the Westwoods area to remain protected, preserving the natural character that makes this community such a great place for families to live,” Kennedy said in a prepared statement.