Coordinator: Margot Burns, Lower CT River Valley Council of Governments

Contact Info: MBurns@rivercog.org

Year started: 2009

Mission Statement:
“Create a stronger connection between the local, regional conservation community, and the Regional, State, and Federal land use planning process; Further our ability to provide an educational and planning opportunity for environmental and landscape protection for members of our region’s land trusts and conservation commissions to promote landscape linkages, tool creation, data acquisition, and sharing to enable effective collaboration and cooperation, in a regional manner, towards the creation of trails and greenways, and protection of existing habitat, water quality, and scenic and cultural landscape corridors;  and Identify possible collaboration mechanisms and business structures that will not take away from an individual land trust’s unique and important relationship and place in its own community, but enable them to practice best management and business principles.  This could allow each to operate to its greatest potential concerning long term planning goals, future land acquisition, and the sustainable stewardship of their already existing protected open space. Business structures and collaboration mechanisms could include shared staff to help with record keeping, membership mailings, newsletter production, record keeping, fund raising, and grant writing as well as office space to provide a place for meetings, and where members could share computer hardware and software. ”

General Location: Lower Connecticut River Watershed and bordering towns in CT

Acreage of Area Covered by Partnership: 293,760

Acres Conserved by Partnership: approximately 10,000 by member land trusts

Number of Partners: 14 land trusts, 17 municipalities, and federal, state, and NGO’s

RCP Status: Maturing

Website: http://www.lcrclandtrustexchange.org/