No Child  Left Inside®
 
April 2015 


A Newletter from the Connecticut Department
of  Energy & Environmental Protection 
 Volume 23 

 




  
 

 































The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request an accommodation contact us at (860) 418-5910 or [email protected] 
 



No Child Left Inside®:  The Great Park Pursuit 
Kicks-Off its 10th Year

The snow is finally melting away and migrating birds are returning to Connecticut as winter slowly loses its grip. We are gearing up for our No Child Left Inside ® Great Park Pursuit (GPP): CT State Parks Family Adventure.  Our kick-off event will be Family Fishing Day to be held on May 9, 2015 at Gay City State Park in Hebron. 

Volunteers from DEEP's Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education ( CARE) program will be at the park from 9 am to 3 pm and will provide fishing gear and instruction. NCLI ® volunteers will also be there with an array of activities guaranteed to shake those winter blues  and get us all reconnected to the great outdoors!   

We have six additional adventures planned through the weekend of June 20th so get ready to spend some quality time with family and friends in Connecticut's state parks, forests, and trails!

Seven weeks of exciting adventures! Everyone is invited to attend even if they are not pre-registered, but to be eligible for the final prize, families (someone over 18 with someone under 18) must be pre-registered by April 24th, must attend all the events and must check-in at the registration table at each of the events. Registration will open at noon on Wednesday, April 1 and end on Friday, April 24.  Beginning on April 1, go to No Child Left Inside to register. 

NCLI® State Parks & Forests Day Passes
Available at the main branch of your public library

The NCLI ® State Parks & Forests Day Pass waives vehicle entrance fees to CT State Park & Forest Recreation Areas.  It is also valid for two adults and four children at Dinosaur, Fort Trumbull and Gillette Castle State Parks.  Check out this free pass from the main branch of your local public library.
 Historical Parks & Museums
(Visit www.ct.gov/deep/StateParks for opening dates)
Winter Festival
 
Over 800 people braved a snowy forecast to try try their hand at ice fishing and play in the piles of snow that mother nature provided for our No Child Left Inside® ninth annual Winter Festival at Burr Pond State Park. Check out more pictures from the festival on our webpage.
Featured Events

Fireside Stories with Ranger Russ

Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park, 1288 Boston Post Rd., Madison
7:00 PM, Saturday, March 28, 2015 
Hear Native American tales & fables by a campfire at the outdoor amphitheater at Meigs Point Nature Center 
For more information: Russ Miller, (203) 245-8743 or  [email protected]

 

Fungi as Medicine
S essions Woods Wildlife Management Area, 341 Milford St. (Rt. 69), Burlington
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM, Sunday, March 29, 2015
Join the CT Valley Mycological Society at their Annual Meeting for a free mushroom program.
For more information:  Laura Rogers-Castro (860) 675-8130 or [email protected] 

Backpacking Workshop
Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area, 341 Milford St. (Rt. 69), Burlington 
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Saturday, April 11, 2015
Join Friends of Sessions Woods Director Jan Gatzuras for a program designed to introduce participants to backpacking.   
For more information:  Laura Rogers-Castro (860) 675-8130 or [email protected]  
 
No Child Left Inside® is an initiative of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.