FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Susan Pearson and Hank Prussing

(860) 653-0368 | pearpruss@sbcglobal.net

Twenty-Two Acres Preserved

 

EAST HARTLAND, CT -- President Sue Murray of the Hartland Land Trust announces the group’s first acquisition, a 22-acre parcel of land on Mill Street in West Hartland, given by the Bassett-Kell family with the support of a grant from the Farmington River Coordinating Committee.  Says Fred Jones of the Land Trust, “The parcel contains forest lands and wetlands with brooks that ultimately feed the upper Farmington River.  It is a pristine habitat and a sanctuary area for a variety of wildlife.”

The Hartland Land Trust, one of 137 Land Trusts in Connecticut, was formed just five years ago by a group of citizens charged with protecting land for its natural, recreational, scenic, historical or agricultural value.  The group will manage the Bassett-Kell property to ensure that it remains in its natural state in perpetuity, fulfilling the organization’s mission, “Working for the preservation and enjoyment of open space in our community”.  

Connecticut has 99,549 acres of protected land according to the Land Trust Alliance’s National Land Trust 2010 Census Report.  Hartland may be unique in that two thirds of its 22,300 acres are either State Forest or Metropolitan District Commission watershed land.  In the 2006 survey conducted for the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development, Hartland residents strongly favored maintaining the area’s rural character and the formation of a land trust.  

The Bassett-Kell property acquisition is an exciting culmination of the work of the Hartland Land Trust Board of Directors, most of whom have been involved in the Land Trust since its inception.  The group also sponsors a well-attended Guest Speakers Series and conducts hikes and other educational activities.

For more information on the work of the Land Trust, please visit our website.

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