THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY
REGIONAL CONSERVATION
PARTNERSHIP
4/18/2014
DRAFT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Page ii
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation
Partnership
D R A F T S T R AT E G I C AC T I O N P L A N
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
1
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3
DRAFT Strategic Action Plan 2014 – 2019……………………………………………………………………………………………..
5
Goal: Strengthen Partners………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5
Objective: Increase the number of members for each partner land trust …………………………………………………….
5
Strategy: Build awareness about the role of land trusts and Conservation Commissions in preserving the community’s quality of life…
5
Strategy: Conduct a public education campaign………………………………………………………………………………………...
6
Strategy: Educate partners on how to run an effective membership program…………………………………………………………... 7
Strategy: Members use press releases and stories in local and regional media to communicate their own and collaborative efforts….
8
Page i
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective: Increase funding through grants and donations …………………………………………………………………..
9
Strategy: Obtain FCRCP grants to help pay for partners’ outreach and education activity…………………………………………….. 9
Strategy: Have FCRCP Coordinator assist partners in grant writing……………………………………………………………………..
10
Strategy: Strengthen methods for raising private capital for local land trusts…………………………………………………………... 11
..Objective: Increase staffing and training for partner land trusts ……………………………………………………………..
12
Strategy: Explore options for sharing staff between 2-3 land trusts in sub-regions…………………………………………………….
12
Objective: Increase the number of land trusts that are accredited…………………………………………………………..
Strategy: Work with the Land Trust Alliance to line up resources for partner LTs that want to prepare for accreditation………………
13
13
Objective: Empower Conservation Commissions (CCs)……………………………………………………………………….
14
Strategy: FCRCP convenes CCs to aid in their networking and in their identifying issues and opportunities for greater coordination and
collaboration………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
14
Goal: Increase the Pace and Scale of Land Protection and Connectivity……………………………………………
15
Objective: Increase numbers of landowners interested in conserving their land …………………………………………… 15
Strategy: Educate landowners in key focus areas about their conservation options……………………………………………………... 15
Strategy: Educate municipal officials about the preservation of open space…………………………………………………………… 16
Objective: Increase lands protected across municipal and state boundaries ………………………………………………..
17
Strategy: FCRCP’s sub-regional initiatives convene partners to focus on conservation across town and state lines……………………...
17
Objective: Increase protected lands adjacent to other protected lands ………………………………………………………
18
Strategy: FCRCP promotes landscape ecology, watershed conservation, and trails to land trusts and municipalities…………………...
18
Page ii
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective: Increase capital for acquisitions……………………………………………………………………………………
20
Strategy: Use Forest Legacy, local private capital campaigns, municipal bonding and foundation grants……………………………..
20
Objective: Increase number of donated lands and easements ……………………………………………………………….
21
Strategy: Create a multi-year publicity campaign for donating land and easements in and out of focus areas………………………..
21
Strategy: Funding due diligence costs and zero-cost easements………………………………………………………………………… 21
Strategy: Promote municipal adoption of natural resource protection zoning…………………………………………………………...
22
Goal: Increase the Quality of Land Stewardship………………………………………………………………………
23
Objective: More land managed so natural and cultural resources are sustained or enhanced across the region …………….
23
Strategy: FCRCP promotes forest management that sustains breeding bird populations and water/watershed planning by
highlighting and implementing watershed action plans…………………………………………………………………………………….
23
Strategy: FCRCP educates a variety of landowners about wildlife networks, plants in the region, bird populations, ground water, etc.
24
Strategy: FCRCP promotes linking and maintaining recreational trails region-wide…………………………………………………….. 25
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Page iv
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation
Partnership
D R A F T S T R AT E G I C AC T I O N P L A N
INTRODUCTION
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership (FCRCP) is a voluntary association of 28 conservation land trusts, Conservation
Commissions and other like-minded organizations in a 23-town area in southwestern CT. Since 2008, the FCRCP has provided the
opportunity to support the efficacy of its partners through collaborative sharing and learning. As the partnership grew, so did the desire
to reach beyond ideas to collective action across boundaries as an answer to regional environmental challenges. The FCRCP Strategic
Action Plan seeks to fulfill the vision of a protected, connected, and restored regional landscape by working together rather than in
isolation.
By virtue of Fairfield County’s geographical setting, our partnership serves as a pioneer in large landscape conservation in urban and
suburban landscapes. Large landscape conservation and stewardship provide key benefits to society beyond conventional projects
completed one property at a time and without regional outcomes in mind. These values include clean and ample water supplies, healthy
fish and wildlife populations, flood and erosion control, storm protection, recreation and tourism, quality of life and employment.
The FCRCP advances more coordinated land protection and stewardship activities in Fairfield County as part of a new movement of 40
Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCPs) in New England that are also focused on increasing the pace of land protection in part by
providing more opportunities for landowners to conserve and steward their lands. Many of these partnerships are focused, like us, on
Page 1
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
advancing conservation so that, by 2060, 70 percent of New England will be permanently protected from development, thus achieving
the Wildlands and Woodlands Vision-- calls to action in 2005and 2010 that led to the formation of the FCRCP and many other RCPs
throughout New England.
As members of the FCRCP, we learn about new conservation practices, we identify strategically important areas to protect from
development, we help landowners learn about the value of their land, and we build our capacities to do more. This collaborative team
spirit is perhaps most apparent among the FCRCP Steering Committee, who served as a catalyst for the FCRCP Strategic Action Plan, and
who will be instrumental in guiding its implementation.
Steering Committee, Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Richard Chiaramonte
Stamford Land Conservation Trust
Robert Eckenrode
Newtown Forest Association
David Havens
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Bill Kraekel
Aspetuck Land Trust
Bill Labich
Highstead, FCRCP Co-Coordinator
Mary Ellen Lemay
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Donna Merrill
Wilton Conservation Commission and Wilton Land Conservation Trust, FCRCP Co-Coordinator
John O’Neil
The Bethel Land Trust
Ben Oko
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
*For a full list of the FCRCP Partners, go to the back cover or to our website (www.fcrcp.net).
Page 2
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation
Partnership
D R A F T S T R AT E G I C AC T I O N P L A N
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
(FCRCP) became aware of the need for a deeper set of
conversations among members (and for a plan!). Specifically, we
needed to answer the following questions:
Our Vision: A protected, connected, and restored regional
landscape of woodlands, wildlands, farmlands, and wetlands across
and beyond Fairfield County that support thriving communities who
celebrate the land and what they have created together.

What actions did we wish to take in partnership?
The Mission: Be the adaptive and effective network where

Which of these are most important?

Which may require funding and/or assistance to be
successful?
people representing organizations, businesses and government
agencies collaborate to protect, connect and restore the natural
landscape of the greater Fairfield County region.
Beginning in March 2013, our nine-member Steering Committee
embarked on a journey to answer these important questions.
Monthly Steering Committee meetings, two full Partnership meetings
and on-line surveys captured the concerns, ideas, and priorities of
members from over 20 organizations and agencies.
Completed in June 2014, our Strategic Action Plan has three goals,
21 strategies and 53 actions to pursue over the next five years.
This, in turn, led to our new Vision and Mission Statement.
We collaborate to:

Protect more land from development for people,
plants and animals.

Connect wooded and open lands, wetlands, and
watersheds to produce more value than the sum of
the parts, including longer trails, bigger habitats,
cleaner water, and fewer storm impacts.
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership

Restore to bring open, undeveloped land back to a
state of health in order to enhance its value to
people, plants, and animals.
The Strategic Action Plan is intended to be a dynamic plan,
revisited periodically, with information added as it is discussed and
agreed to.
The Steering Committee may pursue projects warranting early
action in order to help partners’ efforts on other strategies, e.g.,
developing a county-wide strategic conservation map to guide
cross-border landowner education and other investments.
To jumpstart our efforts in advancing our vision, we have chosen the
top one third most widely supported strategies to focus our
energies:
Strengthen Partners

Page 4
Build awareness about the role of land trusts and
Conservation Commissions in preserving the
community’s quality of life.

Strengthen methods for raising private capital for
local land trusts.

Convene Conservation Commissions to aid in their
networking and their identifying of issues and
opportunities for greater coordination and
collaboration.
Increase the Pace and Scale of Land Protection and
Connectivity

Educate municipal officials about the preservation
of open space.

Advance sub-regional initiatives to convene
partners to focus on conservation across town and
state lines.

Promote landscape ecology, watershed
conservation, and trails to land trusts and
municipalities.
Increase the Quality of Land Stewardship

Promote forest management that sustains breeding
bird populations and water/watershed planning in
part by highlighting and implementing watershed
action plans.

Educate a variety of landowners about wildlife
networks, plants in the region, bird populations,
ground water, etc.
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
DRAFT Strategic Action Plan 2014 - 2019
Goal A. Strengthen Partners (Land Trusts (LTs) & Conservation Commissions (CCs))
Objective:
A1. Increase the number of members for each partner land trust.
Strategy: A1-1. Build awareness about role of land trusts and Conservation Commissions in preserving a
community’s quality of life.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Stamford Land Conservation Trust,
Newtown Forest Association,
Highstead
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Aspetuck Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Greenwich Land Trust
Wilton Conservation Commission
Redding Land Trust
2014-2017
Yale Student
Interns in first half
of 2014;
1. Train FCRCP members in how to engage
landowners in woods forums, conduct
focused outreach to landowners and to
inform them about the land trusts and
Conservation Commissions in their area
(what they do, and what they (landowners)
can do to conserve or steward their land).











Potential Summer
Intern;
H2HCI USFS
funding would
support this
initiative.
Page 5
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: A1-2. Conduct a public education campaign
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Supply 'copy' so groups can produce a
document to increase their own visibility
(form a working group, or do it as a
collective)




Newtown Forest Association
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Highstead
Greenwich Land Trust
2. Develop a brochure for use as an outreach
document.


Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc
3. Build a ‘Like your local LT’ Facebook page.


Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
4. Organize a regional communications
working group to facilitate an outreach
campaign (incl. researching media and key
messages that could be adapted for each
organization).
5. Develop messages/activities to attract kids
(and parents) and participate in community
events (Scouting and schools)


Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.





Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Conservation Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Greenwich Land Trust
Page 6
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: A1-3. Educate partners on how to run an effective membership program.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Train FCRCP members in creating
successful membership programs





New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.
Highstead
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
2. Develop communications to attract younger
members busy with families/professions and
different interests.




Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Greenwich Land Trust
3. Poll interested younger members on what
topics are of interest.


Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
4. Figure out how to create an 'aura' around
land trusts.
5. Conduct peer-to-peer (land trusts)
educational opportunities in this area

Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.



Highstead
Aspetuck Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Page 7
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: A1-4. Members use press releases and stories in local and regional media to communicate their own and
collaborative efforts.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Do an online blog on "Good Morning (town)"
websites that includes drawing the public to
land trust websites.



Wilton Conservation Commission
Newtown Forest Association
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
2. Reach out to other organizations (e.g.
wildlife orphanage of Fairfield County, New
Pond Farm, CT Audubon, Chambers of
Commerce, local libraries, nonenvironmental groups, etc.)



Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Highstead
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Page 8
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective:
A2. Increase funding through grants and donations.
Strategy: A2-1. Obtain FCRCP grants to help pay for partners’ outreach and education activity.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. FCRCP members apply together for funding
from federal and private sources.






Highstead
Aspetuck Land Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Bethel Land Trust
2. Have a working group research and compile
information on relevant grants.





Bethel Land Trust
Highstead
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Greenwich Land Trust
2014 -
USFS Redesign
Grant
Page 9
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: A2-2. Have FCRCP Coordinator assist partners in grant writing.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Develop a process to initiate grant proposals
(e.g. to implement specific actions in this
plan or others). This could include: 1) Land
Trust (LT) or Conservation Commission
(CC) has a project; 2) Finds a relevant grant
with FCRCP help; 3) Writes a brief proposal
to FCRCP that is voted on by whole group or
by Steering Committee; 4) LT or CC gets
FCRCP assistance.
Page 10






Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Stamford Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Highstead
Land Trust of Danbury
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: A2-3. Strengthen methods for raising private capital for local land trusts.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Work to get corporations to the table.

Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
2.
Develop a short PowerPoint presentation to
potential donors that quickly grabs their
attention




Bethel Land Trust
New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.,
Highstead
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
3. Examine grant opportunities for open space
parcels







Highstead
Land Trust of Danbury
Aspetuck Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Greenwich Land Trust
Redding Land Trust
Page 11
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective:
A3. Increase staffing and training for partner land trusts.
Strategy: A3-1. Explore options for sharing staff between 2-3 land trusts in sub-regions.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Understand the Northern Fairfield County
Coalition's "circuit rider" program and how it
might be applied to benefit member land
trusts in other parts of the region.





Land Conservancy of Ridgefield, Inc.,
Stamford Land Conservation Trust
Highstead
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Greenwich Land Trust
2. Share Dave Haven's Norwalk River
Watershed Association model which entails
groups' volunteers and staff collaborating on
stewardship projects.





Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Bethel Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Page 12
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective:
A4. Increase number of land trusts that are accredited.
Strategy: A4- 1. Work with the Land Trust Alliance to line up resources for partner LTs that want to prepare for
accreditation.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Acquire funding to assist FCRCP member
Land Trusts in their efforts to become
accredited
Objective:


Land Conservancy of Ridgefield, Inc.,
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
A5. Empower Conservation Commissions (CCs)
Page 13
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: A5-1. FCRCP Convenes CCs to aid in their networking and in their identifying issues and opportunities for
greater coordination and collaboration.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Convene Conservation Commissions (CCs)
as their own group (to aid in their networking
and in identifying issues and opportunities
for coordination and collaboration).







Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.,
Wilton Conservation Commission
Newtown Forest Association
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Highstead
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Redding Land Trust
2. Bring in trainer(s) to educate CC members
so they better understand their legal
mandates as a commission.
3. Teach CCs on holding public education
sessions to aid in getting science to the
"person on the street."
4. Obtain guidance to aid CCs in writing Low
Impact Development regulations for
consideration by town Planning and Zoning
commissions and writing and advising on
conservation items for town Plans of
Conservation and Development.
5. Aid in inventorying natural resources.

Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.


Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.




Wilton Conservation Commission
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy




Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
CT DEEP Division of Forestry
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Goal B. Increase Pace and Scale of Land Protection and Connectivity
Page 14
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective:
B1. Increase numbers of landowners interested in conserving their land.
Strategy: B1-1 Educate landowners in key focus areas about their conservation options.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Develop a strategic regional conservation
map with focus areas for all of Fairfield
County (like we already have for the 10-town
northern FCRCP sub-region).









Highstead
Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Land Trust of Danbury
Aspetuck Land Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Greenwich Land Trust
Audubon CT
Redding Land Trust
2. Combine with other landowner outreach
efforts (e.g. use of Yale's and the US Forest
Service's "Tools for Engaging Landowners
Effectively") to zero in on those that already
have an interest and help them conserve
their land.





Highstead
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Audubon CT
Redding Land Trust
3. Develop additional landowner databases for
the focus areas of member groups


Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Highstead
Strategy: B1-2. Educate municipal officials about the preservation of open space.
Page 15
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Attend Land Use Leadership Alliance
(LULA) training sessions and the LTA Rally
in Providence in 2014.




Bethel Land Trust
Highstead
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
2.





Stamford Land Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Audubon CT









Trust for Public Land
New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Bethel Land Trust
Highstead
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Audubon CT
Bring in corporate partners to help speak to
the economic benefits of open space.
3. Reach out to municipal boards and
commissions to inform them about the
benefits of conservation.
Objective:
B2. Increase lands protected across municipal and state boundaries.
Strategy: B2-1. FCRCP’s sub-regional initiatives convene partners to focus on conservation across town and state lines.
Page 16
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. Present conservation focus areas to local P&Z
organizations, educating them on connectivity,
negative impacts of sprawl, etc.




Land Trust of Danbury
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Wilton Conservation Commission
2.










Trust for Public Land
Stamford Land Conservation Trust
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Highstead
Newtown Forest Association
Land Trust of Danbury
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Greenwich Land Trust
Wilton Conservation Commission
3. Draw in groups from surrounding regions:
Litchfield Hills, Westchester County and others
so that we are not working in a box.



Highstead
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
4. Poll/Survey public support for land conservation



Trust for Public Land
Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Make science and economic research more
accessible to towns and the public by working
with outreach efforts and creating a simple
science language protocol.
Objective:
B3. Increase protected lands adjacent to other protected lands.
Page 17
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Strategy: B3-1. FCRCP promotes landscape ecology, watershed conservation, and trails to land trusts and
municipalities.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
1. FCRCP partners get people out on the land
(e.g. walking) to inform them of the
connections between open space and clean
water






Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Greenwich Land Trust
Audubon CT
Wilton Conservation Commission
2. Train volunteers (youth too) in "keeping
track" wildlife tracking program, especially
with residents living in conservation focus
areas





Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Highstead
Bethel Land Trust,
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Norwalk River Watershed Association
3. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation like
"Changing nature of CT" (FCRCP members
agree on setting one clear message) on
landscape ecology and watershed
conservation tailored to our region.








Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Aspetuck Land Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Page 18
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
Resources
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
Resources Available
or Needed
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
4. FCRCP members develop educational
products on rain gardens and low impact
development to be used region-wide.




Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
5. Develop a clear message and presentation
on topics of interest like "why should you
consider donating your land to the land trust
or town." Use model for all of Fairfield
County







Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Aspetuck Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Greenwich Land Trust
Redding Land Trust
Objective:
B4. Increase capital for acquisitions.
Strategy: B4-1. Use Forest Legacy, local private capital campaigns, municipal bonding and foundation grants
Page 19
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. Produce a series of trainings on
conservation finance for member groups.






Trust for Public Land
New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.
Highstead
Aspetuck Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Greenwich Land Trust
2. Participate with the CT Land Conservation
Council in lobbying at the statehouse to
ensure continued funding for open space.



Trust for Public Land
Highstead
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Objective:
Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
B5. Increase number of donated lands and easements.
Strategy: B5-1. Create a multi-year publicity campaign for donating land and easements in and out of focus areas
Page 20
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. Use woods forums and peer-to-peer
landowner activities to identify clusters of
landowners most interested in donating land
or easements in each conservation focus
area.








Stamford Land Conservation Trust
Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Highstead
Redding Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Greenwich Land Trust
Redding Land Trust
2014 -
Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
Yale Interns in 2014
Strategy: B5-2. Funding due diligence costs and zero-cost easements
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. Raise private and public funds to pay due
diligence costs associated with one or more
conservation projects that involve donated
lands or interests within a focus area.




Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
Bethel Land Trust
Highstead
Land Trust of Danbury
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Strategy: B5-3. Promote municipal adoption of natural resource protection zoning.
Page 21
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. Organize an educational program for
FCRCP members on innovative approaches
to zoning and subdivision regulations that
conserve open space while providing for
development with high amenity values.





Highstead
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Wilton Conservation Commission
Redding Land Trust
2. Get involved in bringing about a regional
approach to local open space planning in
municipal Plans of Conservation and
Development (POCDs)






Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Highstead
Bethel Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Wilton Conservation Commission
Goal C. Increased Quality of Land Stewardship
Page 22
Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Objective:
C1. More land managed so natural and cultural resources are sustained or enhanced across the region
Strategy: C1-1. FCRCP promotes forest management that sustains breeding bird populations and water/watershed
planning in part by highlighting and implementing watershed action plans.
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. Incorporate recommendations from
watershed action plans in FCRCP action
steps (communicating with Aquarion, TNC,
Norwalk River Watershed Association, etc.).










Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
Newtown Forest Association
Stamford Land Conservation Trust
Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Aspetuck Land Trust
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Wilton Conservation Commission
Strategy: C1-2. FCRCP educates a range of landowners about wildlife networks, plants in the region, bird
populations, ground water, etc.
Page 23
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. FCRCP partners work with existing
wildlife/bird conservation programs (Yale,
CT DEEP, Audubon).












Newtown Forest Association
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
The Bethel Land Trust
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Trumbull Conservation Commission
CT DEEP Division of Forestry
Greenwich Land Trust
Audubon CT
Redding Land Trust
2. Write or promote articles in local papers
about land management/maintenance.







Newtown Forest Association
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Greenwich Land Trust
3. Blog on these topics in "Good
Morning______" online news.



Norwalk River Watershed Association
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Stamford Land Conservation Trust
Strategy: C1-3. FCRCP promotes linking and maintaining recreational trails region-wide.
Page 24
Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Action
Responsibilities
Timeline
What Will Be Done?
Organization to Be Involved
By When?
(Year)
1. Organize an event focusing on Fairfield
County Trails that would include various
activities such as...a) Norwalk River
Watershed Association's bi-annual bird
count with Audubon; b) Hike, bicycle, and
kayak in ways that connect the trails across
the county; c) Link land trust land through a
hike; d) Trails that explore animal paths, etc.










Resources
Resources Available
or Needed
Newtown Forest Association
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
The Bethel Land Trust
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.
Aspetuck Land Trust
Highstead
Wilton Conservation Commission
Redding Land Trust
Page 25
FCRCP Member Organizations
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership
Aspetuck Land Trust
Audubon CT
Brookfield Conservation Commission
Brookfield Open Space Legacy, Inc.
Darien Land Trust
Greenwich Land Trust
Highstead
Housatonic Valley Association
Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials
Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
New Canaan Land Conservation Trust, Inc.
Newtown Forest Association
Norwalk Land Trust
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Redding Conservation Commission
Redding Land Trust
Ridgefield Conservation Commission
Shelton Conservation Commission
Shelton Land Conservation Trust
Stamford Land Conservation Trust
The Bethel Land Trust
The Land Trust of Danbury
The Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy – CT Chapter
Trumbull Conservation Commission
Trust for Public Land
Wilton Conservation Commission
Wilton Land Conservation Trust
Page 1
The Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership