How We Protect the Land

Partnering with landowners to conserve their properties

Paramount to our conservation efforts are generous donors who are interested in protecting land forever. This includes landowners who have donated or sold conservation easements and/or land to the Salisbury Association, as well as individuals who have donated funds to help us with purchases of land to be conserved.

Monitoring all conserved properties

We are stewards of Salisbury Association’s conserved land, whether through conservation easements on privately-held parcels or preserves owned directly by the Association. Land Trust members and volunteers are trained so they can monitor each property annually to assess its condition and ensure there are no encroachments or easement violations.

Managing Salisbury Association owned preserves

For each property we own, we create a management plan to enhance its conservation aspects. Frequently we improve and/or protect critical habitats that provide food and shelter for wildlife and help with erosion control. Invasive plant species are removed and replaced with native plants. On land suitable for light recreational use, we make and maintain trails. Management and stewardship of conserved properties is a labor-intensive effort, and we have a dedicated group of volunteers.

Collaborating with other conservation and governmental groups to create green corridors that extend beyond Salisbury’s borders

The Housatonic Valley Association’s Litchfield Hills Greenprint promotes the vision of “Follow the Forest” as the Appalachian Mountains work their way along the eastern seaboard to Canada. The Berkshire-Taconic Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) involves Land Trusts along the Taconic Plateau in northwest CT, eastern NY, western MA, and western VT. We are in the process of joining a third RCP, the Hudson to Housatonic RCP, which focuses on eastern NY and Fairfield County.

Together, the three Regional Conservation Partnerships are called the Highlands to Lowlands RCP and are working to protect the highlands and nearby lowlands in our RCP’s focus areas.

Housatonic Valley Association
Berkshire-Taconic RCP
Hudson to Housatonic RCP
Highlands to Lowlands RCP