The Eli Whitney Forest

Overview and History of the Eli Whitney Forest

The Eli Whitney Forest is the land owned by the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. The forest extends over nearly 20,000 acres in the sixteen-town water district. The primary purpose of the Forest is to protect water quality. Forests protect soil from erosion , moderate peak and low stream flows, filter out pollutants, promote groundwater recharge, and yield abundant clean water.

The name, Eli Whitney Forest, was selected in 1929 to designate the forest land owned by the water utility and acknowledge the contributions made by Eli Whitney, III, son of the company's founder and grandson of the famous inventor. Whitney (III) was president of the company from 1894 to 1924. It was Whitney's vision, together with Edward Minor, the company’s engineer, that led to the creation of the North Branford system.

In 1900, a school of forestry was established at Yale University by Gifford Pinchot and Henry Graves. The following year, an agreement was made between the New Haven Water Company and Yale for the latter to manage 250 acres at Maltby as a teaching tool. In the fall of 1907, this arrangement was extended to all of the Company’s holdings, then about 8,000 acres. This arrangement remained in effect until 1950, when the Water Company assumed full responsibility for management. The RWA supervises tree planting, harvesting, improvement work, and other activities, including the recreation program.

Firewood Permit

Nearly 500 area residents purchase permits each year to cut firewood from the RWA’s land. Supervised by our foresters, they cut up tops of trees harvested for lumber and thin crowded parts of the Forest. In the last 10 years, 21,000 cords of wood—equivalent to nearly three million gallons of fuel oil—have been harvested. Each year, mature and unproductive trees yield enough lumber to build more than 100 new three-bedroom homes.

Wildlife, Preservation & Recreation

The Forest is also home to an estimated 295 wildlife species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Together with the vegetation, these species are the most visible components of the ecosystems we manage. The ecosystems also contain many other organisms, from insects and earthworms to protozoans, algae, fungi, and bacteria.

The Eli Whitney Forest is also important for its scenic ridges, roadsides, and hiking trails. There are more than 3,000 acres in designated preservation zones, where scenic values must be protected. In addition, the region enjoys nearly 100 miles of wooded roadside managed by the RWA and 50 miles of hiking trails. More than 4,500 area residents hold recreation permits to hike, ski, or jog through the Forest.