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. Rocky Neck State Park is also closed until further notice due to a brush fire. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Transitioning To Organic Land Care (OLC)  In Your Town

people playing soccer

Fact Sheets and Presentation on Transitioning to OLC
Organic Land Care Video

OLC DVD face imageAre you ready to make the transition from using synthetic (conventional) fertilizers to organic? The DEEP's Office of Pollution Prevention has produced a  7-1/2 minute video for municipal officials who want to learn more about what it takes to "go organic." The Connecticut Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) and the UCONN Plant Science Department provided technical expertise.

Video topics include: 

  • What is meant by organic land care
  • On-location interviews with Cheshire and Granby town officials who talk about their experiences implementing organic land care on their playing fields 
  • Benefits and potential challenges of going organic

View the video. Read the video transcript

Purchasing Organic Land Care Products

Some products can be purchased through the Capitol Region Purchasing Council.

What Other Towns Are Doing

DEEP partnered with NOFA to provide technical assistance to municipalities to convert to organic methods to manage their turf playing fields. DEEP and NOFA worked with Manchester and Watertown to transition from conventional pesticides and fertilizers on soccer and baseball fields.

One of the most challenging parts of moving to Organic Land Care is the cost of organic fertilizers compared with conventional ones. Utilizing "free" compost produced from town leaves is one of the best responses to this challenge. Organic land care specialists recommend that the compost be tested before application and results compared with the needs of the turf soil for nutrients, organic matter and biology.

Information on Pesticide Risks

Beyond Pesticides provides information on the risks to children who play on fields treated with conventional pesticides.

Related Topics

Pollution Prevention Strategies For State and Local Government Agencies

Content Last Updated January 2020