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

Press Releases

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07/23/2019

DEEP Announces Discover Outdoor Connecticut Photo Contest

Entries Due August 16, 2019

Have you taken an amazing wildlife photo? Did you spot a pollinator up close? Have you spent some time in a park or out on the water? Did you watch the leaves turn brilliant oranges and reds? Show us! The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Bureau of Natural Resources is now taking entries for the second annual Discover Outdoor Connecticut Photo Contest. Photographers from any state may participate, but all submitted photos must have been taken in Connecticut. Photographers may enter one photo in each category:
  1. Wildlife (including fish and insects),
  2. People enjoying the natural world, and
  3. Scenic landscapes and flora.
Judges will select first, second, and third place winners for each category, plus winners in a separate youth category (ages 15 and younger). All submitted photos will be displayed at DEEP’s Discover Outdoor Connecticut Day, scheduled for September 15, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at DEEP’s Hammonasset Beach State Park, Meigs Point Nature Center. During the event a “People’s Choice” award will be selected by popular vote.
ENTRY IS BY MAIL ONLY: Entries must be postmarked by August 16, 2019. Instructions, rules, prizes, mailing instructions, and other details are on the official entry form, which can be found on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/DiscoverOutdoorCT (select “Photo Contest”).
First place winners in each category will have their photograph published in Connecticut Wildlife, the department’s bimonthly magazine. First, second, and third place winners will have their photographs displayed on the DEEP Website (www.ct.gov/deep/wildlife).
PRIZES include:
First place in each category – $50 gift card to Milford Photo
Second place in each category – $25 gift card to Cabela’s
Third place in each category – $15 gift card to Cabela’s
First, second, and third place also receive ribbons and a one-year subscription to Connecticut Wildlife magazine. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will receive an autographed copy of Macrophotography, Techniques for Exploring the Natural World by Connecticut Ecologist and Conservation Biologist Dennis Quinn.

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