Action
ACTION Petition
Sign and Share
Please sign and share.
Online Petition
Preserve Remington Woods
from Destruction
ACTO
Por favor firme y comparta. Petición en línea Preservar Remington Woods de la destrucción
ACTION CRUCIAL
Change the Zoning.

The fate of the Woods will be decided at a Zoning meeting Nov 16, 2021. Bridgeport has proposed zoning of the entirety of Remington Woods for commercial. That would destroy the forest, wildlife and the crucial benefits the Woods provides to the people. On Nov. 16, 2021 they plan to finalize this.
We need to tell them the Zoning needs to be changed on the entirety of the Woods, to a Nature Wildlife Preserve, with walking paths, no development or any other uses, protected habitat.
URGENT ACTIONS
1. SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION
Preserve Remington Woods From Destruction. Please see top of this page.
2. SIGN A GROUP LETTER
Please See text below. To add your name: Send an e mail to lelaf@earthlink.net with your full name and city. If you have a title or represent an organization you can add that. Just say add my name to group letter to zoning. The deadline is Nov,14, 2021.
Individual letter to zoning To submit written comments:
• Email to Zoning@bridgeportct.gov, cc dennis.buckley@bridgeportct.gov Use the subject ‘Zone Bridgeport Public Hearing Comments’.
• Snail Mail to: Zoning Office, Attn: Zone Bridgeport Public Hearing Comments, 45 Lyon Terrace, Room 210, Bridgeport, CT 06604.
• Written Comments will be accepted prior to Nov 16 and until closure of the Public Hearing. Any comments received after such time will not be included in the public record.
3.THE ZONING MTG. Make your voice heard.
The November 16th (& 17th ) at 6 pm, PZC hearing is regarding the new Zoning regulations that has Remington Woods zoned for commercial, it would destroy the Woods. To participate or listen-in use the direct link and meeting ID below.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88378119773?pwd=MWQ3RGNiYWRNcUZKS1gxV1VaQTR2QT09 Meeting ID: 883 7811 9773 or Call in toll-free: (877) 853-5257 or (888) 475-4499
Anyone can join the meeting and speak for 5 min. You do not have to be from Bridgeport. You could also hold up a sign. Some signs could be, “Preserve the entire Remington Woods”, “Nature Wildlife Preserve” “No Development”, “Preserve Remington Woods Change the zoning.” etc. • Speak during the Public Hearing on zoom.
Each speaker will have a 5-minute limit.
Those wishing to speak longer will go to the ‘end of the line’ and receive an additional 5 minutes when their turn comes up again. Speakers who have more to share with the Commission but are unable to wait for their second turn to speak may submit written comments prior to closure of the Public Hearing.
4. CONTACT PEOPLE Spread the Word
Can you contact Media, Groups, Friends, Officials? Anyone you can and ask them to take action and or publicize this critical issue. Thank you forwhatever you can do.
GROUP LETTER
We the undersigned urge you not to accept the proposed zoning map because of the zoning for Remington Woods, which is proposed as commercial mixed use. We want the entirety of Remington Woods zoning changed to zoning for a Nature Wildlife Preserve with walking paths, no development or other uses.
It would be extremely detrimental to Bridgeport to destroy all or any part of the 422 acres of this living forest community. It would destroy the ecosystem, the wildlife populations which includes 70 species of birds, tens of thousands of established trees, the many crucial life services the Woods freely provides that are so vital to the human community, and the opportunity for people to reconnect to Nature.
Connecticut cannot meet it’s goal to preserve forests. Fairfield county has the least forested area in CT.
Bridgeport the most populous city in CT, suffers from environmental injustice. We have some of the poorest health in the state, high air pollution, 600 toxic sites, increasing heat, urban stress, had the highest covid death rates in CT. We have empty buildings that should be used for commerce, have a measure of hopelessness, and much more. Destroying the Forest Community of Remington Woods would remove protections the Woods provides and severely increase problems that harm the people of Bridgeport.
A few of the things the forest does, it cleans and cools polluted and increasingly heating air, holds carbon fighting the climate crisis, stabilizes the local climate, improves our physical and mental health, is home to wildlife and offers us healing and hope for a livable future.
Decisions like this are the kind that determine whether the life of the planet can survive, or not. This is an unprecedented time of borderless crisis, rapidly escalating collapse of the life on Earth. Humans desperately need to heal our relationship with Nature and take immediate actions. The only responsible action in this case must be to Preserve Remington Woods in its entirety, as a Nature Wildlife Preserve with Walking Paths, no development or any other uses.
Nov 16, 2021 6pm Zoning Zoom meeting (new date )
Very important. Public comments allowed, written and verbal. The City of Bridgeport is seeking approval for zoning Remington Woods as commercial / mixed use. That would destroy the Woods and deprive people of it’s many benefits. You can Hold up a sign and or speak to Preserve Remington Woods in its entirety as a Nature Wildlife Preserve with walking paths no development or other uses, Protected Habitat.
PUBLIC COMMENTS will be accepted as part of the record. Due before Nov 16, 2021
10 POINTS
1. THREAT
Remington Woods is a vibrant living Forest community in Bridgeport and Stratford. 422 acres of Forest meadows and lake are home to wildlife and produce crucial life services for humans in the neighborhood and beyond. If the city supports preserving it as a Nature Wildlife preserve, there is a good chance federal money will be available to finance it.
Threatened With Destruction
Corteva a Du Pont spin off owns the Woods. Du Pont profited from the contamination of the Woods for decades, was ordered by the EPA to do a partial clean up. They are using the cost of the clean up as an excuse to futher destroy the woods. It is a multibillion dollar corporation that makes chemicals that are lethal to the environment, wildlife and people. Dupont contaminated Remington Woods and has a long history of environmental destruction and coverup. Cortiva. DuPont is the company that is going to destroy the Woods for development and make decisions about what goes in.
There are other special interests who advocate for the destruction of the Woods. They use the issue to further their own interests.
Zoning
Bridgeport is aiding this development at the expense of the people and environment, by zoning the Woods for commercial. This must be changed to zoning the entirety of the Woods for a nature wildlife preserve with walking paths .
Goal
Preserve Remington Woods in it’s entirety as a nature wildlife preserve with walking paths, no development or any other uses.
2. BENEFITS THE WOODS PROVIDES TO PEOPLE
Crucial life support services are provided by this forest community 24/7 for free, to the people. A few benefits are lessening the effects of pandemic, cleans air of pollution protecting our health, lessens flooding, provides oxygen, cools increasingly hotter air, decreases energy bills, protects from drought, home to wildlife, lessens deforestation, holds carbon reduces global heating, lessens storms, and much more.
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.
They profited from the destruction of the Woods for decade
Preserve Remington Woods in its entirety as a nature wildlife preserve with walking paths no development or any other uses.
Images
Images that may be used for Preserving Remington Woods, in its entirety, as a Nature Wildlife preserve, with walking paths, no development or any other uses. IMAGES
DEMANDS
1. Change the Zoning
Remove the current Zoning of commercial / mixed use, from the entirety of Remington Woods.
Replace it with zoning that specifies preservation of the entirety of Remington Woods as a Nature Wildlife preserve. Do not issue any permits or licenses for any development, use or extraction from Remington Woods.
2. Restore the Damage
Restore the damaged areas by planting native trees and vegetation, non GMO, in accordance with how a Natural forest would be.
3. Preserve the Woods
Preserve Remington Woods in its entirety as a wildlife Nature Preserve with walking paths, in perpetuity, no development or any other use, respectful access.
Other Ways You Can Be Involved
• Sign and Share our petition. Preserve Remington Woods from Destruction
• Change the zoning, please see above.
• Visit, like and share our Facebook page Facebook: PreserveRemingtonWoods
• Write to media.
• Tell your friends. Let’s Make it an issue.
• Contact to your politicians in Bridgeport and state.
• Speaking to groups is a way of spreading the word. Is there a group that you know of that we could speak to, or an event we could table at?
• Volunteer
Get in touch with us, we would greatly appreciate your involvement as there are many areas that could use whatever you have to offer.
Thank you for your interest in preserving the life of the planet and this precious, life giving, forest community.
Lela Florel
lelaf@earthlink.net
