State of Connecticut

Goals and Benchmarks
For the Year 2000 and Beyond
Stewardship

Suburbanization of the landscape has become a dominant ecological factor. Poor land management, habitat fragmentation and the introduction or competition of exotic species and diseases have combined to render once near stable ecosystems less so. More and more, habitat diversity and complexity linger mainly in areas of marginal use to humans, such as wetlands, ridgelines and hilltops or in large blocks of land preserved through public ownership. We must respond with sound environmental management. The future quality of the environment will depend upon practicing a stewardship that wisely manages our environmental resources and preserves critical, sustainable habitat for future generations.

Careful stewardship of Connecticut's finite water, land, wildlife and forest resources and the preservation of the State's rich cultural and historic heritage will assure their availability for future generations. 

			1985	 1990	1992-4	2000	2005	2010	2015

Percentage of the land in 
the state that has been 
retained as DEP owned open space	   6.4	7.02	7.46	 7.9	 8.4

Number of acres of forest land 
in parcels of 20 acres or more  
(in thousands of acres)			 1,296	1,290	1,288	1,286	1,285

Number of municipalities with 
active conservation commissions		   138	  145	  152	  160	  169

Thousands of acres of forest land 
in parcels of 10 acres or more 
that are managed in accordance 
with a plan prepared under the 
CT Forest Stewardship Program		 143.5	149.0	155.0	162.0	170.0

Percentage of species and habitats in compliance with management goals:							
 Percentage of upland habitats 
   preserved that are critical 
   to maintaining healthy ecosystems	    10	 11.7	 13.3	   15	   16
 Percentage of wildlife species 
   with optimal population levels	    65	   69	   73	   77	   80
 Percentage of inland fish species 
   in compliance with management goals	    85	   88	   91	   94	   97
 Percentage of marine fish species 
   at long-term, sustainable populations    25	   58	   66	   78	   92
 Percentage of deer management zones 
   in which populations are balanced 
   with biological and cultural 
   carrying capacity			    18	   55	   64	   72	   82

			1985	 1990	1992-4	2000	2005	2010	2015

Acres of farmland 
preserved in Connecticut 
through state development 
rights purchased by 
other means	        7,760	18,600	24,190	36,100	45,600	51,100	64,600

Acres of shellfish beds 
with adequate shellfish 
base and spawning stock 
under cultivation      38,600	        45,000	57,300 	67,550 	77,800	88,000

Percentage of the currently estimated 
20 year demand for sand, gravel, and 
trap rock resources that are adequately 
protected to ensure future availability
							
Percentage of significant natural, 
cultural, historic, and known 
archeological sites that are preserved							

Percentage of coastal communities implementing up-to-date:							
    Municipal coastal programs			  40	  82	  82	  82
    Harbor management plans			  30	  45	  60	  70

Number of rivers managed as 
a "protected river"			    0	   2	   3	    5	   6

Miles of river channels 
and river front lands restored		    0	   3	   5	  7.5	  10

All Connecticut residents and visitors will enjoy a diverse mix of well maintained, scenic and accessible park facilities and outdoor recreational opportunities. 

			1985	 1990	1992-4	2000	2005	2010	2015

Percentage of peak demand that 
can be accommodated at state 
parks and recreational facilities	    75	 100	 100	 100	 100

Percentage of state natural resource recreational facilities meeting adopted standards:							
    state parks			            18	  35	  60	  85	 100
    state forests			    18	  30	  50	  75	 100
    boat launches			    15	  40	  65	  85     100

Number of well maintained state outdoor parks and recreational facilities.							
    state parks				    22	  36	  50	  50	  50
    state forests			     4	   7	  11	  11	  11
    boat launches			    61	  90	 123	 123	 136

Number of access sites on lakes, rivers, and Long Island Sound needed to meet demand:							
    fishing access			   615	 685	 755	 825	 895
    boating access			   108	 116	 123	 130	 136
    swimming access			    21	  23	  25	  27	  29

Connecticut's critical environmental habitats will be protected and the diversity of existing species will be maintained in order to protect the delicate balance of Connecticut's unique ecological systems. 

			 1985   1990	1992-4	2000	2005	2010	2015

Percentage of native plants, 
fish and wildlife species 
that are endangered, threatened, 
or of special concern of the 
1992 base inventory			   100	98.5	97.5	  96	  95

Percentage of federal and 
state endangered, threatened, 
or special concern species 
that are protected on DEP 
lands				                  10	 20	  30	  40

Acres of potentially restorable, 
degraded tidal wetland, coves 
and embankments which have been restored	
						
Acres of inland wetlands 
lost or gained annually  -1250	-1012	 -540	 -250	  0	+250	 +250

Percentage of public and 
private land with completed 
biological diversity inventories	   <5	  15	  25	  50	  100

Acres of habitat preserved 
that are critical to the 
Long Island Sound and 
coastal ecosystems			 5250	
			
Percentage of habitats 
preserved that are 
critical to upland ecosystems			  15	  25	  50	  100
See Endnotes on Stewardship.
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