Download the LWCF Factsheet for Connecticut, FY 12 Projects and Talking Points

Download the LWCF Support Letter to Senator Dodd, May 2010

LWCF Success in Connecticut

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped protect some of Connecticut’s most treasured places.  Connecticut has received approximately $112 million over the past four decades, protecting places such as the Weir Farm National Historic Site and the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.

Stewart McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect migratory bird habitat along Long Island Sound.  Given its importance to water and habitat conservation in Connecticut, units of the refuge now extend along 60 miles of Connecticut’s coastline on the Sound.  In addition to the increase in habitat protection over the years, the refuge now provides opportunities for scientific research, environmental education, and fish and wildlife-oriented recreation. With the large population along the coast and the pressures from development, funds provided by LWCF are critical to the refuge’s conservation efforts.

Economic Benefits

Active outdoor recreation is an important part of the Connecticut economy.  Each year, 309,000 sportspersons and 1.2 million wildlife watchers combine to spend $873 million on wildlife-associated recreation in Connecticut.  This is an integral part of the American outdoor recreation economy, which contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supports 6.4 million American jobs (1 out of every 20 jobs in the U.S.), and stimulates 8 percent of all consumer spending, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.