Maintaining water quality entails protecting not only rivers and streams, but also the land that surrounds them. The MRWC is working with organizations, municipalities and state governments in order to advance land protection and stewardship efforts on a regional scale. The MRWC supported an effort to create the Mianus River Greenway, a series of properties on and near the Mianus River that are undeveloped open space that improve the protection of water quality, provide wildlife habitat, allow for the free movement of wildlife and compatible recreational opportunities within the watershed. The Mianus River Greenway is officially recognized by the CT Department of Environmental Protection. MRWC is working on the identification of privately held properties that might be purchased to expand the existing Greenway. MRWC hopes to increase public awareness of the importance of open space as well as the importance of designing and managing our landscapes and hardscapes (impervious surfaces) in an environmental friendly way.
Mianus River Greenway Priority Properties to Protect Report In support of an effort to expand the Mianus River Greenway, MRWC in coordination with the Mianus River Gorge Preserve has prepared a report that Identifies priority properties (mostly vacant land) that should be protected in order to enhance the protection of water quality and habitat and appropriate recreation in the Mianus River watershed. MRWC's Strategic Plan goals include the the protection and preservation of open space. The goals include working with other land protection groups and towns to
1. Develop a map of all parcels in the Mianus River Greenway that have potential for protection.
2. Put together small groups that can approach specific landowners.
3. Work on fundraising strategies for specific priority properties.
In support of these goals, MRWC applied to the CT DEP for a grant to fund a project to inventory existing properties in the Mianus River watershed and to prepare fact sheets from public records and GIS mapping. The purpose of the project is to consolidate and periodically refine available information on the status of potential priority open space properties so that current and future land protection advocates can quickly understand the value of the parcels, and be able to to intelligently advocate for their protection. To review a copy of the report "Mianus River Greenway Priority Properties to Protect" [warning - large file due to the maps - may take a minute to load]. The Appendix of Fact Sheets about each property is not accessible via this website. The Mianus River Watershed Council Board of Directors will distribute this list upon request. We feel that the detailed information about these properties needs to be kept confidential to respect the privacy of the land owner. (October 25, 2011)