News

Earlier this month, CLCC welcomed land trust leaders from across Connecticut for our annual Presidents and Treasurers Summits—two gatherings focused on strengthening organizational capacity, sharing lessons learned, and planning for long-term sustainability. Though each summit explored role-specific challenges, common themes emerged: the importance of strong systems, thoughtful succession planning, and the power of learning alongside peers.

Treasurers Summit: Building Stronger Financial Systems

Treasurers dove into some of the most pressing financial questions facing land trusts today, including how to balance risk, liquidity, and long-term growth when investing reserves and endowments. Participants compared strategies and discussed how strategic and operational priorities can guide investment decisions.

A persistent challenge was succession in the treasurer role, especially when volunteers are also serving as in-house bookkeepers. Many shared that hiring a bookkeeper and implementing tools such as QuickBooks significantly improved efficiency, reduced burnout, and strengthened reporting and internal controls. Treasurers also discussed how to present financial information in ways that improve board literacy without overwhelming members.

Underlying these conversations was a growing concern about the resources needed to steward protected lands over the long term.

Presidents Summit: Succession Tools for Sustainable Growth

Succession was the central theme of this year’s Presidents Summit. Leaders explored three major tools for strengthening organizational longevity: mergers, accreditation, and professionalization.

Presidents from Aspetuck Land Trust and the new North Woods Land Conservancy shared how recent mergers have expanded capacity, pooled resources, and positioned their organizations for long-term success. Similarly, Branford Land Trust and Avalonia Land Conservancy kicked off a conversation about how accreditation helped formalize policies and procedures, moving institutional knowledge from individual leaders into durable systems.

The group also discussed professionalization and how hiring or expanding staff—sometimes in partnership with neighboring land trusts—can shift day-to-day work off the board, allowing volunteer leaders to focus on governance, strategy, and fundraising.

Informal conversations continued over lunch, including discussions about “backstops” to ensure perpetual land protection and peer problem-solving among land trusts of similar size.

A Community of Leaders Moving Forward Together

Across both summits, the enthusiasm and commitment of Connecticut’s land trust leaders were unmistakable. Attendees left with practical tools, fresh ideas, and perhaps most importantly, a stronger network of peers to call upon when challenges arise.

These gatherings reinforce a core belief at CLCC: when land trusts collaborate, learn, and innovate together, our conservation community becomes more resilient and better prepared for the future.