Benefits
Bridging the Nature Gap in Connecticut
Connecticut is among the states with the highest percentage of people of color living in nature-deprived areas, according to the Center for American Progress’s 2020 report, The Nature Gap. The preservation of the Lake Success site offers a critical opportunity to address this issue by expanding access to natural spaces.
The Largest Urban Open Space in New England
This 419-acre site may be the largest forested, undeveloped open space in urban New England. By conserving the Lake Success site, the open space in Bridgeport and Stratford will increase by 16%. This enhancement underscores the importance of preserving urban green spaces.
A Vital Component of Environmental Stewardship
The planned reuse of the Lake Success site plays a positive role in addressing climate impacts, supporting local access to nature, improving air quality, and enhancing wildlife habitats. Protecting this area is a significant step toward sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
A Sanctuary for Diverse Wildlife
The Lake Success site features a rich ecosystem that includes forests, wetlands, meadows, vernal pools, and a sparkling 23-acre lake. This habitat supports more than 70 species of birds, mammals, and fish, all of which are essential to sustaining the natural environment and the lake’s ecosystem. Preserving this site ensures that these species continue to thrive.
Birding
Large, forested areas, such as Lake Success, provide safe havens for birds that are native to the area, as well as migratory birds, with the necessary habitat for nesting, feeding, and stopover. Healthy bird populations support pollination and seed dispersal, contribute to pest control, and provide recreational and educational opportunities that enrich the quality of life for residents and visitors to the area. Lake Success is home to a variety of bird species, including a bald eagle pair that has nested on the site for several years. Other species, such as mourning doves, mute swans, wild turkeys, and herons, have been spotted on the site. As the site is preserved and managed for conservation, it will continue to provide a safe haven for native and migratory birds, as well as an opportunity for the community to enjoy birdwatching.
Carbon Capture
Forests sequester carbon by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in the form of biomass. This carbon is stored primarily in trees and soil, as well as in root systems, shrubs, and other plants on the forest floor. Lake Success encompasses approximately 300 forested acres, which provide measurable natural carbon capture benefits. Trees alone across the site will absorb an estimated 5,520 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 50 years, roughly equivalent to removing the carbon emissions from approximately 700 households or 1,100 passenger vehicles during that period. This capacity for sequestration supports broader regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and mitigate climate impacts. As the site is preserved and managed for conservation, it will continue to serve as a vital local natural system for absorbing and storing carbon, reinforcing the environmental value of open space in urban areas like Bridgeport and Stratford.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is integral to the sustainability of the proposed park plan. Income from the leases for solar and battery storage will be used for maintenance of the proposed park. Renewable energy will be placed in the industrial area of the site where the former factory existed and where impoundments exist that are used to store materials cleaned up from around the site. The renewable energy area will use approximately 51 acres of the 419-acre site. In addition, the solar will produce clean energy that will help fund city programs, and the battery storage will help stabilize the energy grid in Fairfield County by providing power to the grid during high usage periods.
Vision for Reuse:
“The Lake Success property has a large hardwood forest and some of the largest native greenbrier patches we have seen in Connecticut. The diversity of waterfowl seen on the lake and the breeding pair of Bald Eagles demonstrate this property’s significance for wildlife and the need for conservation strategies that balance protection of wildlife and their habitats with the health and resiliency of the local community.”
Joyce Leiz
Executive Director
