Our Mission / History

OUR MISSION

To protect open space and promote public appreciation of the natural environment across the region.

HISTORY

The Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy was formed in April 2023 from the merger of East Granby Land Trust, West Hartford Land Trust, and Wintonbury Land Trust (Bloomfield). With a regional approach and shared resources, we look forward to helping our communities protect the environment, preserve local farms, and connect residents with the outdoors from the ridgeline to the rivers. The traprock ridge included in our new name comes from the dominant natural feature shared by our communities, known locally as Peak Mountain, Hatchett Hill, and Talcott Mountain.

The land trust’s mission includes protecting the traprock ridge shared by the three towns and the Farmington River and Park River watersheds. The merger plan honors restrictions on how previously donated lands can be used and continues projects already underway in each town. The larger, regional organization is better positioned to conserve more properties in perpetuity for the benefit of wildlife and enjoyment of our communities.

The Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy protects 40 properties covering 637 acres, including:

• Untouched forest and wetland areas, and critical meadow habitats.
• Hiking trails and great locations to observe birds and other wildlife.
• Four active farms, including a community garden and a farm used for educational programs.

The merger was made possible by five years of financial support from the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation. Beginning in 2021, the first two years included structured meetings allowing the three land trusts to get acquainted, followed by review of all the properties, and finally development of a new corporation and bylaws for the new organization. The following three years include building and strengthening the new organization, growing and developing the board and hiring support staff.