Existing Open Space in Woodstock

Woodstock is the second largest town in Connecticut after New Milford; two to three times as large (area wise) as most Connecticut towns. The total area of Woodstock is 61.8 square miles, or 39,550 acres. Of that, only about 3,044 acres (7.7%) of land in the town is committed open space. (See the Committed Open Space Map 5 on the Maps webpage). The statewide goal for open space is 21%.

Committed open space is land that is presently open and committed to remain as such. It is usually owned (either outright, or preserved via an easement or development rights) by state, municipal, public utilities and not-profit organizations. Such areas include forests, parks, water accesses, preserves, wildlife management areas, fisheries, and farmland in the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program, local Land Trust and conservation organization areas.

There are other large parcels in town that are open space which have a low probability of being developed (e.g., Yale-Myers Forest, Southbridge Water Company property, Putnam Fish & Game Club, Glenn Fiditch Land Trust). However, since they are not legally protected from development, they are not included on this list.

Open space land does not necessarily mean open to the public. Nipmuck State Forest, Roseland Park and town owned land such as Camp Nahaco are publicly accessible. Other categories have restrictions on access. Please respect the private property rights of the landowners and abide by their policies.

This table is the list of committed open space in Woodstock, updated and corrected as of August 23, 2003.

COMMITTED OPEN SPACE

PENDING OPEN SPACE

As of 8/03, the following parcels had not yet been committed as open space.

More Information:

• Process to Determine Use of Town Owned/Managed Open Space 10/25/04, Rev.4, Woodstock CT