The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Climate-Smart Mitigation Activities webpage provides an overview of conservation practices that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sequestration. This resource is valuable for land trusts looking to integrate climate resilience into their conservation efforts through practices like forest management, wetland restoration, and soil health improvements. Land trusts can use this guide to inform landowners about climate-smart strategies and explore funding opportunities through NRCS programs like EQIP and CSP.
Understanding climate change resilience is essential for building resilience on the land we conserve and interactive mapping tools provide valuable data to guide our decision making. By integrating these tools into planning, land trusts can enhance habitat connectivity, protect biodiversity, and ensure the resilience of Connecticut’s conserved lands.
Climate change is reshaping our landscapes, and land trusts have a vital role to play in building resilience. This primer explores the impacts of climate change on land, water, and communities, highlighting practical strategies for land trusts to integrate climate resilience into their conservation work. Whether you’re planning new acquisitions, managing existing properties, or engaging your community, this resource provides actionable insights and real-world examples to help land trusts address climate challenges and protect the land for generations to come.
As demand for renewable energy grows, so does the challenge of siting projects in ways that protect open space, wildlife habitat, and working lands. This page contains a series or resources that explore the intersection of solar, wind, and other renewables with land conservation, offering guidance on policy considerations, best practices, and strategies for responsible siting. Land trusts can use these resources to navigate the complex balance between clean energy development and protecting the landscapes we value.
Conservation commissions play a vital role in protecting natural resources, advising on land use decisions, and supporting local conservation efforts. This fact sheet outlines their key responsibilities, legal authority, and how they collaborate with land trusts, municipalities, and the public. Whether you’re looking to establish a commission, strengthen its impact, or better understand its role in your community, this resource provides a clear and concise overview.
The Climate-Smart Framework for Land Trusts handbook provides practical strategies for integrating climate resilience into land conservation efforts, helping land trusts address climate change through science-based stewardship and planning. This resource can be used to assess climate risks, implement adaptive management practices, and ensure long-term ecological health for protected lands.
The USDA Forest Service created this guide that includes an Adaptation Workbook process to help land trusts navigate the effects of climate change.
New England’s forests are critical in mitigating climate change, already sequestering large amounts of carbon each year and they have the potential to do much more. The 2022 Highstead report outlines five complementary strategies for enhancing forest-based climate solutions: preventing deforestation, creating reserves, improving forest management, promoting mass timber use, and increasing urban tree cover. These actions could help maximize forests’ potential to reduce carbon emissions and meet climate goals
Communicating about climate change can be challenging, but it’s essential for building support and inspiring action. This resource from the Land Trust Alliance and Open Space Institute offers practical strategies for land trusts and conservation leaders to discuss climate issues in a way that resonates with diverse audiences. Learn how to frame messages effectively, connect with shared values, and focus on solutions to engage your community and stakeholders in meaningful climate conversations.
As climate change accelerates, land conservation is a powerful tool for building resilience—protecting ecosystems, reducing climate risks, and supporting communities. This curated set of resources from The Nature Conservancy, a leader in resilience and conservation science, offers practical guidance on climate adaptation, nature-based solutions, and strategies for integrating resilience into land protection.
This handbook outlines a parcel prioritization analysis developed for the Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust (now Northwest CT Land Conservancy) to guide land conservation in Litchfield County and Sherman, CT. Using data-driven methods, it evaluates factors like climate resilience, habitat quality, water resources, and connectivity to inform conservation priorities. With a repeatable GIS-based model, land trusts can adjust priorities over time to ensure they are protecting the most ecologically significant lands.
As climate change progresses, birds’ habitats will shift, forcing them to relocate. Audubon scientists analyzed 140 million bird observations to map the current ranges of 604 North American species, then used climate models to predict future shifts. The findings indicate that many species will struggle to find suitable habitats, potentially threatening their survival.