Why Land Trusts Matter

The Value of Conservation in Connecticut

Local land conservation drives $12.6 billion in economic activity, provides hundreds of miles of public trails, and offers essential solutions to climate change and habitat loss in our communities.

Connecticut’s land trusts are the backbone of the state’s conservation efforts, stewarding approximately 200,000 acres—representing 40% of all protected land in the state. While these community-based nonprofits are vital to reaching Connecticut’s statutory goal of protecting 21% of its land base, a 156,000-acre gap remains. At the current pace of conservation, it will take 60 years to reach this milestone, a timeline that lags behind the urgent needs of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Closing this gap is a high-return investment for the state. Land conservation fuels a $12.6 billion outdoor and agricultural economy, saves municipalities millions in stormwater and infrastructure costs, and provides 473 miles of trails essential for public health. Furthermore, every dollar of state investment through the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) grant and other financial assistance programs acts as a catalyst, leveraging private philanthropy.

By strengthening support for land trusts today, Connecticut can secure a resilient, sustainable, and healthy future for every community.

How Land Trusts Deliver: Seven Key Benefits

The Story: Connecticut’s land trusts open the gate to the outdoors, giving residents a mosaic of natural lands to hike, birdwatch, and recharge.

Key Stats: Land trusts steward 473 miles of trails, including 62 miles engineered for universal access.

Economic Boost: Outdoor recreation in Connecticut generated $4.6 billion in economic activity and supported nearly 46,000 jobs in 2022.

Land Trust Spotlight: Avalonia Land Conservancy(opens in new tab)'s Cedar Wood Preserve features an ADA-compliant parking area and a 0.4-mile stone-dust loop so visitors of all abilities can experience a pristine vernal pool.

The Story: Conserved lands act as a powerhouse for environmental health, filtering drinking water, mitigating coastal flooding, and capturing carbon.

Clean Water Savings: Conserving just one acre of natural land saves communities an average of $380 annually in municipal stormwater treatment, translating to $76 million in savings statewide.

Climate Mitigation: Connecticut’s land trust forests sequester up to 114,000 metric tons of carbon every year, offsetting the emissions of nearly 25,000 passenger vehicles.

Land Trust Spotlight: The Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy(opens in new tab) secured a 5,200-acre easement around the state’s largest undeveloped drinking water reservoir, safeguarding clean water and protecting 12 vulnerable species.

The Story: Land trusts help protect Connecticut’s productive agricultural and forestry landscapes, supporting jobs, local food security, and rural heritage.

Saving Farmland: Connecticut ranks fourth in the nation for the proportion of farmland threatened by development. Land trusts have protected over 14,000 acres of farmland, with more than 80% actively producing local food.

Economic Engines: Agriculture and forestry collectively contribute $8 billion to the state's economic output and support 36,000 jobs.

Land Trust Spotlight: Great Mountain Forest(opens in new tab) manages more than 6,000 acres under one of New England's largest conservation easements, showcasing sustainable, climate-smart forestry practices.

The Story: Protected land is a vibrant community asset. Land trusts are active local institutions that foster health, protect local history, and feed neighbors.

Food & Wellness: Programs like Steep Rock Association(opens in new tab)’s Judea Garden engage volunteers to grow fresh produce on conserved land, donating the harvest directly to local food pantries.

Cultural Preservation: Land trusts preserve vital historical landmarks, such as Joshua’s Trust(opens in new tab)'s preservation of the Gurleyville Grist Mill.

The Story: A common misconception is that conservation hurts local tax rolls. In reality, land protection is a fiscally responsible choice that saves municipalities money.

Cost of Services: Developing residential land costs towns an average of $1.16 in services for every $1.00 of revenue generated, whereas natural and working lands cost only $0.37 per dollar.

Property Boost: Properties located near passive-use parks or trails experience an average 20% increase in value.

Tax Myth Busted: A New England-wide study of over 1,400 municipalities found that a typical 85-acre conservation project adds just $0.72 to an average homeowner's annual tax bill.

The Story: The state relies heavily on land trusts and local partners to fund and complete half of its statutory conservation goals.

Leveraging Funds: Since 1998, Connecticut's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition(opens in new tab) (OSWA) Grant Program has invested $190 million in acquisitions. Land trusts have leveraged this state investment to unlock more than $100 million in matching funds from private philanthropy and federal sources.

Land Trust Directory

CLCC is offering the first statewide Connecticut Land Trust Directory.

Find your local or regional land trust along with other land conservation organizations. You can search by town, county, statewide, or alphabetically. If you'd like to search to see what land trusts are accredited by the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission, you can do that too.

Thanks to Beth Doran, we now have an interactive map to identify what land trusts are serving different regions of the state. Click on the map to test it out.

Find a Land Trust

Download Land Trust Map