Ledyard Receives Open Space Grant Money From State

LEDYARD, CT — Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced this week that $4.8 million in state grants are being awarded to support the purchase of 1,139 acres of land for 15 projects in 14 Connecticut municipalities that the state will designate to be preserved as open space.

In Ledyard, a $697,775 state grant will be used to purchase the 230-acre Athinson/Dirlam Preserve. According to a news release, this acquisition will add significantly to the Great Oak Greenway by adding open forest and associated habitats, and by adding miles of trails in one of the longest trail systems in southeast Connecticut. (To sign up for Ledyard breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

The conservation of the property will also protect the water quality of Thompson Brook and Great Brook, serving as an addition buffer through filtration for Groton Utilities' Morgan Pond Reservoir. The grant is sponsored by Avalonia Land Conservancy.

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

The state's goal is to preserve about 21 percent of land in the state, which would be more than 673,000 acres. Currently there are more than 500,000 preserved acres.

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