House Republican Press Release

November 3, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Rep. Ferrari: Open Space Grant Okayed to Purchase 192-Acre Reynolds Weed Hill Property in Granby

Parcel Will Add to and Help Preserve McLean Game Refuge’s 1,050 Acres

A $315,000 state Open Space grant has been approved to help the McLean Foundation finance the acquisition of a 192-acre parcel in Granby that will become part of the McLean Game Preserve, state Representative Richard F. Ferrari, R-62^nd District, announced today.

The grant will be used to purchase the 192-acre Reynolds Weed Hill property, which will be incorporated into the McLean Game Refuge and managed by the MacLean Fund Board of Directors, the McLean President and a professional full-time Game Refuge Director, Representative Ferrari said.

“The McLean Game Preserve is a major recreational asset that gives area residents the opportunity to hike a variety of trails and enjoy the great outdoors in a wooded oasis away from the heavily-populated areas of our state. Governor Rell has a long-standing commitment to preserving and protecting Connecticut’s irreplaceable open space areas. We’re grateful to her for her strong support for the acquisition of this environmentally sensitive parcel, which will fill in one of the last and most important segments of the game refuge,” said Representative Ferrari, who worked with the McLean Foundation and local officials to gain approval for the grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

“McLean has long sought this property to help ensure the protection and preservation of the game refuge. It now fulfills many years of conservation, correspondence, and planning on the part of the trustees,” said McLean President David Bordonaro.

The Reynolds Weed Hill property will help protect and preserve the Game Refuge’s 1,050 acres of National Landmark lands immediately to the south; offer protection in perpetuity to the refuge’s flora and fauna; and provide increased recreational opportunities to the public, Representative Ferrari said.

The Reynolds Weed Hill property is an undeveloped tract of land located in a wooded mountainous section of the reserve. The property contains a variety of wetland soils and watercourses. It also supports wildlife and their habitat. The McLean Game Refuge is a nationally and regionally recognized preserve that encompasses 1,050 acres.