Press Releases
02/19/2025
Connecticut Greenways Council Accepting Nominations
Submit Greenways to be Designated by the State
(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Greenways Council announced today that they are now soliciting nominations for official state greenway designations.
Greenways are an integral part of any community: offering recreational opportunities, providing alternative transportation options, helping to preserve the environment, and supporting economic development. Greenways make a community a more attractive place to live by connecting living spaces with the environment. They preserve history and cultivate town pride.
“Greenways protect our state’s critical natural resources and often provide opportunities to connect people with those resources,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “Our Connecticut Greenways Council encourages municipalities to embrace the designation process to facilitate sustainable development, enhancement, and preservation of these open spaces.”
An official designation by the Greenways Council recognizes a greenway as an open space that not only meets the definition of a greenway, per Public Act 95-335, but also enhances the community and is supported by local government initiatives. Designated greenways, both for recreation and resource protection, receive higher scoring and increased consideration for a variety of grant programs, and serve as planning resources supporting Plans of Conservation and Development. There are currently 96 designated greenways in Connecticut.
“The element of connectivity is critical in the designation of new Greenways in Connecticut,” said Acting Director of State Parks DEEP Jeremy Hall. "Greenways can be the links from urban to rural settings, connecting towns, or states. They can reconnect people to their communities, to rivers, forests, and hillsides, enhancing the sense of place that defines the high quality of life in Connecticut.”
The Greenways Council will evaluate all nominated greenways for consistency with designation criteria. Those selected for designation will be announced by the Greenways Council in conjunction with their 26th Annual Greenways Awards event planned for June 6, 2025.
The deadline for submission of nominations is May 1, 2025.
The nomination form is available as a word document or a PDF. The preferred method for submission of completed nomination forms is by e-mail to Kimberly.Bradley@ct.gov and DEEPCTtrails@ct.gov . Digital photos and maps are preferred (digital photos of hard copy maps are acceptable).
For more information, please visit the Official Connecticut Greenways website.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110