Connecticut Land Conservation Conference

Michael J. Sikora

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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

Illustration of the state of Connecticut with drawings of birds, river, diverse people, trees, farms, and buildings inside the state line. Has text that says, "Connecticut Land Conservation Conference."
Revisit the 2026 Conference

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 Handclap

“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


Gordon Paterson

Previous Conferences

Interested in reading about past conferences? Check out past years' conference wrap-ups…

Conference 2026
Conference 2024
Conference 2024