Northeast
Conservation in the Northeast
The Northeast region is the birthplace of land conservation in America and maintains a strong tradition of protecting land. Although relatively small in size, this region is home to approximately 600 land trusts. The Northeast region consists of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.
Although development pressure is intense throughout much of the Northeast, land trusts have succeeded in saving many of the places that make it special: rocky coastlines, marshes full of wildlife, granite mountains, glaciated lakes, fertile farms and orchards, historic landmarks, town greens, community parks and preserves, and forests famous for their brilliant fall color.
Threats and Growing Awareness
Much of the Northeast is densely populated and sprawl is a continuous threat. Land trusts in the Northeast also face challenges that include rising land prices, few remaining large tracts of land, potential legal challenges to conservation easements, and inconsistent political support. In addition, climate change is threatening communities and altering habitats.
However, public awareness of the importance of land conservation is growing. Increasingly, citizens in the Northeast are taking interest in farmland preservation, local food, urban green spaces, community gardens, smart growth and resilience to climate change — all priorities that can be addressed through land conservation.
With more land trusts than any other part of the country, the Northeast region has been at the forefront of the movement toward collaboration to achieve shared conservation goals. The region is home to numerous small, local land trusts – including many all-volunteer land trusts — as well as larger regional, state and national organizations. These diverse land trusts collaborate through 11 land trust service centers and numerous creative partnerships.
Alliance Northeast Programs
The Alliance helps grow land trusts’ capacity throughout the Northeast. We offer:
- Accreditation Preparation: coaching and limited funding to help land trusts prepare for accreditation
- Assessments: staff support and/or funding to help land trusts identify strengths and weaknesses and plan for full implementation of Land Trust Standards and Practices
- Training: workshops and webinars, as well as customized technical assistance, for land trust staff, board members, and volunteers
- Resources: case studies, reports, guides and more, accessed through the Learning Center
- Coaching: in-depth, one-on-one support with strategic planning, conservation planning, staff or board transitions, leadership development and more
- Leadership Development: trainings and retreats to strengthen current and emerging land trust leaders
- New York Program: The Alliance plays a unique role in New York, serving as the land trust service center for the state.
- Chesapeake Bay: The Alliance is a leader in assessing the role that land trusts play in addressing water quality and identifying opportunities to accelerate land conservation that restores watershed health
Get in Touch
Connect with the land trust community in the Northeast.