Celebrating CLCC’s Special Award for Excellence in Conservation Collaboration

The Cooper Hill Conservation Alliance and the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) invites you to celebrate a monumental, once-in-a-generation conservation victory! CLCC will be presenting its Special Award for Excellence in Conservation Collaboration to the Cooper Hill Conservation Alliance for its extraordinary multi-state effort to permanently protect over 1,200 acres of ecologically significant farmland, core forest, and critical habitats across Salisbury, CT, and Sheffield, MA.

The celebration will feature brief remarks by representatives of the Cooper Hill Alliance, CLCC, and elected officials, followed by an optional hike along the 2.6-mile Tom’s Hill Loop Trail. 

CLCC’s Special Award for Excellence in Conservation Collaboration recognizes the Alliance for its remarkable impact:

• A Cross-Border Powerhouse: When a massive, contiguous landscape suddenly went on the market, eight organizations—including the Salisbury Association Land Trust(opens in new tab), Housatonic Valley Association(opens in new tab) (HVA), Sheffield Land Trust(opens in new tab), The Nature Conservancy(opens in new tab) (CT & MA), Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy(opens in new tab), Mass Audubon(opens in new tab), and The Trustees of Reservations(opens in new tab)—leapt into action alongside a local realtor and farming family.
• Landscape-Scale Protection: The Alliance successfully navigated complex multi-state funding to protect critical parcels, including Pine Island Farm, lands adjacent to Bartholomew’s Cobble, Miles Mountain, and the 297-acre Tom’s Hill ridge overlooking East Twin Lake.
• Protecting Connected Habitat: By securing these visible and ecologically rich lands, the Alliance has strengthened a vital woodland corridor linking the Housatonic Valley northward to Canada.

This landmark victory is a testament to what happens when local advocates, generous donors, land trusts, and state partners work as one. Join us to celebrate their permanent legacy for our region.