THE CONNECTICUT STATEWIDE FOREST RESOURCE PLAN

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

FORESTRY DIVISION

The Connecticut Statewide Forest Resource Plan is designed to serve as an overview for planning future activities, within the forest community of Connecticut. The plan will identify priorities and issues regarding the State's forests, and provide the basis for putting limited available state and federal funds, as well as participating groups and individuals time, to the best and most urgent uses. It is intended to provide government, industry, and private citizens an insightful look at existing conditions of Connecticut's forests, current issues affecting the forests, and promote a management plan for landowners to follow. The plan contains several recommended action steps to be implemented. In an effort to include as many perspectives as possible, the participatory process that was used in the creation of the plan ensured that stakeholders and professionals from a wide range of forest-related interests had direct input.

Diane Ciano represented the equestrian community in one of the series of focus group meetings of the DEP Forestry Dept., in an effort to obtain feedback from the various stakeholder groups who value and depend on Connecticut's forestlands. Over 120 people participated, representing all types of forest users. What resulted was a series of issues and action steps addressing eight topics associated with the forestlands of CT. These issues and action statements are a part of a larger document entitled "The Connecticut Statewide Forest Resource Plan". This plan is meant to direct limited available state and federal funds to the most urgent uses, while also calling on the stakeholder groups to take a more active role in the protection of our state's forest resources. It is also meant to provide a management basis for landowner to follow. The success of this plan will be monitored closely over its ten-year life span.

Diane, along with Jan Collins, reviewed this draft and has made comments back to the Dept. of Forestry. The comments addressed equestrian use in multi -use recreational areas, on trails, and their importance to the equestrian stakeholders. CHC offered assistance to being one of the Key Organizations in partnership with DEP Forestry and other stakeholder groups, in helping to create Public Forest Stewardship by providing funding or assistance. CHC also noted that The CT Horse Council, Inc. Volunteer Horse Patrol can be instrumental in helping to implement the Resource Plan. Both Diane & Jan have offered their assistance to the plan, including representation on the newly formed Advisory Committee and the Connecticut Forestlands Committee. Below is the CT Horse Council Comments to the draft. The Plan will be completed by the end of the year.

The Connecticut Horse Council Comments:

Connecticut Statewide Forest Resource Plan

March 2004

Thank you for the opportunity to address the Connecticut Statewide Forest Resource Plan.

The CT Horse Council, Inc. (CHC) is anticipating establishing a relationship with the Forestry Department and offers our assistance to the plan, including representation of the Advisory Committee and the Connecticut Forestlands Committee.

We have also included the Job Description of the CT Horse Council Volunteer Horse Patrol, which has been modeled after the Maryland State Parks Volunteer Mounted Patrol and the Santa Monica CA Mountains National Recreation Area Patrol in conjunction with the National Park Service Volunteers In Parks (VIP) program. We are currently working with DEP State Parks Division in establishing a state wide Horse Patrol, and are now patrolling 5 pilot state forests in CT. This Patrol has been mentioned several times in our comments on how the CT Horse Council (CHC) is willing to help in implementing the Resource Plan.

The Connecticut Horse Council feels the top 5 priority action steps to the Forest Resource Plan are:

1. Expansion of our forests, especially to close the gaps of fragmentation

2. Education of public user groups and how they can participate in:

3. Public Forest Stewardship

4. Recreational Opportunities that include equestrian use and access

5. Evaluation of our forests health and action steps to treat and regenerate

CHC would be willing to act as a facilitating partner on implementation of a the actions steps listed below:

Forest Ecosystem Health: CHC offers its help in collecting data of the conditions of trails, possible erosion, monitoring the use of trails, etc., through our Volunteer Horse Patrol Program. CHC would also provide education of the Forestry Department and can pass information on to its membership and general public.

Private Forest Stewardship: The same comment above would apply to this section. Equestrians have always been involved with the private sector and help to educate landowners to enhance the Resource Plan.

Public Forest Stewardship: CHC would be in agreement of legislation to implement user/permit fees only to the extent that the monies go exclusively to the dedicated fund rather than the General State Fund.

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Recreation: CHC can provide the Volunteer Horse Patrol to help educate, offer assistance to trail users and DEP personnel, collect data, map and maintain trail systems, while promoting public involvement.

Sustainable Forest Based Economy: CHC can help to educate its membership to pass information on to others, including their local land owners, town officials, and our legislative body of the importance of our forest resources.

Education and Outreach: CHC can provide resource information to its membership and equestrian community as well as the general public.

Planning and Policy: Through education of the Forest Resource Plan, CHC can work in collaboration with local government for long term planning of public lands and trail systems to create statewide policies that include all trail user groups.

Research: CHC can offer help in recruiting its membership in collecting data on research programs of the Forest Resource Plan.

The CT Horse Council offers representation on the Advisory Board Committee and the Connecticut Forests Lands Committee. CHC can provide resource information to the Forestry Dept. CHC's knowledge of this plan and its goals can be passed on to the equestrian community to further the education process.

The following are additional comments to the draft:

Page 3. Key Organizations: the CT Horse Council, Inc. would like to be included in this section.

Page 5. Advisory Committee: the CHC offers representation to serve on this committee.

Page 6. Partners Providing Funding or Assistance: CHC offers to be listed in this section

Page 7. Focus Group Stakeholder Participants: CHC offers to be listed in this section

Page 10. Public Forest Stewardship: CHC would be in agreement of legislation to implement

user/permit fees only to the extent that the monies go exclusively to the dedicated fund rather than the General State Fund.

Page 14. Recreation: Horseback Riding should also be included under examples.

Page 15. State Lands: 1. a. Should read: Include linear parking spaces for horse trailers.

It is very important to have Trail Head access designed to accommodate horse trailers.

2. Also, to be noted is that access into areas is often designed to keep out motorized use,

but in the end illegal use gets in, and access is denied by legitimate trail users groups,

making it dangerous to access public land, especially in the case of carriage driving.

Private Lands 3. C. Promote easements for hiking:

This should not be limited to hikers only. This can be more appropriately read:

"Promote easements for public access"

Page 25. Connecticut Forestlands Committee: CHC offers representation on this committee

Submitted by Diane Ciano, Trails Chair

Jan Collins, Trails Committee