Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

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08/31/2018

2019 Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp Reproductions Now Available

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that prints of the 2019 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp created by second time winner Jeffrey Klinefelter are now available in limited quantity.
There is a limited number of signed Conservation Prints of Mr. Klinefelter’s depiction of buffleheads at Barn Island Wildlife Management Area in Stonington. The prints sell for $200 each, and all proceeds from the purchase of these stunning prints, as well as all funds collected from the sale of Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps, go into the Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. This fund is used for the enhancement of wetland and associated upland habitats in our state.
Those interested in purchasing a print should contact DEEP Wildlife Division biologist Min Huang at min.huang@ct.gov or 860-418-5959.
The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund is the sole source of money for many of the wetland projects in Connecticut. Other federal dollars, such as Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration funds, generated by hunters are also used for wetland conservation in Connecticut.
The sale of Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps has generated more than $1.5 million since the launch of the program. More importantly, this money has been used to leverage other funds for habitat conservation, resulting in almost $4.5 million in actual conservation dollars on the ground. The Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp program is a great example of how the North American Conservation Model works. Users of the resource pay into funds whose monies are solely dedicated to conservation. 
More than 3,445 acres of wetlands in Connecticut, mostly on state-owned Wildlife Management Areas, have been restored or enhanced using Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp funds, and projects have been conducted at over 50 sites statewide. Seventy-five acres of critical wildlife habitat have been purchased using Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp monies. All of these efforts have benefitted many of the approximately 274 birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles of the state that rely upon clean, healthy wetlands.
Hunters are not the only ones who can purchase Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps and artistic prints. Anyone who cares about Connecticut’s wetland habitats and wetland-dependent wildlife can purchase these items and contribute to conservation in Connecticut. Own a piece of history and do your part for habitat protection and restoration. Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps can be purchased for $17 each through the Online Sportsmen Licensing System (www.ct.gov/deep/sportsmenlicensing) or at DEEP License and Revenue, 79 Elm Street, Hartford (Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM; 860-424-3105).
Image of the 2019 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp print painted by Jeffrey Klinefelter
Image of the 2019 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp print painted by Jeffrey Klinefelter.
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