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Ridgefield, CT

Meet Claire Gladstone and learn about one of the oldest land trusts in CT

Cover Image for Meet Claire Gladstone and learn about one of the oldest land trusts in CT

Did you know? Ridgefield’s nonprofit Land Conservancy is one of the oldest land trusts in Connecticut and was founded in 1967 to help preserve Ridgefield’s open space. 

Today, we talk with lifelong Ridgefield resident and member of Land Conservancy, Claire Gladstone.

First of all, thank you for making (and keeping) Ridgefield a place where nature abounds - from hiking trails to scenic open spaces where plant and animal life thrive, we are so fortunate to call our community home.

Q: Tell me a bit about The Ridgefield Land Conservancy’s mission and history. 

A: Our mission is to preserve and protect land and natural resources in Ridgefield.   In 2015, Congress enacted one of the most powerful conservation measures in decades: the enhanced federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations. The permanent conservation easement tax incentive is an important tool that helps Ridgefielders conserve their land. The permanent incentive enables opportunities to protect the special places we love here. If you own land, donating a conservation easement can be an effective way to both save the land you love forever and to realize significant federal tax savings.  We are able to offer special tax incentives to people who donate property outright and also through easements. By protecting the land, we help preserve & enhance the quality of life in Ridgefield. 

Q: How are you different from the Ridgefield Conservation Commission? 

A: We both share a goal, to preserve as much natural space as possible. The main difference is how we are structured. The Land Conservancy of Ridgefield is a nonprofit 501c3 with a voluntary board. At the LCR we derive our funding through donations and grants. The Ridgefield Conservation Commission is a town commission whose members are appointed by the Board of Selectman and receive funding from the town budget. 

Q: How do you go about protecting the land you are responsible for? 

A: Our board members are part of an active stewardship program. We survey the properties year round. We manage invasive plants, manage trees, and report our findings at monthly meetings. Some properties, when donated, have land stewardship funding. This helps to pay for the maintenance of our properties. 

Q: How often do individuals or organizations donate land to the community? 

A: It varies from year to year. In 2023 we received 2 important donations. The first came from a past President of the LCR, Sidney Kelley. In his estate planning, he left us just over two acres on Florida Hill Road, which will be kept in its natural state in perpetuity. The second was a generous donation of five acres which supplements previously donated land. 


Q: How many acres of property does Land Conservancy currently hold? 

A: We currently hold over 722 acres of property. These properties are either owned or we hold in conservation easements. 

Q: Anything else you would like the community to know? 

A: We are always accepting donations, we encourage people who are interested in donating land or exploring the possibility of an easement to reach out to us. We are always interested in interviewing potential board-members who share our passion. 

Check out our website at: https://landconservancyofridgefield.org/faqs/

* The Image shows Land Conservancy member Lynn Caponera, Executive Director of the Maurice Sendak Foundation (huge supporter of the Land Conservancy)

Back row L-R Carroll Brewster, James Tobin, Brian Truskowski, Steve Sheridan, Michael Carpenter (president)

Front Row L-R Allison Archambault, Lynn Caponera, Claire Gladstone (Lynn’s dog Selma)

*not present Peter Nichols & Philip Mische