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About CLCC
The mission of the CT Land Conservation Council is to advocate for land preservation, stewardship and funding, and ensure the long term strength and viability of the land conservation community.
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August 1
CLCC Summer Focus Group 2014
Volunteer Recruitment
9:30am - 2:30pm
Rockfall, CT
August 8
CLCC Model CE Series
Amendments
9:30am - 1:30pm
Washington, CT
August 21
CLCC Roundtable
Regional Land Trust Summit
7:00 - 8:30pm
Kent, CT
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Alicia Sullivan, Chair
Trust for Public Land
Tim Abbott
Litchfield Hills Greenprint
David Bingham
Salem Land Trust
Hunter Brawley
Brawley Consulting Group
Sandy Breslin
Audubon Connecticut
David Brown
Middlesex Land Trust
Margot Burns
Lower CT River Council of Governments
Kevin Case
Land Trust Alliance
Stephanie Clark
Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Eric Hammerling
Connecticut Forest & Park Association
Mary-Michelle Hirschoff
The Garden Club of New Haven
Elaine LaBella
Housatonic Valley Association
Connie Manes
Kent Land Trust
Elisabeth Moore
Connecticut Farmland Trust
Shirley Nichols
Darien Land Trust
Tom ODell
CT Association of Conservation & Inland Wetland Commissions
Catherine Rawson
Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust
David Sutherland
The Nature Conservancy
Humphrey Tyler
Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Staff
Amy B. Paterson
Executive Director
Cristina Gastador
Communications Coordinator
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Message from CLCC Steering Committee Chair Alicia Sullivan
Dear CLCC Friends -
I'm honored to be writing this message as the new Chair of the CLCC Steering Committee. As the Chair, I will strive to increase the value of CLCC to land conservation organizations across our beautiful state. My goal will be easily reached because I'll be working with an outstanding Steering Committee as well as with Amy B. Paterson, our Executive Director. Amy has brought professionalism, enthusiasm, and expertise to CLCC since she was hired in 2010, making our organization a true leader in conservation in Connecticut.
On June 19, Amy B. Paterson was awarded the 2014 Women Inspiring Conservation in Connecticut Award presented by Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Wyman and sponsored by The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Farm Service Agency, and the Connecticut Association of Conservation Districts. 
The theme of the award was "Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment: Stories of Extraordinary Determination of Women" and honored the exceptional and often unrecognized determination and tenacity of women in a non-traditional field.
Amy is truly deserving of this award given the many activities that she has been involved in to advocate for better conservation laws, train land trust board members, organize Connecticut's annual land conservation conference, and assist with many other conservation efforts across our state. Please join me in congratulating Amy on receiving this wonderful honor!
And that is not all ... A number of our conservation friends were honored as well for their dedication to conservation. The CLCC Steering Committee also congratulates Norma O'Leary for her Lifetime Award; and honorable mentions: Sidney Van Zandt, Joan Nichols, Amanda Fargo-Johnson, Jiff Martin, Theresa Freund, Jane Harris, Dr. Melissa Marcocci, Alicia Mozian, Alison Murdock, and Anne Nalwalk.
Hoping to see you on the trails and in the parks this summer!
Best,
Alicia
Photo courtesy of NRCS. Pictured l. to r.: State Conservationist Lisa Coverdale, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, CLCC Executive Director Amy B. Paterson, and Farm Service Agency Executive Director Bryan Hurlburt
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Our Annual Appeal Kicks off this Month!
Please renew your membership today!
The CLCC membership year runs from July 1 to June 30 and we count on your support! Your membership contribution will help give a voice to land preservation, its stewardship, and the need to secure funding for new conservation projects -- across Connecticut. As an organization that provides leadership, training and assistance to communities and land trusts throughout the state, CLCC is supported primarily by the generosity of organizations and people like you. Thank you!
DONATE ON-LINE OR DOWNLOAD A MEMBERSHIP FORM HERE.
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Register Now for CLCC August Workshops
Summer Focus Group 2014: Volunteer Recruitment
Time: 9:30am - 2:30pm
Location: CT Forest & Park Assn., 16 Meriden Rd., Rockfall, CT
Facilitator: Connie Manes, Co-Chair, CLCC Training & Education Committee
Cost: FREE for CLCC members; $25 for non-members (lunch provided)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER.
Model CE Training Series Workshop #2: Conservation Easement Amendments - Yes? No? Maybe?
Date: Friday, August 7
Time: 9:30am - 1:30pm
Location: Gunn Memorial Library, 5 Wykeham Rd., Washington, CT
Instructors: Attorneys Linda Francois, Connie Manes and Amy B. Paterson, and other members of Model CE Working Group
Cost: FREE for CLCC members; $25 for non-members (lunch provided)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER
Please visit our website for a full calendar of training & education events and contact Amy B. Paterson anytime for further information.
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NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program Pre-proposal Deadline Coming Up!
Your opportunity to think outside the box!
Do you have an idea for an interesting and exciting collaborative project? if so, then NRCS wants to hear from you!
Established in the 2014 Farm Bill, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) encourages partners to join in efforts with producers to increase the restoration and sustainable use of soil, water, wildlife and related natural resources on regional or watershed scales.
Examples of partnership projects include: strategic planning, habitat enhancement, large scale land acquisition, stewardship and management, watershed protection, urban agriculture collaboratives ... and other ideas that come from you!
Assistance Offered by CT ERT Program
With the Connecticut Environmental Review Team (ERT) making a transition to emphasizing open space, natural resource and agricultural planning reviews, CT land trusts are now eligible to make a request directly to the ERT for assistance. New services include providing state and federal grant/program information and grant assistance for open space and natural resource and technical assistance in the form of a referral service in the coordination of meetings with local, state and federal agencies. Click HERE for more information.
Curious about RCPP? Check out NRCS's FAQ page HERE.
Pre-proposals are due July 14, 2014; full proposals are due September 26, 2014.
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State News
Conservation Easement Database Project Needs Your Help
The National Conservation Easement Database (NCED) is the first national database of conservation easement information, compiling records from land trusts and public agencies throughout the US. Currently, no single, nationwide system exists for sharing and managing information about conservation easements, making it difficult to have a good understanding of our conservation footprint. This effort is particularly important in Connecticut to help DEEP in its efforts to build a comprehensive open space registry.
If you have already submitted your land trust's data, THANK YOU! If not, and you are interested in learning more about this important effort to raise the profile of what's happening on-the-ground in the name of conservation, then please contact the Trust for Public Land at [email protected]. |
Federal Policy News
Still time to sign-on to letter in support of Enhanced Conservation Easement Incentive
From Russ Shays, Land Trust Alliance --
The House Ways and Means Committee has filed its report on H.R. 2807, the Conservation Easement Incentive Act. That means they are getting ready for a vote by the full House! We need to be ready, too!
If you haven't already signed your organization on to THE LETTER by Independent Sector to the House in favor of H.R. 2807 and the other charitable tax incentives coming to a vote, please do so now. 109 land trusts (and state associations, including CLCC) have already signed on! Independent Sector will publish the letter in D.C.-based newspapers, along with a list of all signatories.
We encourage you to ask existing co-sponsors (which include all of Connecticut's representatives) to contact the Speaker's office or the Majority Leader's office to ask that this bill be brought to the House floor for a vote ASAP. House passage soon will increase the pressure on the Senate to act, and may make it possible for us to reinstate the incentive in time to affect conservation this year.
Please click HERE for further details and the latest talking points, press coverage and press templates you can use to thank your representative in the local media.
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Grant Opportunity
The CT Trust for Historic Preservation (CTHP) has grant funding to support municipal projects
CTHP has grant funding to support approximately five municipalities in their efforts to produce action plans for underutilized cultural and historical assets (i.e., buildings, historic districts, town greens and parks, etc) in their communities. Applications are due Tuesday July 15, by 4pm at the CTHP offices at 940 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Up to $50,000 will be made available to each of the municipalities based on the review of the Application and the needs of the project. For further information and submit an Application, click HERE.
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Rally 2014 - Register by July 21 and SAVE!
From the Land Trust Alliance -
Rally is the premier national land conservation conference that offers you an exclusive opportunity to meet with fellow conservationists from across the country where you'll experience three days of mind-opening learning and the sharing of successes and opportunities.
No matter what area of land conservation you are interested in, there is a seminar or workshop that can help you get the expertise you seek. And this year Rally will feature a keynote presentation by Andy Goodman -- best known for his discussions on storytelling, presenting and strategic communications. His tips will help you shape your land conservation story to be better and stronger so you can build more support.
Register early before July 21, 2014 and save $75 on the basic registration rate. For more information and to register, please click HERE. |
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