Last  year at this time the outcry following the tree-cutting at Housatonic Meadows State Park in Sharon was heard all the way in Hartford. The call for oversight on the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), which had cut more than 100 trees in the popular riverside park, evolved into proposed legislation. While legislation was passed in May, it never quite met with the full satisfaction of citizen groups that had come together to not only put the focus on the problem of hazardous-tree management by the agency, but also to do something about the damage done.

Over the summer,  the Housatonic Meadows Preservation Action (HMPA), a citizen group, pressed on. Its volunteer members started with a clean-up session at the park to remove rotting wood chips from the bases of pine trees and to plan next steps. The goal was to do something about remediating the damage at the park in time for the fall 2022 planting season.

In the process, the group also hatched an unusual collaboration with DEEP and other state agency workers to restore the park. The collaborative effort resulted in real action. By mid-October, after many design sessions, state workers arrived with heavy equipment to plant 21 trees along a stretch in front of the parking lot. The Northwest Conservation District also provided engineering work to determine water runoff  needs.

Now, as HMPA prepares for more restoration work over the 2023 summer, plans are being made to again enlist volunteers to restore the riverbank and prepare for more new plantings.

Volunteers will be needed to help with weeding, watering, replanting plugs that are dislodged and other small tasks that may come up.  The riverbank will undergo an herbicidal program and more trees and shrubs are scheduled to be planted there as well as in areas excavated for rain gardens.

HMPA members Katherine Freygang and Bruce Bennett, both  of Cornwall, are working with DEEP. Bennett, who also is the tree warden in Kent, has developed a planting list with the idea that early ordering might ensure availability of plants.

Freygang said HMPA is anticipating as many as 15 volunteer work sessions at the park starting in May and running through October.

HMPA was joined by other groups, including the Housatonic Valley Association, the National Audubon Society and Trout Unlimited. The Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality also supported the groups’ testimony at hearings about DEEP’s hazardous tree approach and the need to remediate damage at Housatonic Meadows. Others at HMPA and many other citizens testified at hearings and kept the questions coming about the tree cutting at the park.

Ultimately the state’s involvement in the restoration included many departments: parks, forestry, wildlife, fisheries and park services.

These concerned citizens and the state workers who helped in the process should be saluted for their dedication to Housatonic Meadows State Park, a destination retreat just like Macedonia Brook State Park and Kent Falls State Park.   

The restoration work includes creating a swale to carry water from the parking area to a rain garden to prevent erosion of the riverbank.  Native wildflowers will be planted in the rain gardens. The project features shrubs and plants to support birds, fish and other wildlife and discourage invasive species, and a safety barrier at the river bank with berms and boulders.

Signage will inform visitors about trails and amenities at the park, making it clear where there is access to fishing, boating and picnic areas. In addition, signs will tell the story of the restoration project and also provide an ecology lesson in native plants and biodiversity.

The image of protestors stomping through the snow a year ago in January has transformed into one of citizens working with DEEP and other state agencies to restore the park — thanks to the dedication of HMPA volunteers.

Latest News

Empress EMS to purchase Northern Dutchess Paramedics
The Northern Dutchess Paramedics station on Route 22 south of the Village of Millerton.
Photo by Aly Morrissey

This is a developing story. Updates will be made as more information becomes available.

MILLERTON — Northern Dutchess Paramedics, the private emergency medical service provider contracted by North East, Amenia and Dover, is set to be acquired by Empress EMS, Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said at a special workshop meeting of the town board on Tuesday evening, Aug. 26.

Keep ReadingShow less
Busking in the Berkshires
Brent McCoy of Secret Circus Show at Berkshire Busk!
Roman Iwasiwka

While playing outside in the early post-pandemic days, Berkshire Busk! founder Eugene Carr had an epiphany: why not expand the idea of performing on the street (aka busking)into a full-fledged festival in Great Barrington?

As an entrepreneur and cellist, Carr envisioned a well-organized jamboree featuring regional talent, including musicians, acrobats, storytellers, fire-eaters, and more. He formed a team, connected with local businesses and the town of Great Barrington, and launched Berkshire Busk! in 2021. Since then, Berkshire Busk! has grown into a summer staple for Great Barrington.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Sylvia' brings heart, humor and one unforgettable dog to Sharon Playhouse stage

What if the dog onstage was played by a person? That’s the delightful twist in A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” opening at the Sharon Playhouse on Aug. 29. In this clever and heartfelt comedy, the title character — a stray pup who disrupts the lives of a married couple — is portrayed not in costume but by an actor who brings insight, charm, and chaos to the role.

Stepping into Sylvia’s paws is Jen Cody, who is returning to the Sharon Playhouse in a starring role for her third year in a row, ready to bring this spirited dog to life. She’s joined by Jonathan Walker as Greg, the middle-aged man smitten with his new four-legged friend, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Kate, his wife, whose patience and identity are tested by Sylvia’s sudden presence in their home.

Keep ReadingShow less