Dedicated to protecting the land essential to Sheffield’s natural, scenic, agricultural and rural character
The Sheffield Land Trust
Since 1989 over 5,000 acres protected, including 18 farms
P.O. Box 940, 75 Main St., Sheffield, MA 01257-0940
413 229-0234; shefland@bcn.net

Mission

The Sheffield Land Trust is dedicated to protecting the land essential to Sheffield's natural, scenic, agricultural and rural character through a program of stewardship and by working with landowners, farmers and other partners.

Core Values

  • Sheffield Land Trust seeks to insure a future of clean air and water, a viable farm community and locally grown food, wildlife and plant diversity, and the opportunity for future generations to live in harmony with the land.
  • Sheffield Land Trust is a non-partisan and inclusive organization that maintains effective partnerships and encourages participation by volunteers.
  • Sheffield Land Trust works in cooperation with landowners to provide technical and financial assistance for land conservation and to explore all land protection options.
  • Sheffield Land Trust is committed to being financially responsible and establishes a minimum endowment for each protected property.
  • Sheffield Land Trust promotes the responsible stewardship of all lands in Sheffield through education and community outreach.
  • Properties owned by Sheffield Land Trust remain on the tax rolls.
  • Sheffield Land Trust supports smart growth in Sheffield where conservation, economic development and housing maintain and enhance the rural character and vitality of the community.

Rob's Landing protected 1994

Sheffield Land Trust Is:

Local: Everything we do supports Sheffield's vitality, economic as well as ecological, its quality of life and its rural beauty.

Voluntary: The Board of Directors and our many volunteers are all local residents who contribute their time and skills to manage the land trust and carry out our many activities, supplemented by our part-time staff.

Diversified: We work with families to save their farms and orchards, with neighborhood groups to protect mountain ridges and other open spaces and with individual landowners on conservation easements.

Smart: We collaborate with other local, state and national conservation organizations to broaden our impact, make your dollars go further and achieve mutual goals.

Committed: We seek to insure a future of clean air and water, a viable farm community and locally grown food, wildlife and plant diversity, and for future generations to live in harmony with the land.

Effective: We have conserved over 5,000 acres working in cooperation with over 50 property owners as well as government and private conservation organizations.