DEEP Closes Part of Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail

The southern end of the popular Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail will be closed through June to protect a pair of nesting bald eagles, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced on Tuesday.

“Bald eagle numbers are increasing in Connecticut, but the birds are sensitive to disturbance,” DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen said in a statement. “This pair, in particular, has historically demonstrated sensitivity to the presence of humans, and so we are closing the trail to increase the chances of a successful nesting season.”

This eagle pair has nested along the canal trail since 2011 and successfully fledged chicks in 2011, 2014, and 2015. Nesting attempts in 2012 and 2013 were unsuccessful.

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“The birds returned to the area in late January,” said Jenny Dickson, a DEEP Wildlife Division Biologist. “They did a little repair work on the nest and laid their first egg in late February.”

Read more from the press release below:

It is not a surprise that the eagles chose a nest site near the canal. The DEEP Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail is formed from a historic towpath built to allow boats to bypass the Enfield rapids in the Connecticut River. The rapids provide a shallow area that is perfect for the bald eagles to find their preferred food of fish.

Ahlstrom Nonwovens LLC maintains a lease agreement with the State of Connecticut to allow public access to the tow path. The company owns the canal and uses water from the canal to support its manufacture of high performance nonwoven materials.

“We are glad to see that the eagles are back, and we are also happy to continue to provide access along this historic pathway so that the community can take in the beautiful views of the Connecticut River,” said Jim Fritsche, Plant Manager of the Ahlstrom Windsor Locks facility. “Ahlstrom understands the important intersection between the environment and industry and practices sustainable manufacturing principles to ensure a minimum environmental impact.”

DEEP and Ahlstrom will keep the southern end of the trail closed only until the young eagles have reached flying stage, which is anticipated to be in late June 2016. During the closure, visitors can still walk or bike the trail from the northern entrance at the end of Canal Road in Suffield. From that entrance, visitors can travel south three-and-a-half miles until they come to a gate and are instructed to turn around.

Once in decline due to the effects of pesticides, nesting bald eagles returned to Connecticut in 1992, after an absence of almost 50 years. Bald eagles are protected by Connecticut General Statute 26-934, the federal Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. The DEEP Wildlife Division has published a fact sheet on bald eagles, which is available on the DEEP website at http://www.ct.gov/deep/wildlife.

Patch file photo