After more than a decade in limbo, the future of the 1,000-acre coastal forest known as The Preserve appears set. On April 25, Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced an anticipated $6.6 million state and federal contribution toward the $8.09 million purchase that will keep The Preserve as open space in Old Saybrook, Essex, and Westbrook.

"We will take action to make funds available for the state's participation in the purchase of the property and to address issues concerning joint ownership and stewardship of the land with the Town of Old Saybrook, which will also be making a significant financial contribution," said Malloy. "The permanent protection of The Preserve has been a goal of the land conservation community across our state for more than 15 years, and it's time to act to achieve this important goal."

Old Saybrook First Selectman Carl Fortuna, Jr., joined Malloy in Hartford for the announcement.

"The 1,000-acre Preserve has been on Old Saybrook's radar for nearly 20 years," Fortuna said. "This piece of property has been a source of joy for those who have entered upon it. However, the land has created much consternation amongst our citizens and those who sit on our land use boards. The town has spent many thousands of dollars litigating various land use rulings and appeals over the last 20 years."

Earlier proposals for the property included development as housing and as a private golf facility. In recent years, the non-profit land preservation group Trust for Public Land (TPL) entered negotiations for the possible sale of the 1,000-acre Preserve. Negotiations appeared to pick up steam in the aftermath of the financial collapse that left property owner Lehman Brothers in bankruptcy, but terms for a purchase as open space weren't finalized until July 2013.

TPL's Kate Brown said recently that two verified appraisals of The Preserve property allowed the renegotiation of the original sale price from $10 million to $8.09 million. The independent appraisals were a requirement of the initial agreement between TPL and River Sound Development, LLC, the present owners of the land.

"With our partners the Trust for Public land and the State of Connecticut, we now have an opportunity to forever preserve this piece of property in its natural state," Fortuna said. "I will shortly be bringing before the Board of Selectmen a proposal for the Town to move forward with public hearings, town meeting, and referendum."

The Preserve is considered to be the last, large unprotected coastal forest between New York and Boston. Supporters of the preservation purchase have been leading a series of hikes this spring, leading groups through a property rich in natural resources, wildlife, and habitat areas. The Preserve, which also provides an important coastal buffer against storm waters, connects to 500 acres of existing parklands in adjoining towns and miles of hiking trails.

Under the agreement announced April 25, the State of Connecticut would be an owner of The Preserve and would contribute $3.3 million toward its purchase and management. Of that amount, $1.4 million would come from federal money for open space acquisition, and $1.9 million is pending approval of the State Bond Commission. Additional funds for the purchase are expected to come from Old Saybrook, which plans to contribute $3 million; the Town of Essex; and the TPL, which will bring private funding in the range of $2 to $3 million for acquisition and management.

State funding may increase through a grant to the Essex Land Trust, an applicant for matching funds for the acquisition and protection of 71 acres of The Preserve that is located within the Town of Essex. This application is pending under the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition program administered by the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP). In addition, the Town of Westbrook is discussing options to facilitate the preservation and public use of The Preserve.

"Acquiring this piece of land is not a conservative or liberal, Republican, or Democratic issue," Fortuna said. "This open space acquisition is about quality of life...If we do not move on this piece of property at this moment, and quite frankly, at this price, we lose the opportunity of a generation (literally), and much more.

Fortuna alluded to the tax impact of a possible 200-plus homes to the region's infrastructure and school systems.

"The potential development of this site directly affects Essex, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook and, I believe, affects those towns negatively. Services that are demanded by potential residential development-fire, police, schools, and the necessary infrastructure that accompanies development-will be multi-generational funding obligations, not simply a 20-year bond. The cost of development to the taxpayer pales in comparison to keeping this land open space."

Though Westbrook has the least Preserve acreage within its borders, development of the site would perhaps have the least fair impact on that town. While no taxable buildings or facilities would have been erected in Westbrook, the town likely would have had to provide road access for the parcel and therefore, presumably, emergency services as needed.

Local legislators were quick to praise the announcement.

"Our efforts to preserve this unique and valuable property as open space has taken many years," said State Representative Phil Miller, whose involvement in the negotiations began when he served as Essex first selectman. "(I)n addition to hundreds of citizens of Old Saybrook, Westbrook, and Essex, we have gained so many partners, especially the Trust for Public Land, Connecticut Fund for the Environment, and our local land trusts, and now, thanks to Governor Malloy, who is an accomplished conservationist, we have our state as the key partner in our coalition to make this happen. This is a great investment in the future."

"This is terrific news," said State Senator Art Linares. "It is critical that we permanently protect this forest and wetland, not only for the animal and plant species whose survival greatly depends upon it, but also for the local communities whose water supplies and recreational enjoyment of Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River could be irreparably damaged if development were to occur. Individuals and families look forward to the opportunity to explore the forest, hike future trails, and learn more about the natural world."

To learn more about The Preserve, including information on hikes, events, and meetings, visit www.preserve1000acres.com.