With walking paths for the public it would provide a place of hope and healing both physical and mental, an antidote to environmental injustice, a chance to reconnect to Nature. See preserveremingtonwoods.com Benefits page.

3. DESTROY THE WOODS / DESTROY THE NEIGHBORHOOD

If the Woods is developed or put to uses other than a Nature Wildlife preserve:

• Flooding Will Increase see below
• Traffic Will increase see below
• Illness will increase see below Pollution
• Wildlife Will be Destroyed see below Wildlife
• The Local Climate Will Worsen see Below Local Climate
• Environmental Injustice Strengthened see below
• Environmental Climate Crisis Worsened see below
• Children’s Future at Risk see below

Quality of life around neighborhood would be diminished

4. WOODS PROTECTS FROM FLOODING, TRAFFIC

Flooding

The forest protects against flooding. The trees, plants and soil absorb water and lessen flooding. If they are destroyed and covered with roads, concrete and buildings the water runs off and floods the surrounding neighborhood.The Woods has a high and low elevation with a 40 ft ledge. With increasingly severe storms the chance of flooding increases. The Woods are needed for protection from increased flooding.

Traffic

A Highway is planned to go through the Woods. Commercial buildings, roads, parking lots and garages are planned. Trucks and traffic will go through the neighborhood all hours of day and night, it will greatly increase pollution from traffic fumes, increase noise and threaten safety.

5. PROTECTS LOCAL CLIMATE – STORMS, HEAT

The woods protects the local climate. Water is absorbed and released naturally by the forest community. If the forest was destroyed the local climate would be affected. It would be terrible to have drought as some areas do.

Storms

The living Forest calms winds, protects against the severity of storms. If forest were gone storms would be worse

Heat

Heat is rapidly increasing because of global heating. There is high risk of illness and death from heat related illness. It also increases urban stress. The Forest cools the air. Destroying the forest would take away air cooling trees and add heat producing buildings and roads. It would increase energy bills and chance of illness.

6. PROTECTS HEALTH – REDUCES POLLUTION

A survey of health in different areas of Bridgeport, showed that the area around Remington Woods was some of the healthiest.

Pollution causes illnes

Bridgeport has some of the worst air pollution in the country, it causes illness from asthma to heart attacks to increased risk of death from covid. We have some of the poorest health in the state, high rates of athsma, and had the highest rates of covid deaths in the state.

Trees and Plants Clean the Air. Destroying tens of thousands of trees and the ecology, would increase pollution. Health would worsen.

Development Would Increase Pollution from highway fumes, and whatever pollution that would emanate from the treatment of the land, the buildings and commercial activities.

Corteva tests and manufactures chemicals, herbicides and pesticides, lethal to plants and animals including pollinators that we need to maintain our food supply. They are planning unknown commercial enterprises, and a “Research Center” to be put into the woods. It is unknown what could be released in the neighborhood.

Pollution is dangerous, destroying the woods will increase pollution.

In order to protect the neighborhood, city and county we need to preserve Remington Woods to not destroy the protections it gives us and not increase new pollution through development.

The Forest is healing both physically and mentally. In some countries walks in the forest are proscribed by doctors. The more natural the better.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE OR A LIVABLE CITY?

The State of Connecticut has a goal to protect forested land. It is nowhere near meeting it. Fairfield county has the least amount of forests in the state. It is estimated that more than 19 thousand established trees will be destroyed if the planned development proceeds.

Bridgeport has 17.7 % of empty commercial buildings that should be used for commerce instead of destroying the living Forest and all its benefits. Bridgeport has parks but no access to a nature wildlife preserve that can support diverse wildlife, supplies invaluable contributions to the people, and would be an oasis and gem for Bridgeport.

Environmental Injustice

Bridgeport suffers from environmental injustice. We have some of the dirtiest air in the country, high rates of illness, 600 toxic sites, polluting industries, etc. The chances of preserving Remington Woods would be much better in a richer more privileged area.

A Livable City

Preserving Remington Woods would secure all the crucial life services the woods provides to the people. Bridgeport could step up and take positive action in this unprecedented global life collapse. It could be an opportunity to heal and reconnect to Nature. By preserving Remington Woods as a Nature Wildlife preserve Bridgeport could be seen as a leader, an enlightened responsible city in a time of crisis.

8. WILDLIFE

The World has lost 52 percent of Its wildlife In the past 40 years. We now have unprecedented mass extinctions. All wildlife populations are plummeting.

Remington Woods is home to over 70 species of birds and other wildlife all in peril. The Woods is big enough to support diverse wildlife, but if part were destroyed it would destroy the whole.

Wildlife have value of their own. They are also necessary for Nature functioning properly, each performs its role. Each embodies a part of the intelligence of Earths life. Wildlife watching is increasing in popularity. Wildlife remind us that we are part of he wondrous life of the planet.

9. ENVIRONMENTAL CLIMATE CRISIS

Global environmental crisis is rapidly accelerating and is killing the life of the planet. Preserving Remington Woods is a decision to reverse that and move toward a healthy livable future.

• Trees and plants hold carbon, which lessens global warming.
• imperiled Wildlife find their home in the forest community Biodiversity is supported.
• Trees cool air and protect from increasing heat.
• Forest protects from worsening climate, and stabilizes the local climate.
• Storms and floods intensity is lessoned by the Forest.
• Preserving an existing forest fights deforestation.
• Provides an opportunity for humans to heal and reconnect to Nature.

10. CHILDREN’S FUTURE AND GOAL

The Living world is rapidly dying because of the decisions we make. Young people are understandably depressed about their prospects in a world that is increasingly dangerous and lethal.

They suffer from Generational Nature Amnesia, Nature Deficit disorder, urban stress, and a cultural bias against Nature that alienates them from Nature. We have not taught them to value the Living World, Nature which is needed in order to make decisions that protect life.

We are part of Nature, we depend upon it for our lives, we are destroying it. The only way to learn to value it is to experience it. We cannot experience it if it is not there. That is why we need to Preserve Remington Woods.