|
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.
|
|
April 23
CT Land Conservation Day
Legislative Office Buiding
Hartford, CT
9:30am - 3:00pm
To sign-up to showcase your conservation project contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]
|
Executive Director
Amy B. Paterson, Esq.
Steering Committee
Tim Abbott
Litchfield Hills Greenprint
Alicia Sullivan
Trust for Public Land
David Bingham
Salem Land Trust
Hunter Brawley
Brawley Consulting Group
Sandy Breslin
Audubon Connecticut
Margot Burns
Lower CT River Council of Governments
Kevin Case
Land Trust Alliance
Stephanie Clark
Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Jim Gooch
Connecticut Farmland Trust
Ginny Gwynn
Greenwich Land 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
Tom ODell
CT Association of Conservation & Inland Wetland Commissions
David Sutherland
The Nature Conservancy
Humphrey Tyler
Lyme Land Conservation Trust
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Director's Message
2014 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference a huge success!
 | |
2014 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference
Plenary Session
A View from the Podium
Photo Credit: DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee via Twitter
|
Dear Friends -
This year's Conference was a record breaker in every respect, with close to 380 attendees, an unprecedented level of sponsorship support and over 60 faculty and other presenters, including national and state experts, federal and state government officials, and your peers who volunteered their time and expertise to make our 30th annual conference extraordinary. Special thanks to our Plenary Session speakers U.S.Senator Richard Blumenthal, CT Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky, CT DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee, and Land Trust Alliance National Services Director Erin Heskett.
Connecticut's conservation community is bigger and stronger than ever and this Conference was a great place to feel that collective energy. Thanks so much for being a part of it all.
Next up, April 23, 2014:
Connecticut Land Conservation Day
-- an Earth Day celebration for the state's land conservation community at the Legislative Office Building hosted by CLCC and the Trust for Public Land (read on for further details). See you then! With warmest regards,
Amy
|
|
Connecticut Land Conservation Day - April 23
Celebrating YOUR Land Conservation Accomplishments
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
9:30am - 3:00pm
Legislative Office Building (LOB)
300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
Hosted by CLCC and the Trust for Public Land
You work year round to conserve and care for the land that makes your communities so special! What better time to celebrate your success stories than the week of Earth Day?
We hope you are able to join us on April 23 to showcase your conservation projects, thank legislators for their support of open space funding, and to discuss the important work underway to protect Connecticut's forests, watersheds, outdoor recreational areas, working lands and other invaluable open spaces.
The day's events include a welcome breakfast and meet and greet, a display of land trust and municipal conservation projects in the LOB concourse, and meetings with lawmakers from your district.
DISPLAY SPACE IS LIMITED! To reserve your spot on the LOB concourse and for more information on how to participate in this exciting opportunity to recognize YOUR achievements in land conservation, please contact CLCC Executive Director Amy B. Paterson at [email protected] or (860) 685-0785 or CLCC Steering Committee Vice-Chair and TPL State Director Alicia Sullivan at [email protected] or (203) 777-7367.
Congratulations and see you on April 23!
|
State Policy News
CLCC Executive Director Amy B. Paterson and members of the CLCC Policy & Advocacy Committee have been hard at work at the Capitol, testifying and otherwise providing input on a number of bills that impact land conservation including the following:
- SB70 -- State Lands Protection
- HB5370 -- Funding for State Parks
- HB5419 -- Preservation of Savin Farm in Lebanon
- HB5550 -- Annual Land Conveyance Bill
- SB405 -- Limitation on Public Hearings for Subdivisions
All of these bills have moved out of their committees of origin, some with substitute language, and will be voted on in the coming weeks. You can view CLCC's testimony on these and other bills on our website. Stay tuned for updates. Any questions? Please contact CLCC Executive Director Amy B. Paterson at [email protected].
|
|
Federal Policy News
From the Land Trust Alliance --
The budget released earlier this month by President Obama unveils many of his conservation priorities for FY2015. He proposes to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund through a combination of mandatory and discretionary sources. Other conservation programs such as Forest Legacy and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act are funded at levels similar to FY 2014. The budget also proposes to make permanent the deduction for the donation of conservation easements. For a specific breakdown of funding for these programs and Section 6 grants, please click here.
Note: CLCC Executive Director Amy B. Paterson is traveling to Washington DC next week to participate in the 3rd Annual Land Trust Alliance Land Trust Advocacy Day and will emphasize to members of our Congressional Delegation the importance of these programs for conservation work in Connecticut.
|
|
News from NRCS
Easement Programs and Award Opportunity
NRCS Holds Special Meetings for Coastal Town Officials Regarding Floodplain Easements for Victims of Hurricane Sandy
Following Super Storm Sandy in late 2012, the Federal Government -- through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in the affected states -- made available $125 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program Floodplain Easement (EWP-FPE) Initiative.
In Connecticut, NRCS held a sign-up period for landowners in the designated coastal areas; they were able to apply for floodplain easements to be purchased on the affected land in order to restore it to its natural condition. Accepted landowners will receive 100% of the easement value for their property. This initiative not only helps landowners who were victims of this storm, but may also prevent against future damage from other storms.
With more than $100 million in funding still available, NRCS recently announced a 2nd sign-up period for the EWP-FPE Initiative. All affected states are once again accepting applications. (Landowners must apply through their town.) The application period closes April 18, 2014.
There is one informational session still available for coastal town officials on Thursday, March 27, Westport Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Ave., Westport, CT 06880, 10am-12pm.
NRCS Accepting Applications for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)* -- Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) Portion (formerly Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program [FRPP])
The ACEP provides financial and technical assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands and their related benefits. NRCS provides financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasing ALE that protect the agricultural use and conservation values of eligible land. Eligible entities include state and local government entities, non-governmental organizations and federally recognized Tribes. Application deadline for this batching period is 4:30pm, Friday, June 6, 2014. Click here to learn more about the ACEP Program in Connecticut or contact Joyce Purcell, Assistant State Conservationist - Programs at (860) 871-4028.
*Under the provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill, the Wetlands Reserve Program, Grasslands Reserve Program, and FRPP were consolidated into the ACEP.
Conservation Partners Announce Women Inspiring Conservation in Connecticut Award
Connecticut's leadership of the USDA-NRCS, USDA-Farm Service Agency and Connecticut Association of Conservation Districts would like to invite the public to submit nominations for the 2014 Women Inspiring Conservation in Connecticut Award. This award honors women who have demonstrated a strong commitment to natural resources conservation with the agricultural and natural resources community through accomplishments that are innovative, of significant impact, and/or meet a critical need for our state.
Submission deadline is Monday, March 31. For further information, including link to nomination guidelines, please click here or contact Petra Volinski, NRCS Soil Conservationist/Federal Women's Program Manager at [email protected]
|
|
Tax Credit Program for Businesses
Possible Partnership Opportunity for Funding Open Space Acquisitions
From Francis R. Pickering, Deputy Director, Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency, (860) 589-7820 x200
The 2014 round of the Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credit Program is open. The program gives tax credits to businesses that donate cash to certain purposes, including for open space. The credits are 60% of the value of the donation. To participate in the program, you must complete and submit a proposal form to your municipality for approval. Some municipalities set early deadlines, so you should submit the form as soon as possible. Businesses wishing to donate will have to submit a separate form. Information on the program and the required forms may be found here.
|
|
State Land Trust News
Colchester Land Trust Art & Wine Auction Worth A Look!
The Colchester Land Trust's 7th Annual Fine Art of Living and Wine Auction goes live online April 1, and will be available for online bidding until April 30 at 8pm. The opening reception at the Cragin Memorial Library in Colchester will be on Monday, April 7, from 5:30 - 7:30pm. There will be live music by Gail Wade, hors d'oeuvres and light refreshments available while you have the opportunity to see much of the artwork, which will remain on display at the library for the entire month. There are well over 200 items in the auction this year. For more information or to bid on items online throughout April visit the Colchester Land Trust website. |
Conservation Job Opportunity
Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Loan Officer Trainee
FSA Connecticut Executive Director Bryan Hurlburt has announced an opening for a new Farm Loan Officer Trainee Position. This position is a great entry to the FSA Farm Loan Program, guiding the candidate through the training program into becoming a full Farm Loan Officer. The training will be based out of the FSA Norwich office and the permanent position will be based in the Windsor office. A good candidate could be a recent college grad interested in agriculture or a person with a good financial background. The training is very comprehensive, so a candidate does not need an in depth finance background; they do need to have a desire to help find creative solutions to finance farm operations. The details of the position may be viewed here.
|
|
Thank you!
We count on your support!
Click here to contribute!
|
|
|
