News

The Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) is proud to announce the first round of awards from its Land Easement and Acquisition Program (LEAP). These six grants, totaling $1,025,524, will result in the permanent protection of 6,417 acres across the state. This significant investment accelerates land conservation, enhances biodiversity, improves climate resilience, and expands public access to nature.

LEAP (formerly known as the Land Capital Grant Program) launched in 2025 to meet a critical need identified by land trusts: securing new and matching funding for land acquisitions. Funded through a generous grant from The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, LEAP aims to bridge funding gaps, leverage public and private investments, and ensure the timely completion of crucial conservation projects. All awarded projects are required to close within 12 months or less, ensuring prompt conservation action.

“This first round of awards marks a major milestone and reflects the power of strategic investment in land conservation,” said Yaw O. Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants & Programs. “By responding quickly to urgent opportunities, these grants are helping land trusts secure high-priority parcels, leverage additional funding, and advance lasting benefits for people and nature across Connecticut.”

Congratulations to the first cohort of CLCC’s LEAP Grantees!

 

Avalonia Land Conservancy: Bond Property Acquisition in Montville

The Avalonia Land Conservancy (ALC) received $500,000 for the fee ownership acquisition of the 669-acre Bond Property. This high-priority site within the Niantic River Watershed Protection Plan contains high-quality surface and groundwater resources and connects over 3,000 acres of core upland forest, forming a vital wildlife corridor. The property features diverse habitats, including wetlands, meadows, and shrubland, and supports documented protected species like the Eastern Box Turtle and New England Cottontail. This acquisition will significantly expand recreational opportunities for the public, primarily benefiting the community of Montville, by providing access for hiking, mountain biking, equestrian use, and fishing. The project also contributes to climate resilience by acting as a carbon sink and providing stormwater mitigation.

In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, ALC received funding from the CT DEEP’s Open Space and Watershed Acquisition (OSWA) program and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

 

Colebrook Reservoir Conservation Easement in Colebrook and Hartland

The Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC) has been awarded two grants for distinct acquisitions. The first grant of $250,000 is for the acquisition of a permanent conservation easement on 5,200 acres surrounding the Colebrook Reservoir. This represents one of the largest conservation projects in Connecticut’s history. The Colebrook Reservoir is Connecticut’s largest remaining untapped drinking water reservoir, directly feeding the designated National Wild and Scenic Farmington River. The easement area boasts exceptional biodiversity, with diverse habitats supporting a dozen threatened, endangered, and special concern species, including Goldie’s Fern, Bald Eagle, and Northern Spring Salamander. Protecting this land from development is crucial, as the MDC‘s permit to abandon water in the reservoir system jeopardizes existing protections, risking large-scale residential and commercial development. This acquisition sets an important precedent for safeguarding quasi-protected lands.

In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, NCLC received funding from The Nature Conservancy and other private donors, as well as assistance from Save The Sound to secure a permanent easement around the Colebrook Reservoir.

 

NCLC: Strauss Morrissey Expansion (Glen Brook) in Sherman

NCLC received a second Connecticut LEAP grant of $98,500 for the fee ownership acquisition of the 117-acre Glen Brook property. This acquisition will significantly expand NCLC’s existing 160-acre Strauss Morrissey Preserve by 82%, creating a continuous 277-acre public recreation area. The property is a critical remaining farmland and forest parcel, featuring core forests, wetlands, and vital habitat for rare, threatened, and endangered species like the Eastern Box Turtle, Wood Turtle, and Spotted Turtle. Recognized for its above-average climate resilience, the property will help mitigate flooding risks in a FEMA-designated special flood hazard zone. The project will establish a public parking area and a new two-mile trail network, connecting to existing trails for a total of 4.5 miles of passive recreation opportunities, with potential for an ADA-compliant trail. 

In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, NCLC received funding from the OSWA program and the Town of Sherman to acquire the Glen Brook parcel. NCLC is also pursuing funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program for the acquisition.

 

 

Wyndham Land Trust: Hillandale Woods Project in Brooklyn

Wyndham Land Trust (WLT) was awarded $75,000 for the fee ownership acquisition of the 320-acre Hillandale Woods property. This acquisition is highly significant due to its connectivity, as it links previously protected conservation lands and enhances regional wildlife corridors. It contains essential habitat types, including upland forest, vernal pools, and forested wetlands, with 1,800 feet of frontage along Bush Hill Brook, a Class A stream. The site also supports at least 14 bird species and several amphibian species listed as Species of Greatest Need. The project will significantly increase open space available for public access in Brooklyn, a town with a very low percentage of protected land, offering opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, and bird watching on existing logging roads. 

In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, WLT received funding from several private foundations and individual donors to acquire the Hillandale Woods parcel.

 

Litchfield Land Trust: Putnam Property in Litchfield

Litchfield Land Trust (LLT) received a $52,034 grant for the fee ownership acquisition of the 104.84-acre Putnam Property. This “keystone parcel” significantly expands conserved areas by bordering existing LLT properties and connecting to over 200 acres of preserved land, forming part of a larger 1,000-acre core forest expanse. The property is recognized by Nature’s Network and The Nature Conservancy for its biodiversity and climate flow, supporting species migration and contributing to improved water quality and cooler stream temperatures in the Northfield Brook-Naugatuck River watershed. LLT plans to create 1.5-2 miles of new hiking trails, with a 0.1-mile section designed to be accessible for people of different abilities, connecting to existing popular trail systems for over five miles of continuous hiking. This project will provide critical outdoor recreation opportunities near Torrington, including affordable housing developments. 

In addition to CLCC’s LEAP grant, funding from OSWA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program will also help LLT to acquire the Putnam parcel.

 

Aspetuck Land Trust: Poindexter Preserve Addition in Easton

Aspetuck Land Trust (ALT) was awarded $50,000 for the fee ownership acquisition of the 5.7-acre Poindexter Preserve Addition. This parcel is crucial for expanding ALT’s popular Poindexter Nature Preserve by over 15% and providing essential public amenities, including safe off-street parking and a new central trailhead. Ecologically, the property enhances an east-west wildlife migration corridor and serves as a vital riparian buffer for Wicker Brook, a coldwater stream, within the Mill River’s headwaters. It contains diverse habitats and soils indicative of carbon sequestration, contributing to climate resilience by acting as a storm buffer and filtering runoff. 

These LEAP awards underscore CLCC’s dedication to strengthening Connecticut’s land conservation community and ensuring the state’s natural beauty and ecological health are preserved for current and future generations.  

“These grants are about speed and impact,” said Amy Blaymore Paterson, Executive Director of CLCC. “With over $1 million awarded, we’re helping land trusts seize time-sensitive opportunities, unlock millions more in conservation funding, and protect more than 6,400 acres. It’s a win for Connecticut’s environment and communities.”

Learn more about each LEAP project by visiting CLCC’s StoryMap.