December Newsletter

Dear Catherine,

The year may be coming to a close, but our conservation work is charging ahead. Before the year ends, we will officially protect an additional 90 acres in New Milford with the recording of the De Hoek Farm conservation easement—a significant advancement in safeguarding the region's natural and agricultural resources for generations to come. De Hoek Farm is part of a 1,405-acre natural area permanently protected by NCLC, the State of Connecticut, and others. The property includes working agricultural lands and a core forest corridor and is home to diverse wildlife species, including neotropical birds, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, reptiles, and amphibians.

This milestone caps off a year filled with achievements. We launched NCLC’s 2024-2030 Strategic Plan and secured $4.5 million through the State of Connecticut’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program. Our acquisition program highlights include the protection of the 670-acre Milde Farm in Litchfield and The Ledges Preserve in Brookfield, which will feature new trails in 2025. These initiatives not only protect critical habitat and agricultural lands, but also expand opportunities for public access to nature.

Equally important, we cared for over 500 properties this year, combining on-the-ground site visits with satellite monitoring, and connected people to the land through 26 free, public events. We also supported local farmers and land trusts in adopting climate-smart agriculture through our $750,000 Building Resiliency initiative. These efforts protect and enhance the landscapes and communities we all cherish.

Thank you for standing with us as we work to conserve the lands and waters of Northwest Connecticut. Your gifts have supported conservation achievements highlighted below—you are essential to bold conservation. We look forward to another year of conservation success in 2025. If you would like to help keep this momentum going, consider making a year-end gift. Every contribution, no matter the size, moves us forward.

With gratitude,

Catherine M. Rawson

Executive Director

2024 Conservation Highlights: An Unprecedented Year for Northwest Connecticut

You Accelerated the Pace of Conservation

Launched NCLC's visionary 2024-2030 Strategic Plan

Secured $4.5M from the State of Connecticut’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA) to protect public recreation lands

Protected Milde Farm, the 670-acre future public preserve located in Litchfield and Torrington

Acquired The Ledges Preserve, a 45-acre property in Brookfield, which adjoins Burr Farm (a 116-acre town-owned preserve and working farm)—and with trails coming in 2025

Advanced the permanent conservation easement project to protect approximately 5,500 acres surrounding the Colebrook River Reservoir

You Protected Natural Lands and Waters

Stewarded and defended 520 properties, which included conducting 196 on-the-ground site visits, satellite monitoring, invasive plant removal, trail work, and conservation enforcement

Worked with 300+ farmers and land trusts to implement NCLC’s Building Resiliency initiative, a climate-smart agriculture grant program

Expanded public land accessibility through a $280,000 Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant

Continued investments to protect rare, endangered, and threatened species on NCLC’s 13,300 acres of conserved land, which include Tuckerman’s sedge, bobolinks, and bog turtles

You Strengthened the Land Conservation Community

Launched the Acquisition Grant Program for Partners for northwest Connecticut’s land trusts, awarding up to $40,000

Provided partner support and collaboration resources for the region as well as project-specific technical acquisition guidance to 8 land trusts on projects totaling 2,500 acres

Extended one-on-one coaching on governance and financial management to 6 land trusts

Provided wilderness first aid and chainsaw training to 10 land trusts and secured aerial monitoring and training services at a discounted rate for area land trusts

You Connected People to Nature

Improved access to nature and installed 3 new footbridges in public preserves in Brookfield and Sherman

Hosted 26 free, engaging public events, which included nature walks, educational programs, community-building gatherings, and stewardship opportunities, with a total of 1,659 attendees

Nurtured land stewards of the future through a partnership with Washington Montessori School teachers and students who have adopted Cobble Brook Vista preserve to care for the land and trails throughout the year

Provided community-building opportunities for our members through annual NCLC special events, such as the Midsummer Party for Conservation and Annual Meeting

Expanded our capacity and welcomed new board and staff members to support our exciting program and land conservation growth

Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy is a nonprofit regional land trust.

As a guardian of natural and working lands, public recreation areas, and drinking water resources, NCLC permanently protects 13,300 acres (and growing) of vast, connected natural areas in Litchfield and northern Fairfield Counties.

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Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy

P.O. Box 821, Kent, CT 06757

Phone: 860.927.1927 | Fax: 860.927.1928

info@ctland.org