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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April 3
4-6pm
State of the Land Forum
US Coast Guard Academy
New London, CT
April 13
9-11am
Forest & Wildlife Mgt. Tour
Goodwin Forest
Hampton, CT
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Executive Director
Amy B. Paterson, Esq.
Steering Committee
Tim Abbott
Litchfield Hills Greenprint
Alicia Betty
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
Katchen Coley
Milddletown Conservation Commission
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
Charles Leach
Farmington Land Trust
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
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Executive Director's Message
Annual Conference is "THE BEST EVER"!
That's what we are hearing ... and we couldn't agree more! March 23rd was quite a day! CLCC's 29th annual Connecticut Land Conservation Conference drew a record setting number of participants and an unprecedented level of sponsorship support. A full re-cap of the day's events is in the works and will be posted on our Conference webpage within the next couple of weeks -- and we could use your help!
Fill out a conference evaluation on-line!
Your input on the conference is critically important to us! Much of what we did this year in planning the conference was based upon the comments that we received from you after last year's event. If you haven't already done so - or if you would like to share additional comments -- please submit your conference evaluation. Click here to fill out the evaluation on-line.
Photos needed!
If you have any photographs of the day's events that we may use for the webpage, please forward them to me at [email protected].
Conference faculty: We need your presentations and handouts!
We were honored to have 55 workshop panelists this year! Another record! Although we are still sorting individual workshop evaluations, overall our presenters received rave reviews and there have been many requests for electronic versions of workshop presentations and handouts. Conference faculty: if you haven't already done so, please forward us your workshop materials so that we may publish the same on our conference webpage.
Thank you again for coming!
The collective energy and excitement generated by all of you in attendance was simply amazing! The Connecticut land conservation community has accomplished so much and there is no better way to share valuable success stories, experiences and advice with peers than at the Annual Conference. We are grateful for your participation and support.
We look forward to your further input and participation as we plan for the rest of this year's training, education, and networking events!
Enjoy your spring and all the outdoor events that the season brings!
With warmest regards,
Amy
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CLCC Steering Committee Member David Bingham Honored
Please join us in congratulating CLCC Steering Committee member David Bingham for being honored as one of eight 2013 Salem Unsung Heroes.
David is one of the Salem Land Trust's Founders and present Vice-President.
From the Press Release: "David Bingham, a Salem native, has dedicated his life to preservation of the Town's rural character and natural resources. He has served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for over 30 years. He also served on the Plan of Conservation and Development Committee, Board of Assessment Appeals, Eight Mile River Watershed Committee and the Rivers Alliance of Connecticut. He is founder and past president of the Salem Land Trust, and working with the Nature Conservancy, preserved hundreds of acres of open space in Salem. He authored "From the Land" in Our Town Salem for over 15 years."
For a complete list and accomplishments of the nine Honorees, please click here.
All are welcome to attend the 9th Annual Salem Unsung Heroes Awards Banquet on Sunday, April 7, 1:00 pm, at the Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company Firehouse on Rt. 354. Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased from Linda Parker at (860) 859-1541 or Sue Spring, 1st Selectman's Office, Salem Town Office Building.
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Policy News
State Update
CLCC Steering Committee members and Executive Director Amy Paterson have been busy at the Capitol meeting with legislators, testifying at public hearings and otherwise providing input on many bills related to land conservation funding, policies and programs. We will continue to keep you updated with Advocacy Alerts. Your quick responses to our requests for action continue to make a difference! Thank you! To view written testimony submitted by CLCC to date, please click here.
Federal Update
From the Land Trust Alliance --
Powerful Friends Reintroduce Tax Incentive Bill
To avert the looming expiration of the enhanced conservation easement tax incentive, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has introduced the Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act (S. 526). He is joined for the first time by the Committee's ranking Republican, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Representatives Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) are eager to reintroduce similar House legislation, and are seeking original co-sponsors. Read more here.
Advocacy Day on the Hill and at Home
(and CLCC would like to help!)
At the second annual Land Trust Advocacy Day, 72 land trust executive directors and board members held an incredible 155 meetings on Capitol Hill. Representing Connecticut were Catherine Rawson, Executive Director, The Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust, and Jim Gooch, Executive Director, Connecticut Farmland Trust and CLCC Steering Committee member. You can meet with your members of Congress anytime of the year - they're back in the district almost every weekend. As the weather turns and trees blossom, invite them to visit a project and meet the constituents who benefit from your work. Read more here.
Please contact CLCC Executive Director Amy Paterson if you are interested in setting up a site visit with your state and/or federal legislators. We are interested in planning at least two such visits this year!
Spending Deal Boosts FRPP, Averts Disproportionate Cuts
Congress passed a continuing resolution late last month to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2013. While it locks in the cuts of sequestration, it will actually allow the Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program to rise to a record $190 million. Most other programs, such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund, are reduced 5% by sequestration, but avoided the disproportionate cuts some had feared. Click here to view a table of recently enacted funding levels for key conservation programs.
Dueling Budgets a Prelude to Dramatic Battles Ahead
With the ink still wet on FY 2013, the political theater of next year's budget kicked off with House and Senate passage of starkly contrasting budget resolutions. For all their differences, Budget Committee chairs Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) both relied on "closing loopholes" as part of tax reform to achieve their goals. Neither budget (nor President Obama's request, expected April 9th) is likely to become law, but they show that limiting the charitable deduction will remain on the table as Congress continues to debate the fiscal future over the next few months.
For further information on Alliance Public Policy Program please contact Russ Shay at [email protected].
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NRCS Funding Opportunities
Deadline Approaching to Apply to Protect Health and Condition of Long Island Sound
The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service sign-up period for possible funding for agricultural or forestland owners in the Long Island Sound Watershed is April 19, 2013. Funding is available through the Multi-State Long Island Sound Watershed Partnership that will help promote farm and forest health by enhancing the environmental quality of soil, water, air, plants, and animals. Eligible conservation practices will be cost-shared in accordance with the 2013 EQIP payment schedule.
Landowners may receive financial and technical assistance with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land. Incentive payments may be made to encourage a farmer to adopt certain land management practices such as nutrient management, waste utilization, integrated pest management, irrigation water management, air quality improvement, and wildlife habitat management.
There are also special provisions for beginning farmers, limited resource farmers, and historically underserved producers. In addition, farms that have prior year EQIP contracts may be eligible to apply to do additional conservation work.
Please visit the NRCS website for further information. |
Training and Education - Alliance webinars
Governance
Durable Collaborations:
Securing Financial and Human Resources for Enduring Conservation
April 10, 2013 | $55 | Register
Policy
Advocacy Day at Home:
How to Build Relationships with Public Officials in Your Community
April 9, 2013 | FREE | Register
Land Protection
Save Time: Apply for FRPP Entity Certification
Successful Strategies for Conserving Village, Suburban and Urban Landscapes
April 30, 2013 | $55 | Register
Financial Management
Restricted Gifts: Solving Accounting and Reporting Challenges
April 24, 2013 | $55 | Register
For a complete list of webinars and to register, click here.
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Upcoming Events
State of the Land: Creating an Environmentally-Sustainable Connecticut through Smart Land Use
A Forum co-hosted by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy & New London County Environmental Educators Coalition
April 3, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT
Free and open to the public
For more information contact [email protected]
Forest & Wildlife Management Tour
Sponsored by the Connecticut DEEP Division of Forestry and the Goodwin Forest Conservation Education Center
April 13, 9:00 - 11:30 am
Visit and discuss a 55-acre area where the DEEP Division of Forestry has worked in conjunction with the DEEP Wildlife Division to create valuable young-forest habitat. Topics will include:
- The harvest job, in progress, and the harvesting equipment used;
- The goals and philosophy behind the forest management decisions;
- The land-use history of the harvest area;
- The type and importance of the wildlife habitat created by the harvest.
Pre-registration is requested but not required. For more information or to register: 860-455-9534 or [email protected]
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Land Trust to Land Trust
(ED Note: If you have a question that you would like us to address to the land trust community on your behalf, or would like to share an experience or upcoming event with others working in land conservation, please contact me at [email protected])
GLT seeking examples of CE transactions spurred by revised federal tax incentives
Is your land trust working on or are you otherwise aware of any 2013 conservation easement transactions in Connecticut which are taking advantage of the federal tax laws? If so, please contact Greenwich Land Trust Executive Directive, Ginny Gwynn at [email protected] and cc CLCC Executive Director Amy Paterson at [email protected]
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Job Opportunity - CT Farmland Trust
Part-time Position
Connecticut Farmland Trust is looking for a personable and organized individual to work part-time, 10-15 hours per week. Primary responsibility will be to recruit and manage volunteers for outreach efforts at farmer's markets around the state. Other duties will include maintaining files and performing administrative tasks as required and as time permits. For more information please contact Jim Gooch at 860-247-0202, x222.
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