OUR IMPACT

We are a small nonprofit organization with big impact. Since 1989, we have . . .

 

Helped families save thousands of acres

  • We’ve helped more than 60 families conserve over 5,000 acres of their land, now and into the future.

Helped farmers stay on the land

  • We’ve helped families protect over two dozen agricultural properties, letting owners of farmland benefit from their land’s development value without having to take it out of farming.

Protected wildlife habitat

  • Forests and meadows have been kept wild for bear and deer and other creatures to roam.

  • Woods, wetlands, and mountainsides have been saved where black cohosh, showy lady’s slipper, and other rare and lovely plants grow.

Been a steward of Sheffield’s land—and helped others do the same

  • By holding conservation restrictions, we’ve helped families protect the property they love without them having to give up ownership.

  • With land we now own, we’ve been able to assure those who are no longer able to care for their land that it will be looked after.
    By monitoring protected land, we make sure its conservation value is maintained.

  • Through walks, workshops, lectures, and other public programming, we’ve shared stewardship experiences and resources with the community.

Acquired land for recreation and trails

  • Land Trust–owned properties are open to the public (and we pay property taxes on them, enrolling in the relevant Chapter 61 program just like any other landowner).

Worked to reach a new generation

  • We’ve worked with the schools and other groups to sponsor programs like visits to farms.

  • Land Trust–owned properties are used as outdoor classrooms by area students.

Helped reconnect with the Housatonic River

  • We organized the removal of tons of tires and trash from the river in the early 1990s.

  • With other groups, we’ve worked to create canoe and kayak launches and landings, and sponsored races and other family events on the river.

Worked with the Town of Sheffield and other organizations—local, state & national

  • We helped the Town obtain a state grant to fund research and writing of the Master Plan.

  • We’ve regularly partnered with other conservation groups and other Sheffield organizations to work on shared projects.