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What Climate Crisis? Another Developer Wants to Bulldoze a CT Forest for a Warehouse


The United Nations & Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change keep warning us repeatedly: "The climate crisis is a code red for humanity. Urgent action is needed before it is too late. The window of opportunity is closing to avoid catastrophic climate change."

But too many Connecticut towns--and certainly developers--don't get it. Multiple towns are taking us backwards by allowing forested land to be cleared for new warehouses and other anti-environmental projects. The latest is proposed for Bloomfield. Other projects will be featured in future posts.

Preserving trees, forest and land in its natural state is essential climate action. Bulldozing and paving over forests, wetlands and fields just speeds up climate change instead of slowing it down.

Bloomfield: 8.728 Acres of Forest and Wetlands To Be Bulldozed for Warehouse at 59 & 69 Douglas Street.

Be a voice for climate action.

Sample Subject Line: No bulldozing woodlands for a warehouse Tell them the climate crisis is a code red for humanity and that urgent action is needed now at every level of society and government before it is too late. The town and the Planning and Zoning Commission must recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and do everything within their power now to preserve woodlands, wetlands, and trees that remove carbon from the air. The proposed warehouse project at 59 & 69 Douglas Street will only speed climate change up, not slow it down. The project must be rejected. Thank you, Your name, Town

News Coverage:

Details:

At https://www.bloomfieldct.gov/land-use/pages/town-plan-and-zoning-commission-applications:

Special permit and site plan application of Douglas Street Ventures, LLC for approval to construct a 74,520 sq. ft. warehouse/distribution center with associated loading docks and parking. Property located at 59 & 69 Douglas St in an I-2 zone, owner Douglas Street Ventures, LLC.

Date of Hearing: June 23, 2022

Link to Application

Link to Plans

Select screenshots from the application:

Learn More:

MIT Climate Portal: Cutting down or burning forests releases the carbon stored in their trees and soil, and prevents them from absorbing more CO2 in the future. Since 1850, about 30% of all CO2 emissions have come from deforestation. Deforestation can also have more local climate impacts. Because trees release moisture that cools the air around them, scientists have found that deforestation has led to more intense heat waves in North America and Eurasia. ... If done worldwide, natural regeneration of forests could capture up to 70 billion tons of carbon in plants and soils between now and 20508—an amount equal to around seven years of current industrial emissions. Combining natural regeneration with thoughtful afforestation and reforestation is an important option for combating climate change.


Land is a Critical Resource, IPCC report says: “There is real potential here through more sustainable land use, reducing over-consumption and waste of food, eliminating the clearing and burning of forests, preventing over-harvesting of fuelwood, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, thus helping to address land related climate change issues."

IPCC Special Report on Land and Climate Change: There is now a large body of research and application demonstrating the importance of retaining urban green infrastructure (UGI) as an important tool to mitigate and adapt to climate change. UGI includes, but is not limited to, retained indigenous ecosystems, parks, public greenspaces, green corridors, street trees, urban forests, urban agriculture, green roofs/walls and private domestic gardens.

Why Save Trees? They Help Fight Climate Change - Apeel Sciences reports that deforestation and changes in how we use land contribute to an estimate of 10-15% of the world’s total carbon emissions (Project Drawdown) (Apeel Blog). Trees absorb carbon dioxide, thereby acting as a carbon sink. A carbon sink is a natural reserve that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits into the atmosphere (UNFCCC). Examples of carbon sinks include coastal and ocean sinks, in addition to land sinks: plants, soils, and trees.

25 Tree Facts from the Arbor Day Foundation: In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced by driving 26,000 miles. In one year, a mature tree absorbs more than 48 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere and releases a day's supply of oxygen for four people.

CUFR Tree Carbon Calculator - calculates CO2 sequestered, avoided emissions, building energy savings provided by individual trees. Developed by partnership of USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, the Urban Ecosystems and Processes Team, & California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.


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