Fairfield’s Parks and Recreation Department manages 170 acres of Town parks, 20 baseball and softball playing fields, basketball and bocce courts, and 36 tennis and 4 dedicated pickleball courts. The five miles of Fairfield’s coastline boasts 5 public beaches, 1 inland lake, 2 pavilions and 2 marinas. The Parks and Rec Department also oversees the Drew Park Community Garden offering raised beds for local gardeners upon application.
Fairfield has 59 parcels of open space land, totaling over 1,100 acres, and ranging in size from a little more than 0.1 acre to over 180 acres – about 5% of total land in the Town. They represent Fairfield’s natural habitats: upland forest, lakes, rivers, salt marsh, wetlands, and meadows. These parcels are managed by the Conservation Department under the direction of the Conservation Commission and the Open Space Program.
The State of Connecticut’s “Green Plan” established a goal to protect 673,210 acres (21%) of the state’s land as open space by the year 2023. Ten percent of this open space is to be state parks, forests and wildlife areas. The other 11% is to be owned by towns, private non-profit land conservation organizations, water companies, and the federal government. Fairfield’s Land Acquisition Commission is charged with developing a plan to acquire 70 acres of open space per 1,000 Town residents using a current $500,000 reserve dedicated for such purchases. Developers building on undeveloped land are required to set aside 10% of land for open space or donate 10% of the value of that land to the Land Acquisition Fund.
Achievements to Date
- An extensive network of trails is maintained throughout many of Fairfield’s Open Spaces. They can be used for hiking, walking, horseback riding, camping, cross-country skiing or to access fishing spots. The Conservation Department has created online trail maps and usage guides for the most frequented of these open spaces.
- Inland and saltwater fishing licenses can be purchased from the Town Clerk or the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. DEEP and shellfish permits can be obtained from the Conservation Department.
- The Town is creating pollinator pathways planted with native plants that connect open spaces, parks and private properties. The pathways will attract local pollinators and enhance our wildlife corridors and biodiversity. These properties are managed organically and do not use chemical inputs that could harm pollinators, pets and people.
- The Land Acquisition Committee has purchased many parcels abutting our existing open space, especially through connecting with landowners who are in arrears in their taxes and donate the land in lieu of paying back taxes. Therefore, most of these acquisitions cost the Town nothing.
- A “Friends of Lake Mohegan (FOLM)” and “Friends of Larsen (FOL; a CT Audubon Sanctuary)” have been formed and meet regularly to remove invasives, to plant native species, and help repair infrastructure. There are plans to create Open Space “Friends of” groups for other Open Space areas in Fairfield.
- The Fairfield Pollinator Pathway has over 300 on their email list, to which they send information on happenings locally and forward the National Pollinator Pathway bi-monthly newsletter.
- Partnering with prospective Eagle Scouts, Parks and Recreation, and the Conservation Department, boardwalks and bridges are built and repaired, pollinator gardens are installed and maintained, trails are maintained and marked with better signage.
- Garden Clubs have partnered with various Town and non-profit groups to maintain areas. For example, the Fairfield Garden Club helps to maintain portions of the Town Green, Sasqua Garden Club helps to maintain the CT Audubon Birdcraft Sanctuary, Fairfield Beach Residents Association helps maintain gardens in the beach area.
- The Fairfield Public Schools has refurbished Sturges Park field with grass and hopes to use this as a blueprint for how to manage fields with grass versus turf.
- The Parks and Recreation Department manages parks and fields organically as much as possible.
Challenges Ahead
- Balancing revenue-generating land use, affordable housing with preservation of open space.
- Planning for Town population growth while conserving natural habitats. The Plan for Conservation and Development (POCD), is a state-required document that is updated at least every 10 years to address these issues.
- Maintaining current and future open spaces, planting more trees where beneficial and controlling invasive plants, which is expensive and time-consuming.
Benefits of Parks and Open Spaces
- Preserves natural habitat and serves as a refuge for wildlife
- Captures rainwater and allows it to infiltrate, reducing chemical runoff, flooding and erosion
- Trees and shrubs sequester carbon, reduce air and noise pollution and help stem flooding and erosion
- New and emerging research about how important healthy, organically managed soil is as a means to sequester carbon
- Proximity to open space enhances value of residential properties
- Reducing runoff reduces stormwater management and erosion costs
- Open spaces serve as outdoor classrooms for the study of nature
- Allows all members of our own and surrounding communities to participate in enjoying healthy recreational pursuits together in the outdoors
- Safe access to outdoor public space offers opportunities to all residents to enhance physical and mental health
- The Parks and Recreation Department offers outdoor programs for residents of all ages
2030 Plan Goals
- Designate additional open space to reach the Town goal of 70 acres per 1,000 residents, which will contribute to Connecticut’s Green Plan goals
- Develop contiguous sections of open spaces and parks and plan to facilitate wildlife corridors for local pollinators and animals
- Develop additional walking, biking and hiking trails across Town with equity in mind, to include more of our aging and disabled citizens
- Create additional community gardens
- Recognize that there are people within our town who have less access to parks and open spaces and therefore do not equally enjoy the many benefits. They should be included in planning of access to these activities
- Join the Trust for Public Land’s 10-Minute Walk to an open space campaign
- Completing and getting approval for a Native Plant Policy for the Town departments to follow. Hopefully this would be a blueprint for residents to follow on their personal property.
How Do We Reach Our Goals?
- Support the Land Acquisition Committee
- Participate in updating the Plan of Conservation and Development
- Coordinate with Parks and Recreation Department on organic management of golf courses as much as possible
- Coordinate with Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee in expanding walking, hiking, and biking opportunities in Fairfield
- Coordinate with the Fairfield Forestry Committee to plant more native trees and pollinator gardens
- Coordinate with the Department of Public Works to ensure there are enough trash and recycling containers throughout town