SHARON — Two proposals for Housatonic River basin natural resources restoration projects in Sharon have cleared the first hurdle in getting a chunk of the almost $9 million available.
The Trustee Sub Council for Connecticut Housatonic River Basin Natural Resources Restoration ("The Trustees") published its findings on which of the 92 submitted proposals were deemed eligible for further consideration on the Web site Monday. The announcement was made at a meeting at Kent Town Hall Tuesday evening, Feb. 27.Frost Family Land
The first Sharon proposal involves about 20 acres of undeveloped land along the Housatonic off River Road, near the junction of routes 7 and 4. The proposal, developed by the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) and the Sharon Land Trust, features a conservation restriction on about 15 acres of river frontage, a small island, and open fields owned by the Frost family. The land trust will also acquire a 5-acre parcel owned by Connecticut Light and Power.
These properties are immediately north of the Appalachian Trail and will augment five miles of permanently protected waterfront on both sides of the river, land owned by the National Park Service, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, HVA and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Elaine LaBella of HVA said the desire of the Frost family to conserve their land from further development and the availability of almost $9 million in funds from a settlement with General Electric coincided nicely.
"The Frosts had been considering options for conserving the farm, and it isn’t often there is a source of money for protecting riverfront land."
The area is in the Housatonic Trout Management Area, prized by fly-fishermen. LaBella said the Frosts have agreed to an "informal" trail for anglers and hikers, and hope that neighboring landowners will voluntarily continue the trail to the north.Programs at State Park
The second project is a proposal for more effective presentation of interpretive programs at the Housatonic Meadows State Park Campground on Route 7.
Gary Nasiatka, DEP’s park supervisor there, envisions an outdoor amphitheater with permanent projection equipment and a stage to replace the current makeshift arrangement of a portable movie screen, a picnic table, a lot of extension cords and nowhere to sit.
Nasiatka said the DEP’s interpretors, naturalists and other guest speakers and presenters that frequently lecture or make presentations in the park would make the most use of such a facility.
And, he added, he hoped the new facility would bring in better presentations and bigger audiences.
An array of programs are offered at Housatonic Meadows on weekends from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. They are open to all, not just to park visitors and campers.
"Some local families do bring their children to see the presentations even when they are not camping," said Nasiatka, and such venues have proved popular elsewhere, such as the Zion National Park in Utah.
The trustees determined the proposal to be eligible without any additional comment other than "the construction of an ampitheater would enhance the recreational uses of the river’s natural resources and services."
The proposals deemed eligible now undergo a rigorous evaluation phase; project sponsors may be asked to provide additional information. Applicants whose proposals were deemed ineligible have until March 12 to respond and appeal. For more information and the complete proposals see housatonicrestoration.org.
For a story on which proposals from Kent made the first cut, turn to page A6.
