CT has over 100K acres in wildlife management areas. Here's what sets them apart from state parks.

Yahoo

26-05-2025

With the state's recent acquisition of 643 acres of wildlife management area in Killingly, officials said that Connecticut now has approximately 135,000 total acres of state-owned wildlife management areas.
Wildlife management areas are undeveloped natural areas managed primarily by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's wildlife division for the conservation of both aquatic and non-aquatic wildlife, according to the agency. Wildlife management areas feature unique habitats and are intended to sustain or improve biodiversity, as opposed to state parks, which are mostly aimed at human recreation, according to Teresa Clark, supervisor for DEEP's Wildlife Division Habitat Program.
'What sets WMAs apart from state parks is that the primary focus is on wildlife and not human enjoyment, while our state forests are primarily focused on managing a healthy forest canopy,' Clark said. 'So the primary focus for WMAs is to have land for wildlife to sustain their entire lifespan. These areas tend to have a diverse wildlife habitat.'
Clark said the majority of wildlife management areas in Connecticut are located along the shoreline in state-owned salt marshes, areas that are impossible for human recreation but are important for ecological diversity. In total, there are 109 wildlife management areas located throughout the state, Clark said. Many of them offer recreational opportunities like hunting, fishing and hiking. Wildlife management areas can range from just a few acres to several thousands of acres.
The new wildlife management area in Killingly, just like many others found throughout the state, will offer a range of recreational opportunities, allowing the public to explore and appreciate the natural beauty of the area. The Killingly wildlife management area features forests, wetlands and four lakes ranging in size from seven to 41 acres offering a diverse landscape, she said.
'We evaluate properties as an agency on a rotating basis between our fisheries, forestry, wildlife, dam safety and parks and recreation departments. We all evaluate potential properties to see how they fit in and what niche they may have in terms of what would be best for the property. Some properties make sense as state parks or state forests. But the Killingly property made sense to be a WMA for its unique diversity.'
In Connecticut, approximately 93.8% of land is privately owned, according to data. This means that a significant portion of the state's land is not owned by the government or other public entities. The amount of developed land in Connecticut has increased by approximately 20% over the last 30 years, while the state's population has only grown by approximately 11%, data shows.
'Because most of Connecticut's land is privately held, it's always huge for us to acquire new WMAs,' Clark said. 'The Killingly WMA is now one of the largest in the northeast corner of the state, most of the other WMAs are located along the shoreline or the western part of the state. This is because most of the northeast part of the state is still used for agriculture purposes.'
Clark said that the state is aiming to open the Killingly wildlife management area at 520 Bailey Hill Road for recreational purposes sometime later this fall. She said the state is still assessing the property for any possible safety hazards that may impede recreational use.
A map of Connecticut's wildlife management areas can be found on explorect.org/wma. More information about the state's wildlife management areas can be found at portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/habitat.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at [e-mail].