Open Space Conservation Meeting Held in Vernon

On Tuesday, August 7th, State Representative Tim Ackert met with several members of the local conservation community at the Belding Wildlife Management Area in Vernon to have a discussion on open space conservation and the potential threats to the preservation of the area’s natural resources.

Those in attendance included Ann Letendre, Chairman of the Open Space Task Force which was organized in 1998 as a subcommittee of the Conservation Commission of Vernon, local wildlife management and environmentalists.

After Letendre provided Rep. Ackert with a detailed layout of the preserved space throughout Vernon and the surrounding towns, the environmentalists discussed the issues facing the preservation of open space and ways to protect water and other natural resources from local commercial development and pollution.

Following the discussion, Rep. Ackert joined the conservationists for a hike to the Tankerhoosen Watershed, one of Connecticut’s largest open space areas.

“This meeting was certainly very informative,” said Rep. Ackert. “We had the opportunity to discuss the make-up of our beautiful land, but also we had a chance to dive into the potential dangers that are threatening the health of our open space and what we can do to prevent them from occurring. As a legislator, it’s vital for me to regularly meet with the people who are working every day to help protect our natural resources so I can stay updated on their efforts and continue to support their cause by strengthening their voice in Hartford.”

“We are lucky to have such beautiful wildlife areas throughout state and our community,” said Rep. Ackert. “It’s important that we all do what we can to defend our environment and our limited natural resources, especially our water.”

For further discussion on this or any topic, Rep. Tim Ackert can be reached by email Tim.Ackert@housegop.ct.gov or by phone 860-240-8700.