By Lisa Peterson

One small step for horseback riders – one giant leap for Newtown.

More than 600 acres will be added to the open space roster in Newtown. They are part of 18,700 acres of uninterrupted forests and streams in Western Connecticut owned by Kelda, the British-based water company that purchased Bridgeport Hydraulic Company. Statewide there are 140,000 acres of land owned by water and utility companies.

 Most importantly a small trail from Equestrian Ridge Road to Collins P. Huntington State Park is located in the heart of the soon-to-be acquired open space. This trail, recently upgraded to pedestrian access by the state, is adjacent to a disputed equestrian easement. With the state purchase of the Kelda land there is hope that someday horses will have direct legal access to the park over lands that they had been using for decades.

The Connecticut General Assembly funded the purchase of the Kelda lands last week in this year’s state budget to the tune of $65 million. It will be broken down into $30 million from the 2001 surplus, $30 million in new bonding and $5 million from the Recreation and National Heritage Trust Fund. In addition, The Connecticut Chapter of The Nature Conservancy is also kicking in $10 million. So far, $75 million of the more than $90 million needed for the purchase has been earmarked this year. The balance will be funded in future state budgets.

Kelda only required an initial installment of $35 million to transfer title to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Newtown’s share of Kelda lands totals 645 acres, according to Weston First Selectman Woody Bliss, co-chair of the Coalition for the Permanent Protection of Kelda Lands. The majority of the land – 514 acres – is Class I watershed with 87 designated Class II and the remaining 44 acres Class III. In addition, five acres of surface water, most likely a pond located on one of the parcels, is included. All of the parcels are located in the Poverty Hollow section.

According to Coalition member Sandy Breslin, now that state funding has been approved, contract negotiations to seal the deal will begin shortly. A “loose” timetable will hopefully have contract negotiations wrapped up by the fall for the planned March 31, 2002 transfer of title from Kelda to the state.

The Coalition is concerned because they have not been privy to the negotiations between the state and Kelda regarding the purchase. Easton’s first selectman Bill Kupinse, head of the DEP liaison committee for the Coalition said the state has been “hostile” towards the coalition and he has not seen the contract to date.

Important questions such as who has control over the land and who will manage it need to be addressed. Solutions to these problems could be ensured through contract negotiations designations. In addition, will local input from the towns be allowed and can they request passive recreation uses?

One concern for the Equestrian Ridge Road trail is that BHC will retain management over the land despite state ownership. This could spell trouble for horseback riders since current BHC regulations do not permit horses. However, if DEP gains control over the land, preliminary ideas have included making the Kelda lands – which are contiguous with Huntington State Park – part of the park, which is open to horses. And, if there is concern about water quality for the little stream that horses must cross to get into the park, then follow the example set by horsemen in Bethany.

If there is concern about horses contaminating watershed lands, testing can be done to ensure water quality. For example, when the New Haven Water Company became the South Central Regional Water Authority, they halted riding on water authority land. Through the diligent efforts of local horse people, random testing for water quality was conducted. It was found that the horses had no impact on water quality and were allowed to return. A similar test could be conducted on the trail to Huntington State Park to see the real, if any, impact of a few horses crossing some small streams more than eight miles from the nearest reservoir really has.

A recent BHC policy shift prohibits horseback riding on their land despite decades of allowing them. Hopefully, the state DEP will take a closer look at the one trail in question and continue to allow pedestrian access and work to secure horse and dog walking access as well.

“There is a delicate balance between preserving water quality and opening the land to passive recreation,” Bliss said at the Coalition’s meeting last week.

Through the efforts of Newtown First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, Newtown contributed $5,000, as one of the 15-member towns of the Coalition, to study the feasibility of the Kelda land purchase. The Connecticut Fund for the Environment also worked closely with the Coalition. This purchase will become a reality.

“If there is a parcel in your town, and a specific use is requested, such as horse access, or a piece that might be near a town ball field that would augment it, now is the time to get input from citizens and towns before the final agreement is reached in the contract. Write to Herb Rosenthal, Woody Bliss, Bill Kupinse, the state DEP, your state reps and legislators and let them know what you want to see regarding this historic purchase of open space in Connecticut,” Breslin stressed.

The Equestrian Ridge Road pedestrian trail to gain access to Huntington State Park is in place. The entrance is at the end of the cul-de-sac. Walk the land, enjoy it and let’s work hard to get that land secured and controlled by DEP. By working as good neighbors with state and local officials we can return horses to Huntington from Newtown.

Lisa Peterson, owner of Peterson Pet Sitting and a long-time Newtown horsewoman, can be reached at 270-1732 or petersonpets@usa.net