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More Than 400 Acres in Northwest Connecticut Conserved as Forever Wild

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Cornwall Conservation Trust’s Forever-Wild Holdings Now Exceed 800 Acres

Cornwall and West Cornwall—Cornwall Conservation Trust, Inc. (CCT), in partnership with Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT), has added two forever-wild conservation easements to more than 400 acres in northwest Connecticut’s Litchfield County. The NEWT-held easements, one covering the Cathedral Pines Preserve, Quarry Hill, and Thurber’s Arrowhead properties (hereafter referred to as the “Cathedral Pines conservation easement”) and another on the Trinity Forest Preserve property, both in Cornwall, bring CCT’s forever-wild holdings to more than 800 acres. The easements were made possible by NEWT’s Wildlands Partnership. The Partnership is an innovative program that provides local land trusts with the financial assistance and technical resources necessary to protect more of their land as forever wild, reducing or eliminating active management and allowing natural processes, rather than human intervention, to shape the land’s future.

Image from the Cathedral Pines easement by Shelby Perry.

The conservation easements are the second and third of their kind for CCT. In 2021, CCT and NEWT collaborated to place a forever-wild conservation easement on the 375-acre Cornwall Wildlands property, also in Cornwall. After the success of that collaboration, CCT and NEWT set out to add additional forever-wild easements to CCT lands.

“CCT has appreciated its relationship with NEWT and the organization’s practical approach to ensuring that these properties remain ‘forever wild’ and a boon for both humans and wildlife,” said Bart Jones, President of CCT. “In addition, CCT’s financial ability to steward these forests has been significantly enhanced by NEWT’s Wildlands Partnership grant program.”

The Cathedral Pines conservation easement covers three CCT holdings: the preexisting Cathedral Pines Preserve and two new additions, Quarry Hill and Thurber’s Arrowhead. CCT acquired the original 42-acre Cathedral Pines Preserve, which hosts the remnants of a 150-year-old white pine and hemlock forest, from The Nature Conservancy in 2020, and expanded the property by a combined 32 acres with the Quarry Hill and Thurber’s Arrowhead additions in 2023.

Wetland on the Trinity Forest conservation easement by Shelby Perry.

The Quarry Hill and Thurber’s Arrowhead additions will boost preexisting old forest and excellent wildlife habitat on the Cathedral Pines Preserve. A series of tornadoes in 1989 leveled many of the towering pines for which the Preserve is named, but rather than “clean up” the forest after the tornado, The Nature Conservancy allowed natural, post-disturbance processes to persist. As a result, the Cathedral Pines Preserve showcases old-growth forest characteristics hard to find in the Northeast. The standing white pines measure between 120 and 140 feet tall, and the forest displays the “messiness” indicative of ecological complexity and health. This structural complexity, including standing dead trees (“snags”) and an abundance of coarse woody debris, make the Cathedral Pines conservation easement a haven for wildlife. Meanwhile, adjacent younger forests on Quarry Hill and Thurber’s Arrowhead will now have the opportunity to grow old like those on the Cathedral Pines Preserve, creating 74 contiguous acres of exemplary old forest thanks to NEWT’s forever-wild conservation easement.

The Trinity Forest conservation easement, which encompasses CCT’s Trinity Forest Preserve and Brokaw Preserve, has tremendous conservation and wildlife value. The property features abundant upland forests of hard- and softwood species like sugar maple, black cherry, and eastern hemlock; many of these forested areas exhibit mature-forest characteristics. Deep ravines and pathways to the high-elevation ridges of Housatonic State Forest offer excellent views of nearby Mohawk Mountain, the town of Sharon, and the Housatonic River. The easement also hosts substantial waterways and wetlands, including 1.6 miles of streams that eventually feed into the Housatonic River and a 10-acre beaver pond. These aquatic and wetland habitats support rare wildlife like the Northern Saw-whet Owl, a species of special concern in Connecticut that has been documented on the property. Trinity Forest’s plentiful ledges and cliffs may also provide needed habitat for the state’s nine—and imperiled—bat species.

The wider context in which the easement is located also speaks to its ecological value. The Trinity Forest conservation easement falls within the Appalachian Trail Corridor focal area and abuts Connecticut’s roughly 700-acre Housatonic State Forest to the southwest. The forever-wild easement guarantees that this unique slice of a major forest block and wildlife and aquatic corridor, used by species from bobcat to turkey to trout, stays protected in perpetuity.

The Cathedral Pines and Trinity Forest conservation easements bring NEWT’s Connecticut conservation holdings to more than 1,500 acres—the lion’s share protected through the Wildlands Partnership.

picture of a pond with a wooded background

257 Acres of Wetlands, River Frontage, and Forests Protected in a Critical Wildlife Corridor

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Star Lake, NY— Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT), a regional land trust based in Montpelier, Vermont, announced today that it has conserved 257 acres of prime wildlife habitat just north of the Adirondack Park’s Five Ponds Wilderness Area. The newly conserved Little River Wilderness Preserve in Star Lake, New York adds forever-wild acreage to the Algonquin to Adirondacks (A2A) wildlife corridor connecting Ontario’s Algonquin Park with the Adirondacks.

picture of a pond with a wooded background

“Little River’s 257 acres carry outsized ecological and conservation significance,” said Jon Leibowitz, President and CEO of Northeast Wilderness Trust. “This Preserve’s plentiful wetlands, sustained by a healthy beaver population, provide habitat for an array of plant and animal species. With its shared border with the Five Ponds Wilderness Area, Little River builds on one of the wildest regions of the Adirondack Park, which is among the most successful landscape-scale rewilding projects in modern history and an enduring inspiration for our work at Northeast Wilderness Trust.”

The Little River Wilderness Preserve is shaped by water. As suggested by its name, the property includes about half a mile of the Little River, which flows through the Preserve’s southeast corner. In this area and others are more than 70 acres of wetlands, many of which are maintained by beavers. Speckled alder, black spruce, and balsam fir abound in these waterlogged areas, while Great Blue Herons stalk prey along shores thick with species like blue flag iris and swamp candles. The Preserve’s abundant water has also helped to discourage development and extraction, leaving the wetland complexes in excellent ecological shape.

closeup of a mushroom within moss

A 1,534-foot summit at the center of the property is home to impressive upland forests, bedrock outcroppings, and a steep escarpment. From this vantage point, one can look south and see the Little River and, beyond, the Five Ponds Wilderness Area. This remote region of the Adirondack Park hosts stands of old, uncut forest, a rarity for the Northeast. With the Preserve now protected as forever wild, Little River’s upland forests, as well as the property’s lower-altitude Northern Hardwood Forest communities of sugar maple, hobblebush, red trillium, and other species, will also have the freedom to grow old.

As the climate changes, species like moose, snowshoe hare, and fisher will need to move north to access suitable habitat and adapt to ecosystem shifts associated with rising temperatures and boom-and-bust precipitation patterns. Forever-wild protection of the Little River Wilderness Preserve adds a vital piece to the A2A corridor and bolsters efforts to connect the landscapes and ecosystems of the Northeast, where only about 5% of the region is conserved as forever-wild.

“When large parcels like the Little River Wilderness Preserve are protected, it’s a win,” said Jackie Bowen, Conservation Director for the Adirondack Council, a frequent NEWT partner. “And when these parcels are connected to protected public lands, it’s a big win. Linking these landscapes means expanded corridors for wildlife movement and migration, and a boost for the ecological processes that support clean water and resilient forests in the Adirondack Park. NEWT’s purchase and management of this tract ensures the parcel and its connection are guaranteed lasting protection.”

About Northeast Wilderness Trust: Northeast Wilderness Trust conserves forever-wild landscapes for Nature and people. It accomplishes this work by acquiring and stewarding land as forever-wild, and by holding forever-wild conservation easements on properties owned by other organizations or individuals. Across New England and New York, the Wilderness Trust secures wild places where Nature can thrive, wildlife can wander, and people can find beauty and quiet. Since its founding in 2002, Northeast Wilderness Trust has protected more than 92,000 forever-wild acres. Learn more at www.newildernesstrust.org.

NEWT and Native Land Conservancy Partner to Protect Wampanoag Lands

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This story first appeared in the Cape Cod Times on November 18, 2024.

KINGSTON, MA—With a recent gift of 33 acres of land in Kingston from a regional land trust, Native Land Conservancy in Mashpee now holds almost 100 acres across seven Massachusetts towns.

Prior to this gift, the Conservancy held titles to about 65 acres in Mashpee, Yarmouthport, Easton, Barnstable, New Salem, and Aquinnah.

“This donation from Northeast Wilderness Trust serves to deepen our relationship as neighbors,” said Conservancy Founding President Ramona Peters, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. “And gives us the opportunity to care for these lands in our fullest capacity as Indigenous land protectors.”

The 322-acre Muddy Pond Wilderness Preserve, owned by Northeast Wilderness Trust, that abuts the 33 acres of land recently gifted to Native Land Conservancy.

The 33 acres joins with the Conservancy’s 32-acre Wampanoag Common Lands at Muddy Pond in Kingston and the abutting 322-acre Muddy Pond Wilderness Preserve, owned by the trust, also in Kingston.

“Working together with the Native Land Conservancy has been an enriching experience for Northeast Wilderness Trust,” said Jon Leibowitz, the trust president and CEO. “Our partnership with NLC has secured habitat and freedom for the wild creatures who call these places home.” The trust is based in Vermont.

The newly donated lands represent a portion of the Wampanoag’s ancestral homelands, according to the Conservancy. The land is also part of the rare Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens and habitat for four-legged, winged, and finned creatures including garter snakes, bats, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, and wood frogs.

What will the Conservancy do with the land?

The Conservancy plans to permanently conserve the 33 acres, according to a press release.

Alongside the donation, the trust is also conveying a forever-wild conservation easement, which is pending approval from the commonwealth. The easement would be located on the trust’s Muddy Pond Wilderness Preserve.

In reciprocation, the Conservancy will convey a forever-wild conservation easement on the lands gifted by the Trust.

A conservation easement, according to the National Conservation Easement Database, is a legal agreement between a landowner and a conservation organization or government agency that limits how a property can be developed. A conservation easement can protect the land’s conservation values, such as the quality of water or the preservation of forests and agricultural lands.

Conservancy holds land in areas across the state

Among its purchases, in 2023, the Conservancy bought the Aquinnah Shop Restaurant and surrounding land on Martha’s Vineyard for $2 million, with plans to return the land in perpetuity to the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

overview of landscape

Vast Stretch of Central Maine Wetlands and Forests Gains Forever-Wild Protections

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LAGRANGE, ME—Northeast Wilderness Trust, a regional land trust serving Maine and five other northeastern states, announced today that it has purchased and will permanently protect nearly 3,400 acres of wetlands and forests in Lagrange. The new Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve adds to nearby wildlands in the area and safeguards exemplary habitat for a variety of amphibians, mammals, birds, and more while ensuring the property continues to be a source of natural carbon storage.

“The extensive wetlands at Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve haven’t attracted a lot of human activity, making the property a great home for shy wildlife species,” said Shelby Perry, Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Wildlands Ecology Director. “However, shorelines of any sort are often under immense development pressure, and when these habitats are developed, wetland species that do poorly around human habitation, like Black Ducks and wood turtles, tend to lose out. Protecting these more remote, undeveloped wetland areas ensures that sensitive wildlife continue to have a place to themselves.”

overview of landscape

The property, crossed by four different streams that eventually feed into the Penobscot River, includes more than 2,000 acres of mostly undisturbed wetlands composed of several distinct natural communities. These are home to sphagnum moss, small cranberry, and numerous other wetland species. Several of these natural communities are peatlands—ecosystems of sedges, mosses, and shrubs—where drenched soils prevent the full decomposition of dead plant material. Peatlands are a potent natural climate solution, storing more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem, but are frequently destroyed when wetlands are drained and developed.

On certain portions of the property, wet soils and open-water areas have discouraged logging and allowed for the evolution of mature ecological characteristics, creating high-quality habitat for an abundance of species. Evidence of beaver, otter, moose, and other wildlife are present. The State of Maine has categorized swathes of the property as deer wintering habitat and others as inland waterfowl and wading bird habitat.

“Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve is a tremendous example of the multiple benefits of forever-wild places,” said Jon Leibowitz, President and CEO at Northeast Wilderness Trust. “As the Preserve’s forests and wetlands, particularly its peatlands, grow older, they will draw more and more carbon from the atmosphere. Meanwhile, myriad wildlife will continue to thrive on the property as it rewilds.”

Closeup of a birch tree

Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve is open to the public for non-motorized recreation and hunting by permission. To learn more visit: newildernesstrust.org/wilderness-conservation/hunting-and-fishing/

About Northeast Wilderness Trust

Northeast Wilderness Trust conserves forever-wild landscapes for Nature and people. It accomplishes this work by acquiring and stewarding land as forever wild, and by holding forever-wild conservation easements on properties owned by other organizations or individuals. Across New England and New York, the Wilderness Trust secures wild places where Nature can thrive, wildlife can wander, and people can find beauty and quiet. Since its founding in 2002, Northeast Wilderness Trust has protected more than 85,000 forever-wild acres. Learn more at www.newildernesstrust.org.

NEWT and Partners Convene in Boston to Make the Case for Rewilding

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“How do we create a more habitable world for our children, for our grandchildren, and for all the species with whom we share this beautiful planet” at a time of climate change and an accelerating extinction crisis? This was the central question posed by Kelsey Wirth, Founder of Mothers Out Front, at a panel and reception event convened by Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT) last month.

There is, of course, no single solution to these multidimensional challenges, but NEWT leaders and key partners shared the power and promise of forever-wild land conservation with a sold-out audience at WBUR CitySpace in Boston, Massachusetts.

NEWT President and CEO Jon Leibowitz argued that to preserve the Northeast’s natural heritage and the wellbeing of future human and nonhuman generations, we should intentionally create room for Nature to do what it did on its own for millions of years before human intervention: evolve freely, with forests growing old, fostering biodiversity, and storing massive amounts of carbon.

This may sound like a straightforward proposal, but in Leibowitz’s words, rewilding is an “incredibly underutilized” conservation tool. Though New England is more than 80-percent forested, just 3.3 percent of these forests are protected in perpetuity as wildlands, where Nature calls the shots. Increasing this number by creating more wilderness preserves means “to work with Nature, rather than against it,” Leibowitz added. Rewilding “restores ecosystems not through control or manipulation, but by trusting in Nature’s innate resilience and proven ability to find stability.”

Landscape image of Woodbury

New conservation easement helps protect 6,250 acres of ‘forever-wild’ lands

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Vermont River Conservancy took the final steps to permanently protect more than 6,000 acres owned by Northeast Wilderness Trust at the headwaters of the Lamoille and Winooski Rivers, the organization’s largest undertaking in its 30-year history.

The “forever-wild” conservation easement ensures the property’s abundant wetlands and forests will be allowed to grow old over time, improving flood resilience for adjacent communities and protecting key wildlife habitat. The project was initiated by Northeast Wilderness Trust, which acquired multiple properties to create the expansive Woodbury Mountain Wilderness Preserve and subsequently donated the conservation easement to Vermont River Conservancy. “Northeast Wilderness Trust conveys conservation easements to other land trusts to ensure permanence beyond our ownership,” said Caitlin Mather, Land Conservation Director at Northeast Wilderness Trust. “This added layer is the highest form of legal protection. We are grateful to have partnered with Vermont River Conservancy to achieve this forever-wild outcome.”

The Preserve protects the summit of Woodbury Mountain, Eagle Ledge, expansive wetlands, and 36 miles of headwater streams.

“All climate models predict central Vermont will see more drought and more floods, just as we’ve seen over the past 2 years. Protecting vibrant wetlands and allowing headwater forests to grow old is critical to rebuilding the spongy soils that store massive amounts of water – ultimately helping keep communities safer during droughts and floods,” said Erin De Vries, conservation director for Vermont River Conservancy.

Landscape photo of Woodbury

Rare Lynx Sightings Put Carnivores and Wildlands in the Spotlight

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One of North America’s most elusive predators has grabbed the Vermont spotlight this autumn. A Canada lynx was sighted in August in Rutland County and has been spotted multiple times since in its journey north. Just seven sightings of the state-endangered and nationally threatened wildcat have been confirmed in Vermont, mostly in the Northeast Kingdom, since 2016. Northern New England forms the southern periphery of the lynx’s range, most of which spreads across Canada’s boreal forest.

According to Shelby Perry, Northeast Wilderness Trust’s (NEWT) Wildlands Ecology Director, the lynx in question was probably after love and land: “Like cougars and other wide-ranging carnivores, lynx will travel long distances in search of a home range and a mate. This lynx was likely on the move in search of a female and a place to settle down.”

 

The Canada Lynx in question photographed in Vermont’s Addison County during dispersal. Courtesy of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Tree with moss at alder stream

Stewardship and Science Intersect at Alder Stream Wilderness Preserve

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Studying Tree Fecundity in the Face of Climate Change

Becky Clough, NEWT’s Northern New England Land Steward, set out for Alder Stream Wilderness Preserve in central Maine on a balmy day this past July. That afternoon she was to meet with Professor Jim Clark, the Nicholas Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science at Duke University. The Preserve is host to a research site of a global study Clark is conducting titled “Biodiversity Change: Tree Fecundity & the Next Generation of Forests.” The study seeks to document the effects of climate change on the reproductive success of different tree species, and to analyze how changes in that reproductive success shape the wider forest ecosystem.

Group of volunteers and stewards at a preserve in vermont

Church & Dwight Volunteers Lend a Hand to Northeast Wilderness Trust

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Group of volunteers and stewards at a preserve in vermont

An intrepid group of volunteers from Church & Dwight Corporation joined Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT) staff and board members in Montpelier, Vermont in September for two days of hiking and fieldwork. In recent years, Church & Dwight Philanthropic Foundation has become a valued partner to NEWT, providing generous support for the organization’s land conservation projects.

Learning to Read the Landscape

The group came to Vermont excited to see firsthand the lands that their support helps NEWT protect in perpetuity. A key goal of the trip (in addition to spotting a moose) was for the attendees to learn how to “read” the landscape at large—identifying clues about its history, ecology, and future.

On Day One the volunteers donned boots and rain jackets for an ecology-focused walk at Woodbury Mountain Wilderness Preserve led by ecologist and NEWT board member Brett Engstrom. Engstrom provided a crash course in landscape analysis which allowed them to walk in the shoes of NEWT’s ecology, land conservation, and stewardship teams. They learned to identify several tree and plant species of the Northern Hardwood Forest and to observe how the shape of the land and the movement of water determines which plants can thrive in a given area.

The peak of the day was a spot on the eastern side of the Preserve atop one of Woodbury Mountain’s scenic waterfalls. But this vista offered more than a beautiful view. From that vantage point, the volunteers watched water flow down into nearby Greenwood Lake—and were able to visualize, as Engstrom encouraged them to do, the interconnectedness of the landscape. Engstrom underscored for the group that conserving forests is a tried-and-true way to safeguard water quality downstream. In the case of Woodbury Mountain, its protected forests encompass 39 miles of the headwaters of Vermont’s Winooski and Lamoille watersheds. The Preserve thus helps ensure that the area’s aquatic resources remain healthy, all while providing home to wildlife and sequestering carbon for generations to come.

Rebecca Blank, Vice President of Church & Dwight Philanthropic Foundation, reflected on how the Foundation’s relationship with NEWT opened her and her colleagues’ eyes to the power of an ecocentric approach. “Forever-wild conservation and rewilding makes so much sense, yet this concept was new to us. As we have continued to partner with NEWT, we have learned more about the outsized impact rewilding has on climate and wildlife. And by providing opportunities for our employees to experience these protected areas in real life helps bring even more purpose to our day and keeps us growing on our sustainability journey.”

Northeast Wilderness Trust Announces New Board Members

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Northeast Wilderness Trust is pleased to announce two additions to the organization’s Board of Directors. Mark Zankel joins as of August 2024, while Aram Calhoun will officially join in October 2024.

Mark and Aram bring to the Wilderness Trust’s Board decades of experience in the interrelated worlds of ecology and climate. Both are active in their local communities in northern New England, where they champion wilderness protection, climate resilience, and engagement with the natural world.

“With their unique perspectives on community conservation, wetlands ecology, and their deep roots in New Hampshire and Maine, respectively, Mark and Aram are perfect fits for the Wilderness Trust’s Board of Directors,” said Nicie Panetta, Vice President of Advancement. “Their expertise will help inform our conservation decision-making as we work towards a healthier and wilder wilderness landscape in the Northeast. We welcome Mark to the Board this summer and look forward to doing the same for Aram when she joins in October.”

Northeast Wilderness Trust Announces Staff Updates

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Northeast Wilderness Trust is pleased to announce changes to our Land Protection, Communications, and Operations teams. While several of the following staff members are familiar faces at the Wilderness Trust, others are new to the work of the wild. This expanded capacity will allow the Wilderness Trust to accelerate its land acquisitions and wilderness storytelling in pursuit of the organization’s ambitious five-year goals.

“I am inspired every day by our staff’s expertise and professionalism. Their boundless enthusiasm for the wild and its wonders will propel us to our new strategic goal of safeguarding 160,000 forever-wild acres by 2030. That target is more than just a number; it represents a tangible increase in wild places and wildlife habitat across the region,” said Jon Leibowitz, President and CEO of the Wilderness Trust.

For more information on current staff, please visit the About page.

Bicknells Thrush

The Wild Times: June

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NEWT named “Conservationist of the Year” plus our newest land acquisition, wildlife photos from our stewards, and more June updates.

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