ABOUT US
Our Mission
The purpose of the Colchester Land Trust is to protect the beauty and natural diversity of our area by preserving significant land and scenic areas for present and future generations.
We are dedicated to maintaining Colchester's rural character and stand for clean air and water, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and local agriculture.
Board of Directors
The Officers and Members of the Board are elected by the membership at the Annual Meeting in June. Board positions are two year terms.
= Founding Member, 2002
CO-PRESIDENT
David Levine
TREASURER
Ken Bennet
CO-PRESIDENT
Lisa Hageman
SECRETARY
Sarah Smith Levine
BOARD MEMBERS
Danny Albert
Andrea Stannard
John Barnowski
Scott Sivek
Liza Sivek
Russell Moore
Megan Trujillo
Carli Herz
BOARD MEMBER, EMIRITUS
Leslie Curtis
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS
Alexa Chiarella, '25
Allen Quinones, '26
The two student board member positions are 2-year, non-voting seats
held by a Junior and Senior from Bacon Academy High School, Colchester.
Student members apply for these seats through their school.
When the Senior student member graduates, the Rising Senior replaces them
and a Rising Junior is accepted to the empty seat.
Our History
The Colchester Land Trust (CLT) was started in 2002 by a group of concerned citizens who came together to discuss the rapid development of the town and options available to landowners for preservation of their lands.
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In 2004, CLT achieved federal nonprofit 501(c)3 status, which enabled us to provide potential tax deductions to land donors and supporting members.
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In June of 2006, the CLT received its first donation of land from Mr. David Drew - a 4-acre parcel with little conservation value but which, in the long run, proved to be a valuable asset for obtaining loans for more significant parcels.
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In January 2007 the CLT entered into an agreement with Mr. Chet Reneson to purchase 18 acres of land (known as the "Gateway to the Airline Trail") for a sum of $190,000. Later that year the CLT received a 62-acre conservation easement on River Road from Mr. Toney Palakewitz.
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In 2009, the CLT joined forces with the Town of Colchester by donating $42,000 toward the purchase of an important parcel of land bordering the town-owned 117-acre Ruby Cohen Woodlands. The CLT also received two subdivision set-asides in 2009 - a 25-acre wooded parcel on Usher Swamp Road and a 14-acre wooded parcel on Bulkeley Hill Road. During this time, the CLT began eyeing accreditation by the national Land Trust Alliance. This pursuit began in earnest in 2010, as the CLT crafted formal policies and wrote the standards and practices needed prior to applying.
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In 2013, CLT announced it was one of just 13 land trusts in the state of Connecticut and one of 301 in the nation to have achieved accreditation, a rigorous process that provides the public, landowners, donors and members with the confidence that lands entrusted to the Colchester Land Trust are conserved and cared for in perpetuity.
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At the tail end of 2015, CLT began work to preserve the Tangletree Farm on Lebanon Road by applying for a US Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service, grant to purchase an agricultural conservation easement on the 88-acre property. During this time, in 2016, 115 acres representing the original subdivision for which CLT had been given the 15-acre set-aside on Bulkeley Hill presented itself. In order to repay the loan and continue our work on the Tangletree Farm, CLT launched its 200 Acre Farm and Forest campaign to raise funds for both projects. Enough funds were raised to repay both loans.
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CLT received re-accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance in 2019, affirming our
commitment to managing your lands and your money with integrity.
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Tangletree Farm and Bulkeley Hill Preserve have become realities: an important easement and a large preserve, respectively. Tangletree Farm graciously hosted two annual fall events and we hope to bring back that highly successful shindig. CLT has established Bulkeley Hill Preserve as a public venue, with signage, blazed trails, and a parking lot. Both properties conserve significant land and water resources in Colchester. We greatly appreciate all that the community did to help CLT achieve these milestones.
Accreditation
"The accreditation seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation. It is awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.
Each accredited land trust completes a rigorous review process and joins a network of organizations united by strong ethical practices.
This trusted network of land trusts has demonstrated fiscal accountability, strong organizational leadership, sound transactions and lasting stewardship of the lands they conserve."
- Land Trust Alliance, @landtrustaccreditation.org
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In 2013, CLT announced it was one of just 13 land trusts in the state of Connecticut and one of 301 in the nation to have achieved accreditation, a rigorous process that provides the public, landowners, donors and members with the confidence that lands entrusted to the Colchester Land Trust are conserved and cared for in perpetuity.
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Colchester Land Trust renewed its land trust accreditation in 2019. This marks us as as part of a network of over 400 accredited land trusts across the nation, committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in its conservation work.
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Renewing our accreditation shows Colchester Land Trust’s ongoing commitment to permanent land conservation in Colchester. We are a stronger organization than ever for having gone through the rigorous accreditation renewal process. Our strength means special places – such as Tangletree Farm – will be protected forever, making Colchester an even greater place for us and our children.
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501(c)(3) Status
In 2004, Colchester Land Trust achieved federal nonprofit 501(c)(3) status which enabled us to provide potential tax deductions to land donors and supporting members. To learn more about the Federal criteria we have to meet, click here.
For donations that qualify, you will be promptly sent a thank you letter acknowledging your gift for your tax purposes. For more information please contact us.