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A Tale of Two Rain BarrelsPromoting Water & Watershed ConservationWhenrainfallsinundevelopedareas,mostofthewatersoaksintothe

ground. Naturalvegetationsuchastrees,shrubsandtallgrassesslowsthe

flowofrainwaterandfilterspollutants. However,indevelopedareaswhere

mostofthenaturalvegetationisgone,rainhitshardsurfaceslikeroofsand

roads,andthenrunsoffquicklydownhill. Theexcesswaterpicksuppollut

antsoil,sediment,bacteria,pesticidesandfertilizersfromparkinglots,

streetsandlawns,andcarriesthemintorivers,lakesandoceans. Thisrunoff

canalsocauseflooding.

Sowhatdorainbarrelshavetodowithallofthis?

Bycollecting

and

storing

rainwater

from

rooftops,

guttersanddownspoutsforlateruse,theyreducethe

amountofrunoff,helpingkeepourstreams,rivers,

lakesandoceansclean;reduceerosionandflooding

onyourproperty;andtheyalsohelppreventflooding

indownstreamareas. Thisstoredwatercanbeused

towatergardensandlawns,washcarsandwindows,

andforotheroutdooruses,savingmoneyandenergy

byreducingtapwateruse. Whileusedmostcommonlybyhomeowners,

rainbarrelscanalsobeusedoncommercialproperties.

Lastyear,ConnecticutRiverCoastalConservationDistrictcollaboratedwith

theCityofMiddletownonademonstrationprojectwiththegoalofpromotingrainbarrelsasinexpensive,easytouseandmaintaingreenpracticesthat

conservewaterandwatersheds. Twoverypubliclocations,RussellLibrary

andKidcityChildrensMuseum,wereselectedtoinstallrainbarrelsand

educationalsigns. Eachisaprominentdestinationdrawingadiverseclientele

fromMiddletownandtheregion.

Rainbarrelswerepurchased

throughtheCitysspring2010

communitydistributionprogram.

DistrictandCitystaffworked

withRussellLibraryandKidcitytoplanforthelocationofrainbarrelsand

developsignstofiteachvenue. Thefinalcomponentisaneducational

brochure,tobegivenoutateachsite. Thisproject,fundedinpartwitha

grantfromTheRockfallFoundation,isintendedtoserveasamodelthat

wecanreplicateinothermunicipalities inourDistrict.

YoucantmisstheKidcityrainbarrelandsign,locatedbythemainentrance

atthebackparkinglot!! Thiswhimsical,colorful,eyecatchingsignwas

createdbyKidcityArtisticDirectorScottKessel. TheRussellLibrarysign

takesmoreofaninstructiveapproach,asisappropriateforthelocation.

Duetodelaysinproduction,itwontbeinstalleduntilspring. Therainbarrel

andsignwillbelocatedbythedownspouttotheleftofthemainentrance.

Formore

information

about

rain

barrels

contact

the

District

office,

or

visit

www.conservect.org/ctrivercoastal.

onservation TimesNew slet te r of th e C on ne c t icu t River Co a sta l Co nserva t ion Dist r ic t , Inc .

Janu a ry 2011

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Distric t Convenes Loc al Committee toGuide Ac tion on Cog inc haug PlanActiononaplantoimproveCoginchaugRiverwater

qualityisunderway,withtheDistrictatthehelm.

InSeptember2010,acommitteerepresentinglocal,state

andfederalinterestsmetforthefirsttimetolaunchthe

effort. Thecommitteeschargeistoguideimplementationofaplancompletedin2008bytheNaturalResourcesCon

servationService,chockfullofrecommendedmanagement

practicestobeimplementedthroughoutthewatershed

(e.g.streetsweepingandcatchbasincleanout),aswellas

sitespecificfixes(e.g.areasthatwouldbenefitfrom

streambuffers,exclusionoffarmanimalsfromstreams,

orpetwastedisposalfacilities).

Withitsmanyrecommendations,implementationofthe

Coginchaugplanisadauntingtask. Duetoourhistoryof

workwiththewatershedcommunities,wewereaskedby

theDepartment

of

Environmental

Protection

to

coordinate

protectionandrestorationefforts,andawardedagrant.

Thisprojectwillextendatleastonemoreyear.

ConveningalocalImplementationCommitteeisthefirst

ofseveralactivitiesontapforthisyear. Othersinclude

producingamoreuserfriendlyguidedsummaryofthe

fullwatershedplantopromoteimplementation;prioritiz

ingrestoration/improvement projects;andimplementing

anonthegroundpollutionreductionmeasure.

TheDistrictisexcitedtobeanintegralpartofthiseffort

toimprovethehealthoftheCoginchaugRiver. Welook

forwardtoworkingwiththededicatedmembersofthe

Implementation Committee,andthankthemfortheir

contributionstodate!

ThisprojectisfundedinpartbyaUSEPACleanWaterActSection319

GrantadministeredbytheCTDEP.

Open Spa c e Mana gement Strateg yDeveloped for Great Cedars WestTheuniqueGreatCedarsConservation

AreaWestinOldSaybrookwasthemost

recentsubjectoftheDistrictsactiveopen

spaceplanningandmanagementprogram.

Inlate2010,wecompletedaninvasivespeciesandhabitatmanagementplanfor

this300acreproperty,characterizedby

maturehardwoodforestsandpalustrine

wetlandscommontothearea. Thesitealsohostsan

Atlanticwhitecedarswamp,anuncommonresource.

Unfortunately,theintegrityandnaturalbeautyofGreat

CedarsWestissomewhatmarredbyinvasiveplants. At

therequestofthetownConservationCommission,Distric

staff,withassistancefromwetlandsscientistPenelope

Sharp,conductedfieldevaluationsandrecommended

land

management

and

invasive

plant

control

strategies

to

improvethehealthofthepropertysnaturalcommunities,

allsummarizedinawrittenreportforthetown.

AccordingtoTownPlannerChristineNelson,nowthe

townisontothemostimportantpart:implementation!

Andinfact,theplanisalreadybeingusedbytheBoy

ScoutstodevelopEagleScoutprojects.

FundingforthisprojectwasprovidedbytheTownofOldSaybrook.

Efforts to Restore Salt Island OverlookCoastal Forest ProgressingScoreoneforthegoodguys! Restoringthecoastalforestis

closertoarealityattheSaltIslandOverlookPreservein

Westbrook,whereinvasiveplantsoncehadastranglehold

This7acresite,purchasedbythetowntoprotectcoastalresourcesandforpubliceducation,isconsideredoneofth

fewremainingparcelsinWestbrookwiththepotentialfor

publicviewing/accessofLongIslandSound. In2007,the

Districtcompletedanaturalresourcesassessmentofthe

propertywithmanagementrecommendations,including

tacklingtheaggressiveexoticplantsthathadtakenover.

Activitiestocontrolinvasiveplantswereinitiatedin2009,

withtheDistrictcalledintomonitorplantdieoffand

regrowth,andestablishmentofnativepopulations. TheDistrictcontinuedtomonitorthesuccessoftreatmentsin

twiceyearlysurveysin2010.

Wearepleasedtoreportthatresultsshowastrikingdeclin

ininvasivespecies,withanincreaseindiversityofnativeplants. Treatmentsareslatedtocontinue,andplansarein

theworkstoreplanttheareawithnativespecies,construc

atrail,developeducationalsignage,andbuildaparkinglo

WithsuchgreatprogressandacommittedConservation

Commission,wehavehighhopesthatthepropertywill

soonbeawonderfulassetforthecommunity.

ThisongoingprojectisfundedbytheTownofWestbrook.

A Coginchaug River cleanup held atVeterans Park in Middletown yieldedan impressive dump truck full of trash.The winner for the most unusual item

hauled out of the river? A steeringwheel and column! Cosponsored withthe Middletown Regional VocationalAgriculture Center, the cleanup washeld in October as part of the CT River

Watershed Councils Source to SeaCleanup. Thanks to all who pitched in!

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Cong ratulations 2010 ConservationAward Winners!EnvironmentalProfessionalKipenKolesinskas,StateSoil

Scientist&FarmandRanch

LandsProtectionProgram

Manager,USDANaturalResourcesConservationService

EnvironmentalOrganizationTheRockfallFoundation

Media/CommunicationsCTEnvironmentalHeadlines,ChristopherZurcherCooperatorCatoCornerFarm,ElizabethMacAlister&MarkGillman

TeacherKimAntol,RockyHillHighSchool

SpecialMeritMark&MindyYuknat,CTRiverExpeditions

SuellenKozeyMcCuin,CTCouncilonSoil&Water

Conservation

CertificatesofAppreciationGaryCrump&GloriaPriam,PriamVineyards

BridgetRiordan,ChamardVineyards

DavidRichards,ClintonNurseries

Mark&MindyYuknat,CTRiverExpeditions

MatthewRubin,OldSaybrookShoppingCenter

PierreBennerup,SunnyBorderNurseries

RobMerritt,R2Graphics

ThomasD.Comer,CPA,ComerandCompany,LLC

CRCCDs 63rd Annua l Meeting Hosted by Mc Kinney Nationa l Wildlife Refuge

DidyouknowConnecticuthasaNationalWildlifeRefuge? Itstrue!! TheDistricts

2010annualmeetingbroughtustoWestbrook,whereparticipantsenjoyedavisittothe

StewartB.McKinneyNationalWildlifeRefugeSaltMeadowUnit,CTsfirst,andnow

oneoftenseparateunitsalongthecoastthatmakeuptherefuge. With400acresofsalt

marsh,forest,grassland,andshrubland,itwasestablishedtoprotectfeeding,nesting

andrestinghabitatformigratorybirds;encouragenaturaldiversityoffishandwildlife;

andprovideenvironmentaleducationforthepublic.

Followingthebusinessmeetingstaffgaveaslideshowofconservationhighlightsfromourpastyear,andwepresentedConservationAwardstoourwinners(seelistbelow).

Then,RefugeManagerRichardPotvinregaledthegroupwithstoriesaboutthehistory

oftherefugeandongoingmanagementworkthere. Afterabriefrefreshmentbreak,

featuringdelicioushandmadeCatoCornerFarmcheesedonatedgenerouslybyowners

andmastercheesemakersElizabethMacAlisterandMarkGillman,weenjoyeda

guidedwalkoftherefugesculturalandnaturalfeatures.

Itwasapictureperfectwarmandsunnyfalldayabeautifuldayforahikethrough

thewoodstoastunningmarshoverlook. OurthankstoRichardPotvinforhosting

themeetingandintroducingustotherefuge,andforhisveryinformativeandenter

tainingpresentation.

Keep ing the Connecticut CleanThisabridgedversionofMichaelMcCunesMiddletownPatcharticle

isreprintedherewithhispermission.Theoriginalcanbeviewedathttp://middletownct.patch.com/articles/keepingtheconnecticutclean#c.

Ashomeworkassignmentsgo,thiswasonetallorder:Clean

uptheConnecticutRiver. Still,theteensattendingthe

DecemberRussellLibrary GreenChildren programbentto

thetask.TheylistenedasEricaLarner,theDistrictsNatural

ResourceSpecialist,toldthemtheConnecticutisNewEng

landslongestriver,meanderingthroughfourstatesduring

a410milejourney,andhometoavastarrayofwildlife.

BythetimeitemptiesintoLongIslandSound,Larnersaid,theriverhascollectedenoughwatertoprovide70percentof

theestuarysfreshwater. Butexactlyhowfreshisit? Trash,

sewageandrainwatercarryingatoxicmixofpollutants

lawnchemicals,acidrain,petpoop,detergents,oil,gasoline,

roadsaltandsandthreatentheriverswaterqualityand

wildlife,Larnersaid.Andcleaningthatwaterisntsoeasy.

Toproveherpoint,Larnerfilledthreejarsofwaterwithher

own(sanitized)versionsofthose

pollutantsandchallengedstudents

toundothedamage.Theygot

cleanjars,funnels,filters,sponges,

sand,sievesand20minutes. After

screening,filteringandrefiltering,

thesampleswereclearofvisible

chunksortrash,butstillalight

shadeofgreen.Testsrevealedthe

waterwastooacidictosupport

mostplantsandotherlife.

Thetakehomemessagewastwofold:Removingpollutants

fromwateris nearlyimpossible, andthebestwaytokeep

theConnecticutcleanistoreducetheuseofpollutants.

Whowantstoswiminthis? shesaid,holdingupajarof

neongreen

water.

(TOP) View of the marsh from

the overlook; (BOTTOM) RefugeManager Richard Potvin (l) leadsa walk on the trail.

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January2011TheConnecticutRiverCoastalConservationDistrict,Inc.isanonprofitorganizationwhosemissionistopromotethesounduseandmanagementofournaturalresourcesthroughtechnicalassistanceandeducation.

BoardofDirectorsThomasM.ODell,Westbrook,Chair

AlisonGuinness,EastHaddam,V.Chair

ChristopherHolden,Middletown,TreasurerCindyGaudino,Middletown,Secretary

JimCostello,EastHaddam

GaryCrump,Colchester

MichaelLutz,Higganum

TimothyMyjak,EastHaddam

BrianOConnor,Clinton

MarkYuknat,Essex

JenniferWeymouth,Middletown

DistrictStaffJaneL.BrawermanExecutiveDirector

EricaN.LarnerNaturalResourceSpecialist

BarbaraA.DavisOfficeAdministrator

TheDistrictservesthetownsofBerlin,

Chester,Clinton,Colchester,Cromwell,DeepRiver,Durham,EastHaddam,EastHampton,Essex,Haddam,Hebron,

Killingworth,Lyme,Madison,Marlborough

Middlefield,Middletown,NewBritain,Newington,OldLyme,OldSaybrook,Portland,RockyHill,SalemandWestbrook

TheBoard

of

Directors

holds

public

meetin

everyfourthWednesday,7:00PM,atthe

deKovenHouseCommunityCenterinMiddletown.Allprogramsandservicesare

offeredonanondiscriminatorybasiswithou

regardtorace,color,nationalorigin,religio

sex,age,maritalstatusorhandicap.

Conservation Timesispublishedby:ConnecticutRiverCoastal

ConservationDistrict,Inc.

deKovenHouseCommunityCenter

27WashingtonStreet

Middletown,CT06457

Phone:(860)3463282FAX:(860)3463284

www.conservect.org/ctrivercoastal

WELCOME ERICA LARNER!

EricaLarner,theDistrictsNaturalResource

Specialist,beganworkingwithusalmostayear

ago,inMarch2010. Shestartedhercareerasa

RovingConservationCoordinatorforBarnstable,

ProvincetownandBourne,MA,advisingtheir

conservation/wetlandscommissions,

applicants

andothertowndepartments,andhasoverfiveyearsofexperiencehelpingclientsobtainvarious

wetlandsandendangeredspeciespermits,deline

atinganddocumentingwetlands,managingopen

space,evaluatingsiteplansandapplications,andconductingconstructionand

mitigationoversightandmonitoring. EricahasaB.S.inBiologyfromUMass

Amherst,withadditionaltraininginwetlands. ShemovedtoConnecticut

fromCapeCodwithherfamily.

WithherbackgroundEricawasabletojumprightin,andshehasbeenvery

busywithafullplateofprojectsandrequestsfortechnicalassistancefrom

municipalitiesandprivatelandowners. Ifyouhaventalreadycrossedpaths

withErica,stopbytosay Hi nexttimeyoureinMiddletown. Andifyouneedhelpwithanaturalresourceproblemonyourproperty,likeadrainage

orerosionconcern,giveheracall!BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, TASTY FOOD & WINE, FUN PEOPLE, DAZZLINGBIRDS6TH ANNUAL RIVER CRUISE FUNDRAISER ANOTHER BIG SUCCESS!!

ItshardtobelievewevebeenholdingourTree

SwallowCruiseandWineTastingtobenefitthe

ConnecticutRiverWatchProgramforsixyears

now! Thisyearscruisewentoffwithoutahitch,

withourbiggestgroupever. Specialthanksto

oursponsorsfortheirgenerouscontributions:

RiverQuestownersMarkandMindyYuknat;DavidRichardsofClintonNurseries;Priam

VineyardsGaryCrumpandGloriaPriam;BridgetRiordanofChamard

Vineyards;andnewthisyear,ChristianaandJamieJones ofJonesWinery.

OurdeliciousrepastcamefromTheRiverhouseatGoodspeedLanding.

Thanksalsotoourmanyrepeatandnewsupporterswhojoinedusonthe

cruiseandcontributedtothefun!

20TH ANNUAL SHRUB AND SEEDLING SALE: April 15, 16 & 17, 2011OldSaybrookShoppingCenter,BostonPostRd.&ElmSt.,OldSaybrookHelpuscelebrateour20thyearBUYPLANTS!!! Thefirst200orderswe

receivebyMarch4,2011willbeenteredinadrawingforoneofthreegreat

prizes:aGreatAmericanRainBarrel,aCTRiverSunsetCruisefor2ontheRiverQuest,andacopyofTheOrganicLawnCareManualbyPaulTukey.

CheckoutourgreatselectionofConnecticut

nativeshrubs,treeseedlings,grasses,fernsand

floweringperennials,includingmanyedibles

suitableforlandscaping!!Forabrochureand

orderformphoneusat(860)3463282,orgotowww.conservect.org/ctrivercoastal.

Quantitiesofsomeselectionsarelimited,so

dontmissoutreserveyourplantsbysendinginyourorderformonorbeforeMarch25,2011.Anddontforgetaboutourgreat

prize

giveaway!

Distric t News & Events

Erica in the field, collectingsoil samples

Photos: Jim Costello