Housatonic NRD photos

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 a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Housatonic River Basin Natural Resource Restoration Plan

Project Photos

Audubon Carse Brook Wetlands Restoration

Photos Courtesy of Mike Dudek

Water leveler at Carse Brook

image of water leveler at Carse Brook

Wood duck boxes and installation.

Several newly-constructed wood duck nest boxes.

woodduck box

Wood duck box

woodduck box

Kiosk at Carse Brook restoration site.

Carse Brook kiosk

Ball Pond and Shortwoods Brooks Water Quality Improvement and Pedestrian Access

Photos courtesy of Patty Mota, Town of New Fairfield

The bridge at Ball Pond.

ball pond

The trail at Ball Pond.

trail at ball pond

Native grasses at Ball Pond.

native grasses at ball pond

Beacon Falls Riverfront Park System

Photos courtesy of Michael H. Horbal

Construction of the current break boulders at the canoe/kayak launch site. Route 8 overpass in the background.

Construction of the current break boulders at the canoe/kayak launch site. Route 8 overpass in the background.

A flock of ducks enjoying the river is a common scene.

A flock of ducks enjoying the river is a common scene.

Improvements include expanded walkways for fishing access.

Expanded walkways for fishing access.

Improvement to walkway near the launch area.

Improvement to walkway near the launch area.

Campville Fishing Access, Harwinton

Photos courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

An angler enjoys newly protected fishing access along the Naugatuck River in Harwinton.

Harwinton fishing access.

Nearly 10 acres of riparian habitat have been conserved in Harwinton to protect the river and provide fishing access.

Harwinton riparian access.

Conservation of the Frost and CL&P Riverfront Properties, Sharon

Photos courtesy of Elaine Hecht, USFWS and Salisbury Association Land Trust

Lou Hecht (left) and George Massey (right), co-chairmen of the Salisbury Association Land Trust and Tim Abbott (center) of the Housatonic Valley Association, at the newly protected 39-acre Belter property in Salisbury, Connecticut.

Belter property in Salisbury.

The Housatonic Valley Association used funds to protect 20 acres of farmland along the Housatonic River in Sharon.

Farmland along the Housatonic River.

Second growth after first cutting at Sycamore Meadows.

Sycamore Meadow

Sign at Sycamore Meadows.

Sign at Sycamore Meadow

Local high school VO-AG team at work.

Student volunteers

Fish Ladder Repair and Riparian Vegetation Restoration, Cornwall

Photo courtesy of the Housatonic Valley Association

River Logic Solutions, Inc. installed the new fishway at Furnace Brook.

fish ladder repair

Positioning the three Steeppass units.

The baffles of the fish ladder allow native brook trout to more easily pass through the culvert and return to primordial spawning grounds.

Fish Ladder Baffles

Housatonic and Naugatuck Watershed Trout Stocking and Stream Improvement

Photos courtesy of Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited volunteers were joined by 5th graders and their teachers from the local elementary school to plant native trees and shrubs and conduct a macroinvertebrate study.

student volunteer planting native trees and shrubs

volunteers planting native trees and shrubs

student volunteer planting native trees and shrubs

group of volunteers

volunteers conducting macroinvertebrate study

student volunteers looking for macroinvertebrates

Power Line Marsh Project

Photos courtesy of Kristina Snurkowski

The CT DEEP WHAMM Unit's low ground pressure excavators are busy creating shallow pools for wildlife on the Power Line Marsh.

Pools created for wildlife use are a tenth to a quarter-acre in size and average 6-18 inches deep.

A finished pool created for wildlife use. Excavated material is pushed to an upland edge or spread and groomed on the adjacent marsh which revegetates in one to two growing seasons.

Salmon Creek/Housatonic River Land Protection

Photos courtesy of TTOR and Salisbury Association Land Trust

The 77-acre Shady Maple Farm in Salisbury was protected by the Trustees of Reservations, the Nature Conservancy and a number of other partners with partial funding from the Trustees.

Shady Maple Farm

shady maple farm

The Nature Conservancy and the Salisbury Association Land Trust completed the purchase of a conservation restriction on a 22-acre parcel of riverfront land in Salisbury, Over a quarter of a mile of riverfront and river bottom were protected with the purchase.

Grossman Farm

Salmon Kill Restoration and Enhancement

Twenty students from Housatonic Valley Regional High School planted more than 140 shrubs and saplings as part of the Trout Unlimited (TU) project to restore riparian habitat on the Salmon Kill River. TU hopes to rehabilitate floodplain forest and riparian forested habitat, restore eroded stream banks, and enhance in-stream habitat to benefit native brook trout and wild brown trout populations. All photos courtesy of Trout Unlimited.

Area before planting.

Before planting