News
The Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) is excited to announce the next round of awards to land trusts from its Land and Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP). These four grants, totaling $370,500, will lead to the permanent protection of 131.6 acres across the state. This significant investment accelerates land conservation, safeguards critical habitats, enhances biodiversity, and expands public access to nature.
Launched in 2025, LEAP was created to address a critical need identified by our member land trusts: securing new and matching funding for land and easement acquisitions. LEAP helps land trusts bridge funding gaps, leverage public and private investments, and ensure the timely completion of crucial conservation projects. The grant program is designed to ensure prompt action, as all awarded projects are required to close within 12 months or less.
Congratulations to the newest cohort of CLCC’s LEAP Grantees!
Berlin Land Trust: Moore Farm and Stone House in Kensington
The Berlin Land Trust has been awarded $127,500 to help acquire 20 acres of the Moore Farm and Stone House property in Kensington. Working in partnership with the Trust for Public Land, this acquisition preserves the historic homestead of renowned Hudson River School painter Nelson Augustus Moore. The property features a striking mosaic of meadow, cliff, wetland, and forested landscapes, serving as an essential nesting site for threatened bird species such as the eastern meadowlark and bobolink. It also provides a critical buffer for the Mattabesset River and connects to nearby trail systems, including the New England National Scenic Trail. In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, the project has received funding from CT DEEP’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) grant program, the Town of Berlin, the Marjorie Moore Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain.
Housatonic Valley Association: 40 Acres in North Canaan
The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) has been awarded $67,000 to help acquire a 40-acre property in North Canaan. Located in an Environmental Justice community with limited open space, this acquisition will serve as an education preserve offering guided outdoor programs that highlight its unique natural and cultural features, including glacial sinkholes and historic charcoal mounds. Ecologically, the property contains core forest that provides potential habitat for the federally endangered Northern long-eared bat and protects the headwaters of a Class A stream flowing into the Konkapot River. In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, HVA received funding from a CLCC Transaction Assistance Grant (TAG) and anonymous private donors.
Winchester Land Trust: Rebillard Farm in Winsted
The Winchester Land Trust has been awarded $120,000 to acquire the 37-acre Rebillard Farm on Old Robertsville Road. This acquisition connects with the adjacent 93-acre Rebillard Forest, permanently preserving a total of 130 acres of prime habitat along the Still River. The farm provides important, rare grassland habitat for species like the bobolink and features prime farmland soils. This project creates a crucial conservation foothold in the northeast section of Winsted, providing passive recreation opportunities near Winchester and Torrington. In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, the Winchester Land Trust received funding from private donors.
Wolcott Land Conservation Trust: The Edward and Adelaide Piteo Preserve in Wolcott
The Wolcott Land Conservation Trust has been awarded $56,000 to help acquire the 34.6-acre Edward and Adelaide Piteo Preserve on Midwood Avenue. Marking the land trust’s monumental first fee ownership purchase since its inception in 1986, this forested parcel abuts the densely populated Hitchcock Lakes area and provides crucial public access to nature within walking distance of an Environmental Justice community. The property features a Class A stream that feeds into Lily Brook and the larger Mad River watershed. Its preservation will protect valuable forestland while offering a new walking trail and community engagement opportunities. In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, the project received a $104,000 grant from CT DEEP’s OSWA grant program.
CLCC’s LEAP awards underscore its dedication to strengthening Connecticut’s land conservation community and ensuring the state’s natural beauty and ecological health are preserved for all.
Learn more about each Connecticut LEAP project by visiting CLCC’s StoryMap.
