Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust

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Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust

Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust is now Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy, and continues to protect lands in Danbury and New Fairfield, CT.

Visit us at ctland.org to learn more.

10/16/2025

KENT, Conn.—The Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust (CVRLT) has merged with the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC), which is headquartered in Kent. The merger became effective Tuesday, Sept. 30. The […]

10/09/2025

SAME LAND. NEW HOME. 💚

As of September 30, 2025, the Candlewood Valley Reginal Land Trust has merged with the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC).

Please go to NCLC’s website at ctlands.org for more information. Also, follow their social media pages below:

❇️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nwctconservancy
❇️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nwctconservancy

Thank you for your all your support! 🌿

We hope you will join us at the NCLC Annual Meeting at 9:30am on November 15th at the New Fairfield Senior Center, located at 33 CT-37 in New Fairfield. For more information go to: ctland.org/event/annual-meeting-2025.

09/27/2025

🌳 Tree Spotlight: The Red Oak 🍂
If you’ve noticed acorns crunching under your feet lately, you can thank the mighty red oak! These beautiful native trees are easy to spot with their deeply lobed leaves and rough bark.

Red oaks play a vital role in our forests:
🌰 Their acorns provide food for countless animals—squirrels, deer, turkeys, and even blue jays.
🌿 Their strong wood has been valued for centuries.
🌎 And, like all trees, they help clean the air and protect our environment.

Next time you’re out on the trails, take a moment to admire the red oak—and maybe spot a squirrel stashing away its fall feast! 🐿️

👉 Have you seen a lot of acorns this year? Share your sightings below!

09/26/2025

IMPORTANT CVRLT NEWS 📰 Join us as we embark on a new chapter for Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust! 🌿

CVRLT is joining our neighboring land trusts to the north to become part of the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy on September 30th.

For many centuries and generations, Candlewood Valley residents have loved our bucolic forests, fields, meadows, mountains, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Since the 19th century we've also faced the challenge of protecting Candlewood Valley's environment from harm by modern industry and development.

In 1971, Philip and Monique Weidel (pictured) and their Danbury neighbors led our local conservation efforts by founding Danbury's land trust. Dr. Weidel led the trust as president; the Weidels and their neighbors donated land to it. In the five decades since then, our committed leaders, generous donors, dedicated volunteers, and community supporters helped us grow into an accredited land trust, merge with New Fairfield's land trust to become CVRLT, and preserve more than 600 acres in Danbury and New Fairfield. Our thanks to all those who have made our founders' 1971 dream a reality!

CVRLT is committed to fulfilling our mission for the next five decades and beyond: to protect, preserve, and steward natural areas and wildlife habitats in the Candlewood Valley Region, and to provide access and experiences that build strong relationships between people and the land.

Our Board of Directors has studied our local land trusts' strategies to continue fulfilling our shared conservation mission, led by our President Faline Schneiderman and Vice President Cheryl Rykowski. Faline and Cheryl summarized what they learned: “As the work of land conservation has grown, many of our local land trusts are strengthening their impact by joining together. By sharing resources and expertise, merged organizations have been able to better steward their preserves, expand their reach, and ensure long-term success."

Our Danbury and New Fairfield land trusts strengthened their ability to steward their preserves and serve our communities by merging in 2016 to form CVRLT. Today, our two communities share many of our conservation concerns with towns throughout the Northwest Connecticut region, and beyond.

To enable our land trust to thrive in the future and collaborate with land trusts throughout Northwest Connecticut, our Board of Directors has voted to merge with the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC) on September 30, 2025. As Connecticut's largest land trust, NCLC supports its member land trusts with full-time professional staff and a broad network of conservation leaders. CVRLT is thrilled to be able to strengthen and grow our conservation legacy as part of the larger, stronger team of land trusts united within Connecticut’s largest land trust.

Please join us as we begin this new chapter! We hope to see you at our preserves and events and look forward to your ongoing support of our organization as NCLC.

Save the date and join us at the NCLC Annual Meeting on Saturday, November 15th from 9:30-11:30am at the New Fairfield Senior Center Community Room, to celebrate this exciting partnership!

To learn more about NCLC, and how you can continue supporting our local preserves, visit www.ctland.org. Thank you! 💚

09/23/2025

Happy First Day of Fall. 🧡🍂🍁

09/11/2025

Today, we pause to honor the lives lost and the heroes who showed extraordinary courage on this day 24 years ago. 🇺🇸

In moments of reflection, nature can offer a place of peace, healing, and connection. 🕊️ The lands we protect together provide quiet spaces where we can remember, reflect, and find hope for a better tomorrow.

May we never forget. 💙

09/10/2025

Nature belongs to all of us. ⛰️ Whether you hike, birdwatch, or simply enjoy quiet moments outdoors, the land we protect together provides space for everyone. 🌱

📸 Share your favorite photo from one of our preserves — we’d love to feature the beauty you see!

09/02/2025

A perfect ending to Labor Day! Local photographer Fred Ingram captured this breathtaking shot over Candlewood Lake. 🌅📸

08/26/2025

🐾🌿 Happy National Dog Day! 🌿🐾

Today we celebrate our four-legged friends who make every walk an adventure and every trail feel like home. 🐕💛 From wagging tails to muddy paws, dogs remind us to slow down, explore, and enjoy the beauty around us.

Our preserves and trails aren’t just for people—they’re for the pups who love them too! On this special day, we’re grateful for the joy dogs bring and the way they connect us even more deeply to nature. 🐶

Give your dog the gift of fresh air, a safe hike, and plenty of sniffs—then share a photo of your adventure with us! 🍃

📸:

08/21/2025

Even on gray days, the land has a way of grounding us. The clouds remind us to slow down, breathe deeply, and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. 🌿☁️

What’s your favorite place to visit on a cloudy day?

08/18/2025

Looking for a peaceful way to recharge this week? 🌿 Visit one of our preserves (pictured is Sweetcake Mountain) and enjoy the quiet beauty of nature. 🌳 Bring a book, a friend, or just yourself—our trails are open dawn to dusk, free for all to enjoy. 💚

08/12/2025

✨ Nature’s Nighttime Spectacle — Don’t Miss It! ✨

Tonight, the sky puts on one of its most dazzling annual performances — the Perseid Meteor Shower, peaking from the night of August 12 into the early hours of August 13. Under dark skies, you might see up to 50–100 meteors per hour streaking overhead! 🌠

This year, a bright waning gibbous Moon will wash out the faintest streaks, but the brightest meteors will still be visible — especially if you find a spot away from artificial lights. Our protected lands and preserves are perfect for experiencing the wonder of the night sky in its natural state. 💫

🌌 Best Viewing Tips:
• Head out after 10pm, with the most activity between 1–3am
• Look toward the eastern sky, about 40° above the horizon, near the constellation Perseus — though meteors can appear anywhere
• Give your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness

🌟 Bonus Treat: If you’re up before sunrise, you’ll also see Venus and Jupiter appearing side-by-side in the northeast — a rare planetary conjunction that will look like a brilliant double star.

Events like these remind us why it’s so important to protect our open spaces — not just for the wildlife and ecosystems, but for the chance to witness awe-inspiring moments that can only be fully appreciated under a natural, star-filled sky.

📸 If you capture any meteors or the planetary pairing tonight, share your photos with us! We’d love to see your night-sky adventures from our preserves.

Address

5 Maple Street, PO Box 821
Kent, CT
06757

Website

https://ctland.org/

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