More History

Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy Officially Established!

On April 10, 2023, Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy was established with plans to help our communities protect the environment, preserve local farming and connect residents with the outdoors. This completes the legal steps of a merger process set in motion when members of East Granby Land Trust, West Hartford Land Trust, and Bloomfield’s Wintonbury Land Trust voted earlier this year to combine forces.

Amanda Thompson, President of the Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy board of directors and President of the former East Granby Land Trust said, “Our land trusts served important roles preserving open space to maintain the character and quality of life residents enjoy in our communities. The formation of Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy will help the region better promote farmland, waterways, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and education for the benefit of current and future generations.”

Pooling Resources to Boost and Sustain Efforts

Victor Herson, President of the former Wintonbury Land Trust in Bloomfield and a member of the new land trust board said, “We are excited to join forces with our neighbors and strengthen efforts to conserve land and connect people with nature. Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy will provide the foundation for efficiencies and expanding resources that ensure sustainability and success in the future.”

David Sagers, Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy’s Treasurer and President of the former West Hartford Land Trust, added, “The merger is the culmination of almost two years of collaboration and planning to increase the sustainability of land acquisition and conservation in our community. This brings together a larger group of like-minded supporters to significantly increase our impact on the environment across the region.”

Forging the Partnership

Leaders from the three land trusts began exploring opportunities to work together in 2021 during workshops with the Connecticut Land Conservation Council. The Council provides training and recommends policies to ensure the long-term viability of land conservation efforts in the state.

The land trusts received a grant from The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation to study the feasibility of merging and to develop a plan. Representatives worked with Sharon Danosky, president and owner of the Danosky & Associates consulting firm, and Ed Spinella, chair of the tax-exempt organizations group at the law offices of Murtha Cullina. The Pro Bono Partnership also provided free legal services from Donna Brooks and Tyler Archer at Shipman & Goodwin and Matthew Schernecke, Zohra Sayedy, Aafke Pronk, Rob Cortinas, and Ronald Silverman at Hogan Lovells.

Aaron Lefland, Deputy Director of the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, noted, “Land trusts make a promise to conserve land in perpetuity. East Granby, West Hartford and Wintonbury Land Trusts have demonstrated their commitment to upholding that promise by coming together to form a stronger, more enduring organization.”

Bob Canace, Senior Program Officer at The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, added, “The Foundation congratulates the East Granby, West Hartford and Wintonbury Land Trusts for having the vision to map out a new future that will take advantage of each organization’s history, enthusiasm and vision to continue protecting natural areas and offering community-based programs.”

Getting Involved

Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy’s new board of directors met for the first time on April 26, 2023 in Bloomfield. Members of the merging land trusts elected directors and officers from each of the three towns, including student directors from East Granby Land Trust’s internship program.

Members and volunteers will organize new committees for Land Acquisition, Land Conservation, Education & Outreach, Fundraising & Membership, Governance, and Finance. To volunteer for a committee or make a contribution, use the forms at the bottom.

Preparing the Plan

In August 2022 the three land trust boards began formally studying the feasibility of forming a regional land trust. We confidentially shared details about one another’s property records, financials, and operations and negotiated how to structure the new organization. Highlights of the proposal included:

• A new name! The traprock ridge comprising Peak Mountain, Hatchett Hill, and Talcott Mountain is the dominant natural feature shared by our communities.
• A pledge to look for ways to conserve land across all three towns, large and small, from the ridgeline to the rivers. Also commitments to continue protecting local farms and using selected lands for education programs and public recreation trails.
• All current memberships will carry forward into the new land trust. Any specific instructions or restrictions on the use of donated lands and monies will, too.
• A new board will be elected with directors and officers from each land trust, including student directors from the internship program.
• New bylaws and an updated certificate of incorporation.

We were assisted by Sharon Danosky, president of Danosky & Associates, and Ed Spinella, chair of the tax-exempt organizations group at Murtha Cullina. The Pro Bono Partnership also provided free legal services from Donna Brooks and Tyler Archer at Shipman & Goodwin and Matthew Schernecke, Zohra Sayedy, Aafke Pronk, Rob Cortinas, and Ronald Silverman at Hogan Lovells.

Forging the Partnership

In recent years the Connecticut Land Conservation Council and Farmington River Watershed Association hosted regional summits and workshops to help conservation leaders strengthen the impact and sustainability of our work. Increasingly East Granby Land Trust, West Hartford Land Trust, and Wintonbury Land Trust leaders observed our organizations had a lot in common.

In 2021 we received a grant from The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation and enlisted the help of Danosky & Associates to explore the potential mutual benefits of forming a regional land trust. Through a series of educational, get-to-know one another, and brainstorm sessions, our leaders concluded that we:

• Share common visions and missions for land conservation that benefits our communities for generations to come;
• Have limited capacity to expand our visions and missions as far as we would like;
• Seek to reach more people, bring more people onto our trails, and educate more people about the importance of land conservation to have a greater impact in our communities; and
• Believe the best way to accomplish that could be to join forces by merging to form a regional land trust.