Darien
Darien, CT
2 Renshaw Road
Darien Environmental Protection Commission
WHAT YOU CAN DO
0682
There are areas called buffers directly adjoining
wetlands and watercourses that are also
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regulated by the EPC. Please stop by or call the
D
Planning and Zoning Department at Town Hall
ARIEN
to see if there are wetlands on your property
BEFORE you begin any home improvement project.
Take care of Darien’s wetlands.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Plant native wetland species in your wetlands.
PROTECTION
Avoid invasive plants.
C O M M I S S I O N
Use only environmentally friendly
fertilizers and pesticides.
DO NOT throw old paint,oil
or other wastes into or near any waterway,
or storm drains.
Learn more about the importance of
wetlands.
Darien Town Hall
2 Renshaw Road
Planning and Zoning Office 656-7351
www.ci.darien.ct.us
Related internet sites -
www.dep.state.ct.us
www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands
WE’RE HERE FOR ALL
www.ci.darien.ct.us
FOR ALL TIME
Printed on Recycled Paper
Frequently Asked Questions
WHO WE ARE
What Are Wetlands?
WHAT WE DO
Wetlands in Connecticut
are solely defined by
The Darien Environmental
soil type.
Protection Commission, (EPC) is really
As the Inland Wetlands Commission,
Simply, they are areas
two commissions in one. It is the
EPC’s job is to review applications
where water covers the
regulatory Inland Wetland
for any activity in or
soil or is present at or
Commission mandated by the State
abutting wetlands or watercourses.
near the surface,
and it is also the Town’s
This includes building activity, paving,
all year or parts of the year. Wetlands can be lawns
advisory Conservation Commission.
installation of pools, as well as planting or removal
and forests, as well as swamps and marshes.
of trees and other vegetation.
What Are Watercourses?
The Inland Wetlands and
Watercourses Agency of the Town of
Watercourses are rivers, streams, brooks, lakes,
Darien was originally
ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs and drainage ditches.
established in accordance with an
Watercourses can have water
ordinance adopted Sept. 24, 1973.
year round or just
It then became part of the EPC by an
part of the year.
ordinance adopted May 12, 1986.
Why Are They So Important?
Wetlands are flood busters.
They act as great sponges
absorbing and releasing
As the Conservation Commission, our mandate
water slowly. By slowing
is to protect, preserve and maintain our
surface runoff, wetlands
natural resources. The EPC always
help prevent erosion.
attempts to balance the need for
Wetlands are water
economic growth and development in our
purifiers. They provide
community against the need to protect
conditions for removal of nitrogen and phosphorous
our fragile wetland ecosystem. Our
The Commissioners who sit on
from surface water. They improve ground water quality
efforts will hopefully preserve this
Darien’s EPC are volunteer Town citizens
by removing or retaining inorganic nutrients, processing
valuable natural resource for the
appointed by the Selectmen.
organic wastes and reducing suspended sediments.
benefit and enjoyment of Darien citizens
for generations to come.
They Are Home To Creatures Large And Small
