Community-Centered Conservation
Conservation has long focused on large-scale landscapes and ecological connectivity—but too often, people have been left out of the picture. This approach overlooks the essential connection between healthy ecosystems and healthy communities.
CLCC’s Community-Centered Conservation Programs aim to change that. By centering people—their voices, needs, and lived experiences—we advance a more inclusive and effective conservation movement. When land trusts engage a broader diversity of people, they not only build stronger communities, they strengthen long-term support for the land itself.
We believe conservation must be for everyone. That starts by listening, learning, and creating space for all communities to shape the future of the land.
Pathways to Nature with CT Land Trusts
Building a Welcoming and Inclusive Community
Pathways to Nature is designed to dismantle barriers to outdoor access and expand the reach of land trusts beyond their traditional audiences. We are focused on welcoming populations that have historically been underserved by land trusts, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, youth, faith-based groups, people with disabilities, and veterans. To ensure true accessibility, the program actively works to reduce physical barriers by providing vital transportation support, particularly for urban communities.
Guided excursions that combine physical activity with birdwatching and conservation education. Participants will learn to use digital citizen science tools such as Merlin's eBird and iNaturalist apps to identify and log local species. Hikes are great for land trusts with public hiking trails; bike outings require paved paths; kayaking requires river, lake, or pond access.
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Upcoming Community-Centered Conservation Programs
Pathways to Nature: Bird & Hike with Bethany Land Trust and Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Haven
CLCC is proud to partner with the Bethany Land Trust to host a special field trip for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater New Haven. Youth will spend the…
Keeping the Promise #1: Eyes on the Land: Annual Monitoring Made Meaningful
About Keeping The Promise: Core Skills for Effective Land Stewardship Webinar Series Every conservation easement and fee property represents a lasting promise to protect the land’s conservation values forever. Keeping…
Land Conservation Day at the State Capitol
Celebrate Land Conservation at the State Capitol On April 22, Earth Day, we are bringing the beauty and value of our local conservation lands to the halls of the State…
Inclusive Conservation Initatives
Helping to bring conservation to wider audiences, this program engages land trusts in collaborative work with both conservation and non-conservation partners to expand reach and impact.
Community-Centered Conservation Resources
Explore a curated selection of resources related to topics of inclusive conservation, community engagement, and DEIJ, including those exploring the role conservation can play in food security, affordable housing, and accessibility.
Success Stories
Fostering Connections
This month, I had the privilege of speaking with two leaders in New Haven on separate occasions whose dedication to building stronger and more resilient communities spans decades. Doreen Abubakar, Founder and Executive Director of the Community Placemaking Engagement Network (CPEN), and Lee Cruz, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (CFGH). My conversations with them and our CLCC team provided invaluable insights into the work of supporting the community.
Challenges and Opportunities in Connecticut Farmland Access and Ownership
CLCC is excited to announce the release of a new report, Farmland Access & Ownership: An Overview of Barriers, Models, and Actions to Increase Land Access for Connecticut’s BIPOC Farmers.
CLCC, in partnership with the CT Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg), developed this report to address a critical challenge facing our state’s agricultural industry: ensuring equitable access to secure farmland for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers.
Exploring Nature in a Welcoming Environment
On April 21, we held our second joint bird walk with Outdoor Afro-Connecticut at Westmoor Park in West Hartford. It was wonderful to see new faces joining our experienced birders, all eager to explore and learn about the feathered residents of the park.
These bird walks are more than just spotting Kingfishers and Kinglets. They are a cornerstone of our community conservation efforts. They provide a chance to connect with the tranquility and awe of nature in unexpected ways. They are also a way to ignite the passion of new environmentalists and conservationists.
