No Child Left Inside

A photograph of a family hiking.

March 22, 2006

PRESS CONTACT:

Sarah Melnitsky: smelnitsky@cronin-co.com

AnnMarie Kemp: akemp@cronin-co.com

Cronin and Company, Inc.

860-659-0514

CONNECTICUT STATE PARKS AND FORESTS FACT SHEET


    State Park and Forest History
  • State parks and forests date back to the national environmental movement when Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901. President Roosevelt led the way in setting up environmental protections and preserving wild lands within individual states.
  • Also in 1901, Connecticut was being deforested in order to effectively manage the forest. The state hired a full-time forester.
  • In 1903 Connecticut purchased 900 acres of land, which would later become Meshomasic State Forest in Portland. This was the first State Forest in New England and the second in the nation.
  • When the state was granted land in 1911 on the Connecticut River and in Litchfield, it realized there was no agency authorized to accept the gift. The state established a temporary three-member State Park Commission. The General Assembly quickly passed a bill to make the commission permanent. It was from these two donations that state forests and parks were created in Connecticut.
  • In 1913, Sherwood Island became the first state park created by the State Park Commission.
    State Park and Forest Information
  • There are 137 state parks and forests in Connecticut.
  • There are 32 state forests that encompass 169,000 acres and 105 state parks that encompass 15,000 acres.
  • A state park is a recreational facility maximized for visitation by the public. Usually a state park is centered around an attraction - a lake, beach or mountain.
  • State forests are multiple use lands that provide forest products commercially, protect watersheds, provide wildlife habitat and host recreational facilities.
    Did you know that Connecticut's state parks and forests offer:
  • 19 swimming areas and beaches.
  • Nine historic sites of significance.
  • More than 800 miles of hiking trails.
  • 230 lakes and ponds.
  • 2,000 miles of rivers and streams.
  • 1,300 campsites at 14 state parks for both tent and RV camping.
  • Over 100 public boat launch areas.
  • Activities including bird watching, boating, camping, canoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, field sports, fresh or saltwater fishing, hang-gliding, hiking, horse-back riding, hunting, ice skating, kayaking, mountain biking, picnicking, roller-blading, scuba diving, snowmobiling and swimming.
  • Our state parks offer museums, nature centers, education centers, historic homes and nationally renowned beautiful gardens. There are also steamboat rides and train rides available.

To learn more, visit www.nochildleftinside.org.

Season passes for state parks cost $40 for Connecticut residents and $60 for out of state residents. Passes can be purchased at the DEP online store at www.ct.gov/dep.

For more information about the state parks you can purchase a copy of "A Shared Landscape, A Guide & History of Connecticut's State Parks," authored by Joseph Leary and funded by the Friends of Connecticut State Parks, a non-profit advocacy group. The full color guidebook offers everything you need to know about our public lands. To order a copy, visit www.friendsctstateparks.org.