Community Corner

Shop online at the DEEP Store

Perfect holiday gifts for the outdoor enthusiast.

Submitted release 

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) store offers a wide variety of unique and affordable holiday gifts for children and adults -- whether you’re shopping for an avid hiker, birdwatcher, angler or hunter. Books for adults or children, pocket guides, maps, and other "environmental" gifts are available whether you shop online at www.ct.gov/deep/store  or in person at 79 Elm St., Hartford.

Online orders placed by December 17, 2012 will arrive at your home in time for holiday gift giving.

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DEEP Store Hours

“The store has a full repertoire of books and other ideal gifts for your family and friends.  From specialized books for hikers, bikers, anglers, and children to up-to-date maps you will not be disappointed in the selection at the store when you shop for environmental and affordable gifts this holiday season,” said Commissioner Daniel C. Esty.

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 Highlights include:

State Park Vehicle Pass 2013: Allows unlimited vehicle access to any state park or recreation area that has a parking fee. Valid every day of the week, including weekends and holidays. $67.00   (Non-resident $112.00) Now available for immediate shipping.

Fishing and Hunting Licenses for the 2013 season: For sale through the on-line sportsmen system, at participating bait and tackle shops, town clerks, and DEEP field offices.  Give the great gift of fishing and hunting. For the Online Sportsmen Licensing system:  ct.outdoorcentral.net/InternetSales   

Unique Gifts

A Fisheries Guide to Lakes & Ponds of Connecticut: The 2nd printing of the DEEP Store’s bestselling book is back in stock just in time for the holidays! This book contains full page color depth maps of popular fishing waterbodies including 113 lakes and ponds, featuring bottom contours, inflowing stream locations, fish species, neighboring roads, water surface area size, directions and launch ramp conditions. In addition, there are 20 pages of excellent color plates depicting and describing the natural history of 25 fish common to Connecticut’s waters. $24.95

In store by December 10, 2012

Connecticut Wildlife Magazine – A subscription to the DEEP Wildlife Division’s 24-page, full-color, bi-monthly magazine is the perfect gift for those who like to stay informed about fish, wildlife, and natural resource issues and events in the state. Articles are written by DEEP staff members who are responsible for the management of Connecticut’s natural resources. Connecticut Wildlife magazine is your best source for fishing, hunting, wildlife, and conservation information in the state. Every issue includes great wildlife photography, in-depth features, and natural history articles -- plus no advertising. It is published six times a year, and is available by subscription for $8 a year, $15 for two years, or $20 for three years. To receive a subscription or order a gift subscription, send a check or money order payable to: Connecticut Wildlife, P.O. Box 1550, Burlington, CT 06013-1550. Credit card orders can be taken through the DEEP Store via the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/WildlifeMagazine. Recipients of gift subscriptions will be sent a postcard to notify them of their gift.

Bluebird Nest Boxes: Visitors to the DEEP Wildlife Division’s Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area and Conservation Education Center in Burlington have the opportunity to purchase bluebird nest boxes for $5 each. Helpful information on installing, monitoring, and maintaining boxes to encourage nesting bluebirds on your property accompany each box. The nest boxes are being sold by the non-profit, volunteer Friends of Sessions Woods to raise funds for educational projects and programs at Sessions Woods. Please Note:  Nest boxes are only available at Sessions Woods, 341 Milford Street, Burlington – not available online or at DEEP store. Hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. (860) 675-8130

Candlewood Lake Navionics HotMap: This premium high-definition fishing map features unmatched detail derived from surveys conducted by the Navionics Official Survey Team. Key features include color shaded depth contours, top-down satellite photo overlay, detailed area insets, and a 3D lake overview. Tear-resistant and water-resistant. $14.95

Connecticut Wild & Scenic 2013 Wall Calendar: Sunset in the vicinity of Lighthouse Point, New Haven; the Connecticut River viewed from Gillette Castle; Pine cones and hemlocks in Pauchaug State Forest; these are just a few of the images that adorn this stunning wall calendar. Perfect for adding a piece of Connecticut's natural beauty to your home or office!  $14.99

Books For Adults

A Pictorial Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Connecticut: This guide is the first to present multiple, high resolution, full-color photos of most New England and all Connecticut freshwater fish species.  With detailed information for each species including identification, distribution, size, abundance, habits, how to observe and catch them, how to keep them in aquariums, and what’s unique about them, this easy to read book simplifies the process of fish identification. $19.95

A Shared Landscape: A guide and history of Connecticut’s state parks and forests. A tremendously informative and visually exciting book, every page is vibrant with color, fact, history, legend and lore. $25.00

AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Connecticut: This popular guide from the experts at the Appalachian Mountain Club leads beginner and experienced hikers alike along 50 of Connecticut’s most spectacular trails, from short family nature walks to long day hikes that reward with magnificent views. $16.95

Connecticut Butterfly Atlas: One of the DEEP Store’s bestsellers, this Atlas details all of the 117 butterfly species in Connecticut. A great resource for those who are interested in learning more about butterflies and watching them in their natural habitat, featuring beautiful photographs of every species described. $19.95

Connecticut by Bicycle: This is the first full-color guide to the state of Connecticut for the moderate-level rider. With an introduction to riding and to the resources available, this durable hardcover book covers six diverse geographical regions of Connecticut in fifty rides. Each ride is represented by a four-page spread with color photographs of the sights, a narrative description, a map, and a concise cue sheet with directions and mileage. $39.99

Connecticut – Mapping the Nutmeg State Through History: A stirring trip through the history of the Nutmeg State, illustrated by gloriously detailed maps from the Library of Congress. Features more than fifty full-color historical maps, informative and enlightening captions about each map's origins and its place in the evolution of state history. $24.95

Connecticut River Boating Guide: The classic, authoritative guide for boaters, canoeists and kayakers on the Connecticut River. This third edition covers the entire waterway from its source at the Canadian border to Long Island Sound, dividing the river into 28 reaches with accompanying GPS-compatible maps. $19.95

Connecticut Walk Book – East and West are the official guides to the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the trails. The trails were mapped using GPS to produce crisp, concise, removable two-color topographic trail maps. $24.95 each.

Doggin’ Connecticut: Selects the 57 best places to take your dog for an outing in the Nutmeg State and ranks them according to criteria including the variety of hikes available, opportunities for canine swimming and pleasure of the walks. $12.95

Dr. Mel’s Connecticut Climate Book: Beloved Connecticut meteorologist "Dr. Mel" Goldstein explains how the weather in the state changes from season to season, and how weather and climate work together. The book also delivers a fascinating account of Connecticut's weather history covering the past three centuries. $24.95

Fishing Long Island Sound: Whether you fish from a boat or from the shore, this book is the single best way to learn the fishing hot spots and improve your odds for a successful outing on this special body of water. Covers all the best shore- and boat-fishing locations on Long Island Sound, with GPS coordinates provided for numerous navigational markers, boat launches, and state parks and fishing hotspots including reefs, wrecks, beaches and piers. $18.95

Fishing Without Falling in Connecticut: Connecticut is an angler’s wonderland. This comprehensive guidebook has been created for those anglers who have left the rivers because they need easier access: the nervous elderly fly fisherman, injured vets, scared children, and others. All eight counties in the state are represented, and one page is dedicated to each tested location across the state, with color photos, descriptions, and directions. $20.00

Fly Fishing in Connecticut: Long-time resident and devoted fly fisherman Kevin Murphy imparts a wealth of knowledge. Gives novice anglers easy-to-follow instructions on the basics of fly fishing, including the essentials in fly fishing gear, stream tactics, casting, and a host of related topics, plus a veritable road map to Connecticut's best trout streams and rivers. $14.95

Look Up, Connecticut!: Whether you’re visiting a new town or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a Connecticut walking tour is ready to explore when you are. Each of the 25 walking tours in this book describes a mix of historical, architectural, cultural and ecclesiastical landmarks. Street addresses and step-by-step directions lead the way. $14.95

Roadside Geology of Connecticut & Rhode Island: Introduces readers to the sequence of mountain-building collisions that welded the pieces of land together and to the subsequent upwelling of magma that nearly broke them apart again. Twenty road guides, complete with maps, photographs, and diagrams, locate and interpret the rocks and landforms visible from the state's highways and at nearby parks and historic sites. $26.00

Salt Marsh Diary: NPR contributor and nature writer Mark Seth Lender chronicles the daily life of a salt marsh near his home. From his front porch and back yard he is witness to an astonishing array of wildlife, and for the first time he has chronicled the marsh’s life in a book penned from his perch. With the soul of a poet and the precision of a naturalist, Lender transports the reader to the edge of his salt marsh and makes us both see and hear kingfishers, terns, bluebirds, egrets and other wonders that fill the sky above us. $19.99

Stories in Stone: In a series of entertaining essays, geoscientist Jelle Zeilinga de Boer describes how early settlers discovered and exploited Connecticut's natural resources. Illuminated by 50 illustrations and 12 color plates, Stories in Stone describes the marvel of Connecticut's geologic diversity and also recounts its impact on the lives of the people who made Connecticut their home. $24.95

Window into the Jurassic World: A journey through time explaining the geologic history that led to the formation of Dinosaur State Park’s famous track ways. Features over 100 stunning color photographs taken by local photographer Richard Bergen.  The Friends of Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum are the publishers and financed the creation of the book. $19.95 paperback / $30.00 hardcover

 

Books for Children

Bug Book & Bug Bottle: Complete kit including The Bug Book, The Bug Bottle, Magnifier, Bug Identification Chart and My Bug Journal. The ingeniously designed, safe plastic bottle is perfect for catching and viewing creepy crawlies, then letting them go unharmed. Here are all the tools kids need to become bona fide bug experts. Ages 8-12. $14.95

Good Night Connecticut: The great state of Connecticut is artfully celebrated in this board book designed to soothe children before bedtime while instilling an early appreciation for Connecticut's natural and cultural wonders. Features many iconic state attractions, including Mystic Seaport, Dinosaur State Park, Lake Compounce, Gillette Castle and the Essex Steam Train. Ages 4-8. $9.95

Nature Connection: An interactive workbook full of creative exercises for kids that offers dozens of fun things to do during every season. Sure to engage the whole family in outdoor fun and year-round nature activities. Ages 8-12. $14.95

Where Do Mountains Come From, Momma?: Catherine Weyerhaeuser Morley combines her talents as a geologist, educator, and illustrator to describe how mountains form. Detailed illustrations with numerous rock layers, fossils, and even animals will thrill preschoolers, and the whimsical yet scientifically accurate descriptions about planet Earth will capture the imagination of budding elementary-age scientists. $12.00

You Can Be a Nature Detective: Why do a tree's leaves change color in autumn? How can mushrooms suddenly appear overnight? What made those tracks in the snow? This book helps you delve into these and other intriguing mysteries of the natural world. With the goal of getting kids outside exploring, author Peggy Kochanoff uses breathtaking watercolors and informative text to spark readers' interest in investigating the wonders of Mother Nature. Ages 8-12. $14.00

Clearance

For those seeking a bargain this holiday season, be sure to browse the DEEP Store’s sale inventory. To save 25-50%, look for the books with the pink price stickers, or view the selection by visiting www.ct.gov/deep/store, entering the “online store’ and selecting “Bargain Books.”


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