Basic Project Information
City/Town/Village
Site Name
The Preserve
Habitat Types
| Habitat | Acres | Miles | Feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisitions/Easements | 998.80 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| TOTAL | 998.80 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Completed
Photo Gallery
Aerial view showing the extent of The Preserve in Old Saybrook, Essex, and Westbrook, CT. Photo credit: CT DEEP.
Aerial view of The Preserve looking southeast toward Long Island sound. Photo Credit: CTDEEP.
Funding
Funding Sources
| Funding Organization | Funding Program | NFWF-LISFF Funded Amount | Amount Awarded | Amount Spent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Old Saybrook | ||||
| Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection - Recreation & Natural Heritage Trust Program | ||||
| National Park Service - Land and Water Conservation Fund | ||||
| The Trust for Public Land | ||||
| Essex Land Trust |
Specific Project Information
Project Partners
Partners Organization
Trust for Public Land
Partners Organization
Town of Old Saybrook
Partners Organization
Town of Essex
Partners Organization
Town of Westbrook
Partners Organization
State of Connecticut - Bond Commission
Partners Organization
State of Connecticut - Office of the Governor
Partners Organization
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection - Office of Long Island Sound Programs
Partners Organization
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection - Land Acquisition and Management Division
Partners Organization
United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service
Partners Organization
Essex Meadows Retirement Community
Partners Organization
Newman's Own foundation
Partners Organization
Old Saybrook Land Trust
Partners Organization
Essex Land Trust
Partners Organization
Westbrook Land Conservation Trust
Partners Organization
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation - Acres for America Program
Partners Organization
Save the Sound, a Program of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment
Partners Organization
Connecticut Audubon Society
Partners Organization
National Audubon Society - Connecticut Chapter
Partners Organization
The Nature Conservancy - Connecticut Chapter
Partners Organization
Old Saybrook Historical Society
Partners Organization
Old Saybrook Garden Club
Partners Organization
Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments
Partners Organization
Connecticut River Gateway Commission
Partners Organization
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
Cause of Degradation
Development Risk
Degradation Description
Despite its name, a 1000-acre property located mostly in Old Saybrook, CT known locally as "The Preserve" was being planned for a large-scale development project. One of the latest proposals included an 18-hole golf course and a 220+ home subdivision for the property, which is the largest unprotected coastal forest located between New York City and Boston. The property encompasses 3 watersheds, 114 acres of wetlands, 3,100 linear feet of watercourses, a 30-acre scrub-shrub swamp and 38 highly productive vernal pools, and supports habitat for river herring, 25 species of amphibians and reptiles, 30 species of mammals and 57 species of birds. The State of Connecticut owns three fishways that connect The Preserve’s streams to Long Island Sound, allowing diadromous species of fish to access their historic spawning grounds. The Preserve is also located only 2 miles from the lower Connecticut River, designated in 2012 by the US Department of the Interior as America’s first National Blueway.
Project Description
After the previous owners of The Preserve fell into Bankruptcy, the Trust for Public Land, Town of Old Saybrook, State of Connecticut, and numerous additional partners teamed up and developed a plan to purchase and protect the property. Since 1998, conservation-minded organizations and community members have worked to protect the property from a variety of proposed development projects. With more than a dozen individual funding sources contributing towards the purchase price, and over 25 partners in all, the Preserve was finally acquired in May of 2015. The land will be preserved as open space for the public to enjoy. The Preserve is available to the general public for recreational purposes, and already has numerous hiking trails. The Preserve now has a complicated shared ownership agreement, and is geographically located within 3 Connecticut towns: Old Saybrook (924.5ac), Essex Land Trust (70.6ac), and Town of Westbrook (3.7 ac).
Restoration Technique
Land Acquisition
Waterbody
Fishing Brook
Pequot Swamp Pond
Roaring Brook