CARING FOR THE LAND

STRATEGIC STEWARDSHIP

Donating land for conservation purposes is truly one of the finest legacies a person can leave to future generations. The staff and volunteers of GLT would be delighted to talk with you about the various types of conservation land donations as well as the process of donating land or an interest in land. Below, you will find additional information regarding financial incentives and how to begin the donation process.

If you are considering donating land for conservation purposes, the first step is to contact our Executive Director, Will Kies, by phone: 203-629-2151 or by email: will@gltrust.org.

Stewardship Projects include:

Conservation Planning – Collaboration and research to identify key natural resources; account the wishes of the land donor.
Ecological Monitoring – Assess our conservation impacts by measuring species diversity, abundance, and production.
Habitat Restoration – Returning degraded or altered habitat to a healthy, functioning condition that supports priority wildlife species.

SEED TO SEED INITIATIVE

Greenwich Land Trust’s Seed-to-Seed initiative is dedicated to restoring native plants to the local landscape through plant propagation, education and outreach, and habitat restoration.

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AMERICAN CHESTNUT SANCTUARY

Greenwich Land Trust is proud to partner with the American Chestnut Foundation to establish the first American Chestnut orchard in Fairfield County at GLT’s Duck Pond Hill Preserve.

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VOLUNTEER STEWARDS

Greenwich Land Trust relies on a dedicated group of volunteer stewards to help monitor over 80 preserves and help protect the natural communities found on these valued open-space parcels. GLT maintains baseline documentation to establish the condition of the land when the easement was granted. Volunteer stewards then monitor the property at least once a year, documenting changes and identifying any issues or concerns. The Land Trust serves as a resource for landowners, inspiring them to go above and beyond in their personal stewardship of the land and to act as ambassadors for conservation.

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The journey to accreditation for Greenwich Land Trust began in 2005, when the Board of Directors voted to adopt and implement LTA Standards and Practices to manage the hundreds of acres of open space entrusted to GLT in perpetuity. Preparing for accreditation represented a multi year undertaking by GLT staff and volunteers, involving extensive review of every aspect of GLT operations – land stewardship, financial management, board leadership, and legal practices, to meet LTA standards. In addition, staff re-assessed all GLT properties and wrote 73 unique, detailed management plans for GLT fee properties and updated baseline reports for all 17 conservation easements.

In August 2012, Greenwich Land Trust was awarded national accreditation status by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission (LTAC), an independent program of the national Land Trust Alliance (LTA). The LTA has 1,700 member land trusts that span the country. As of 2016, 357 member land trusts have earned this distinction. Since the inception of the LTAC accreditation program, demand has grown dramatically among land trusts for this credential.