Connecticut Land Conservation Conference
March 21, 2026
Frank Center for Public Affairs, Wesleyan University
238 Church Street, Middletown
Michael J. Sikora
Workshops
Building Bridges Between Land Trusts and Researchers: Lessons from the Field
Land trusts are uniquely positioned to advance both conservation and science, yet many wonder how to begin or sustain research collaborations. This session brings together land trust leaders and researchers to share practical insights on building and managing these partnerships. Through short presentations and group discussion, participants will explore successful models, common challenges, and strategies for integrating research into stewardship and outreach. Attendees will leave with clear examples of how to host and support research projects, communicate scientific work to their communities, and strengthen conservation outcomes through collaboration.
Presenter(s)
Kate Regan-Loomis, Forester, Great Mountain Forest (Facilitator)
Dr. Danica Doroski, State Urban Forester, CT DEEP
James Fischer, Research Director, White Memorial Conservation Center
Billy Gridley, Chief Steward, Aton Forest
Vince LaFontan, Executive Director, Flanders Nature Center and Land Trust
Dr. Elisabeth Ward, Assistant Agricultural Scientist II, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Resources and Handouts
“CLCC’s annual conference is like Woodstock for Connecticut’s land conservation community. It’s an opportunity to foster connections, get inspired, and celebrate our collective accomplishments”
- Pete Govert, Executive Director, East Haddam Land Trust
Previous Conferences
Interested in reading about past conferences? Check out past years' conference wrap-ups…
