Connecticut Land Conservation Conference

March 21, 2026

Frank Center for Public Affairs, Wesleyan University
238 Church Street, Middletown

Michael J. Sikora

Schedule At-A-Glance

See the workshops below for this year's conference schedule. With over 55 workshops, the 2026 conference will cover a variety of topics and discussions for the land conservation community.

Be sure to sign up for our eNews to stay up-to-date on our latest happenings. If you have any questions about the conference, contact Cristina Hayden at conference@ctconservation.org.

Schedule of the Day

8:00 am Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 am Plenary Session

Welcome Address
Keynote Speaker

10:30 am Break

11:00 am Workshop Session A

12:15 pm Lunch

1:30 pm Workshop Session B

2:45 pm Break

3:00 pm Workshop Session C

4:15 pm Break

4:30 pm Workshop Session D

5:15 pm Reception

Register Today!

Early bird registration is now open. Save now until February 23.

Become a Sponsor Today!

Learn More

Workshops Schedule

Click on each workshop for full descriptions.

Session A: 11:00 - 12:15	Session B: 1:30 - 2:45	Session C: 3:00 - 4:15	Session D: 4:30 - 5:15
TRACK 1: CONSERVATION FUNDING
A.1 Preparing for CT Department of Agriculture's Farmland Access Program: OPAV, Buy Protect Sell, & More	B.1 CLCC Grant Funding & Financial Assistance Roundtable	C.1 CT DEEP Funding Roundtable	D.1 Protect, Enhance, & Restore Wetlands with Connecticut’s In Lieu Fee Program
–	B.2 Municipal Parks Improvement Funding Opportunities	–	–
TRACK 2: NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
A.2 Policy Protections for Old Growth Forests in Connecticut and Around New England	B.3 Soil as Infrastructure: Healthy Soils as the Foundation of Nature-Based Climate Solutions Across All Landscapes	C.2 Updates on Approaches to Protection of Riparian Areas	D.2 Open Q&A: Advanced Topics in Land Conservation
A.3 Long Island Sound Coastal Restoration Coalition	B.4 Conservation Across State Lines – The Cooper Hill Conservation Alliance	C.3 Building Bridges Between Land Trusts and Researchers: Lessons from the Field	–
TRACK 3: WILDLIFE & HABITAT STEWARDSHIP
A.4 Bird-Friendly Forestry for Land Trusts	B.5 Firefly Sanctuaries: Conservation, Learning, & Engagement	C.4 Landscaping & Restoring with Native Plants 2.0	D.3 White Oak, Connecticut’s State Tree: An Essential Environmental & Habitat Treasure
A.5 Wildlife in Jeopardy!	B.6 Pollinators in My Backyard	C.5 Building Community Action Around Shared Conservation Values	D.4 Ecological Approaches To Invasive Species Management
TRACK 4: CONSERVATION TOOLS & TECHNOLOGY
A.6 Learn How Unique & Valuable Lidar Imagery Is	B.7 Satellite Monitoring: Principals to Practices	C.6 Using CREST to Discover Natural & Other Resources On & Near Your Land	D.5 Mapping Biodiversity: A Practical Guide to Connecticut's Natural Diversity Database
A.7 Partnering for Farmland Access: Working with Farmers through Connecticut Farmlink	B.8 The Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan – Implementation Tools to Improve Your Actions and Communicate your Successes	C.7 Connecticut's Changing Landscape Land Cover Maps and Data: The Next Generation	D.6 Leveraging New Bird Conservation Technologies for Land Trusts & Beyond!
A.8 Property Surveys for Land Stewardship & Conservation	–	C.8 Beyond the Chatbot: Practical AI Uses for Land Trusts	D.7 Mapping Pollinator Corridors: GIS Tools for Land Trusts & Municipal Planners
–	–	–	D.8 Free & Field Tested: How CT RC&D's Environmental Review Team Can Help Your Land Trust
TRACK 5: COMMUNITY-CENTERED CONSERVATION
A.9 The Conversation with Wawa Continues…	B.9 Conserving Black Historic Sites – Land Trust Case Studies	C.9 Connecting with Youth and Tribal Perspectives on Landscape Care & Conservation	D.9 Increasing Land Access for Urban Farmers
A.10 What is a Community Land Trust? Bridging Community and Conservation Trusts	B.10 Effectively Communicating The Role of Land Trusts in Affordable Housing	C.10 Co-Creating a Legacy: Writing a 99 Year Ground Lease for a Farm and CLT	D.10 Perceptions of Water: Findings & Applications From a Statewide Public Perception Survey
A.11 Interpretive Messaging – Ensuring Your Publications, Waysides, Kiosks and Exhibits are Effective	B.11 From Challenge to Change: Youth & Critical Community Science	C.11 Bridging Divides with the Inner Development Goals	D.11 Enhancing Access to Nature: Practical Lessons from TNC in CT
TRACK 6: POLICY & ADVOCACY
A.12 CT General Assembly 2026 Update	B.12 Nature & Policy for a Resilient Connecticut	C.12 Connecticut Farmland Loss: What’s at Stake and What We Can Do About It	D.12 Yes, Your Land Trust Can Lobby
–	B.13 Land Trust Law School – Beyond the Trees	–	–
TRACK 7: ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, GOVERNANCE & FUNDRAISING
A.13 Tell Me a Story I Can Use in an Appeal Letter	B.14 Three Different Events that Support Fundraising	C.13 The Feasibility Question - Is Our Campaign Feasible?	D.13 The Inclusivity Mindset & How to Foster a Culture of Appreciation
A.14 Stronger Together: Case Studies on Successful Connecticut Mergers	B.15 Understanding & Explaining the Tax Benefits for Conservation Donations	C.14 Swaps, Sales, & What the Heck is a Cy Pres Action?	D.14 Dog Policies Considerations Roundtable
–	–	–	D.15 Conservation Communications Meet n’ Greet

“CLCC’s annual conference is like Woodstock for Connecticut’s land conservation community. It’s an opportunity to foster connections, get inspired, and celebrate our collective accomplishments”

- Pete Govert, Executive Director, East Haddam Land Trust