Project Plans FY09

Land Protection and Community Preservation

Project Leader: Robert Levite

Participating Extension Staff and Faculty:

• Robert Levite

Project Year: 2009

Brief Description

The extremely high population density and the dwindling natural resources of the Commonwealth demand that we look at new and better methods for developing land and growing our economy in ways that preserve the long term health and vitality of our, towns, communities and citizens.  To do this, we must design approaches and technologies that support sustainable growth.  The Land Protection and Community Preservation project encourages sustainable growth by providing the residents of the northern towns of the Quinebaug Shetucket watershed corridor with outreach, education and facilitation that will encourage capacity building and the consideration of land, water and sustainability issues in the day to day decision making processes of the towns and the region.

Activities

• Green Valley Institute workshops
• Green Valley Institute Fact Sheets
• Green Valley Institute Historic Landscape Inventory educational series,
• Green Valley Institute News Articles
• Green Valley Institute Local Facilitation
• Mass Land Trust Coalition Conference Presentation
• Mass Land Trust Coalition Legal Project
• Mass Land Trust Coalition Easement Defense Legal Library,
• Mass Land Trust Coalition Easement Defense Policy Advisories,
• Maintain website: Townboard.org

Inputs: Time and Effort

Outcomes:

This Project will document progress towards the following:

• Participants acquire the knowledge and skills to promote, implement or adopt Land Use plans and programs that accommodate development in a manner that protects ecosystems, water and other natural resources
• Participants develop the knowledge and skills to adopt land management practices that protect and enhance water, other natural resources and ecosystems
• Participants develop the knowledge and skills to promote, implement or participate in strategic land conservation programs that protect ecosystems, water and other natural resources.

This project is a part of the Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation program