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What's a Land Trust ?

Land trusts are non-profit organizations directly involved in the permanent protection of land and its resources for the public benefit.

A trust may operate on a local, state, regional, or national level. On the national level, the best known land trust is The Nature Conservancy. A land trust is the private alternative to land preservation by public agencies or park districts. They give local citizens concerned about open space issues a way to work together to preserve areas important to the community, and landowners interested in protecting their properties options to do so that would otherwise be unavailable.

Land trusts are not “trusts” in the legal sense. Some, in fact, refer to themselves by other names such as conservancies, foundations, or associations. Land trusts accept donations of properties, buy land, or help landowners establish legal restrictions that limit harmful use and development. Land trusts may own and manage properties, monitor the restrictions they have helped establish for land owners, and/or work in partnership with other agencies.

The land trust movement has grown dramatically as more and more people recognize the need to protect lands that are important to them before they are lost forever.

Today there are more than 1300 land trusts in America, with 115 in Connecticut alone. Combined, their approximately one million members and financial supporters have protected more than 4.7 million acres of land. Beyond this desire to protect land, land trusts vary tremendously. Some concentrate on protecting land that has natural value, some on land with historic value, some on farmland, some on forests, others on scenic viewsheds and so forth. Their area of concern may be as small as a township, a watershed or a specific mountain. Larger land trusts may define their areas of interest by habitat type, county, state, or even national lines.

Land trusts are funded largely through membership dues and/or donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations. Some are run solely by volunteers, others include professional staff. As community organizations, land trusts are responsive to the special needs of the land and people in their regions. As private organizations, land trusts are able to offer quick response, flexibility, and confidentiality in land transactions.

Matching Gifts

 Did you know many companies match donations made by employees, employees’ spouses, and retirees, allowing employees to DOUBLE their generosity and impact? 

Contact your employer today to see if they will match your gift.

QCDs

 If you are 70½ years of age or older, you can take advantage of a popular gift option called a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) also known as a IRA charitable rollover.  QCDs offer simple ways to benefit Steep Rock and receive tax benefits in return.

To learn more, visit here.

Stock or Wire

If you’d like to give a gift via wire or stock, please reach out to gifts@steeprockassoc.org for our account information.

DAF

You can donate through your donor advised fund in just three clocks on our website
When granting through your donor-advised fund, please use the following information:

Our legal name: Steep Rock Association, Inc.
Tax ID: #06-6069060
Mailing address: PO Box 279, Washington Depot, CT 06794

Check Donations

Please make checks payable to Steep Rock Association. Our mailing address is:

Steep Rock Association
PO Box 279
Washington Depot, CT 06794