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.
Upcoming Community-Centered Conservation EVENTS
Success Stories
“I Dreamed of This”: Connecting New Haven Youth to the Wonders of Wetlands
Pathways to Nature
On Friday, April 17th, members from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater New Haven explored Bethany Land Trust‘s Mendell’s Folly Nature Preserve during their Spring Break Camp. The field trip was made possible by a generous grant from the Claire C. Bennitt Watershed Fund, which enabled CLCC to provide transportation in order to reduce barriers that often prevent young people from accessing the beauty and educational potential of conserved lands.
Black History & Birding in Hartford
PATHWAYS TO NATURE
On February 15th, CLCC collaborated with the Black Wing Coalition and Sierra Club CT to organize a Black History Bird Walk as part of the Great Backyard Bird Count. The event took place at the Ancient Burying Ground in Downtown Hartford, where fourteen participants gathered to pay their respects at a memorial dedicated to African Americans buried in unmarked graves.
New Report: Farmland Access and Ownership in Connecticut
REPORT
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.
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.
