After three years of work removing Japanese knotweed beside the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, the Canton Land Conservation Trust (CLCT) and a team of local volunteers partnered to reduce the tenacious invasive enough to establish the Collinsville Pollen Trail. The first of many pollinator pathway gardens in Canton, the newly planted native trees, shrubs and flowers will provide food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other native pollinators. Overseen by CLCT Director and Advanced Master Gardener Karen Berger, dozens of neighborhood volunteers, CLCT members—with assistance from the UConn Extension Master Gardener program, Scouts, Eversource, Cherry Brook Garden Club and others—devoted 700+ hours to this community project...

"The Land Trust is most grateful to these property owners who decided to donate their parcels together so that when assembled they would become a unique preserved landscape feature within the golf course for Bloomfield residents to enjoy forever." Thanks to the generosity of local landowners who love their land and community, the Wintonbury Land Trust has completed the Beacon Hill Preserve. The 14.4 acres of hardwood uplands offers spectacular views of a local reservoir to the east and Penwood State Park on Metacomet Ridge to the west. The acquisition process for the Preserve began over eight years ago, involving multiple landowners and other private and public stakeholders...

On January 6, The Nature Conservancy of Connecticut transferred ownership of the 300+ acre Iron Mountain Preserve to the Kent Land Trust (KLT). A popular destination for hikers, Iron Mountain Preserve forms a core part of Kent's Geer Mountain Panorama, one of 23 Town Character Areas noted in Kent's Plan of Conservation and Development. Part of an 890-acre core forest block interlaced with several stream courses, the Preserve is home to bobcat, bear, coyotes, deer, owls, and many other native species. Working in partnership on the project, KLT plans to grant a conservation easement to the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy, adding a permanent layer of protection to this exceptional natural area...

"As supporters of the Litchfield Land Trust, we invest our time, energy, and resources in preserving something that will outlast us. Thereby leaving the indelible impression on the heart of our treasured land, our beautiful community, and the natural world." Litchfield Land Trust recently released a video celebrating their supporters, volunteers and the land trust's 50 years of service. The video showcases the tireless efforts of volunteers and board members, shows off beautiful scenic vistas of their preserves, gives an overview of their 40 community garden plots, and shows people of all ages enjoying their preserves...

For the land and water they protect. For the wildlife that call their preserves home. For the people they bring together and the partnerships they forge. For the volunteers and community members who care.

#LoveYourCTLandTrust—what's not to love?