You will find a diverse farming community within our 49-square mile municipality. Our farming community provides access to many products, including fresh eggs, award-winning artisanal cheeses and wine, vegetables and fruits, honey, hops, locally brewed beer, plants of all kinds including Christmas trees, and farm-raised meat and poultry. Local equestrian farms offer riding lessons, boarding, and horse breeding.
You will find a diverse farming community within our 49-square mile municipality. Our farming community provides access to many products, including fresh eggs, award-winning artisanal cheeses and wine, vegetables and fruits, honey, hops, locally brewed beer, plants of all kinds including Christmas trees, and farm-raised meat and poultry. Local equestrian farms offer riding lessons, boarding, and horse breeding.
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Five stages of parking lot development
The outdoors is a healthy place. CLT's mission is to keep it that way ("The purpose of the Colchester Land Trust is to protect the beauty and natural diversity of our area by preserving significant land and scenic areas for present and future generations"). The ongoing emergency of the pandemic has thrown all of our lives into a certain amount of upheaval. It will pass. Note in our hikes and events pages that certain changes have been made and others are in flux due to the current situation. Rest assured, we will do our best to stay as close to our schedule as possible. Please remember that your participation in Colchester Land Trust is very important. Your involvement in our community is meaningful. The Land Trust is a Community Partnership between us and all of you. Your health is most important, so maintain social distance, but get outside for some fresh air and exercise. Wave to passing cars and yell out a hearty "hello" to your neighbors. Remember, we are all in this together.
CURRENT PROJECTS
In 2016, your Colchester Land Trust purchased the second, larger portion of property on Bulkeley Hill Road. The entire 130-acre parcel is now known as the Bulkeley Hill Preserve.
In addition to contributions from our members, we'd especially like to thank these benefactors for their generous contributions; Eversource, the Colchester Lion's Club, the Fields Pond Foundation, and The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut. Also, the project could not have been done without our contractor (Gibraltar, LLC) and surveyor (Dutch and Associates), both of whom contributed in-kind services as well as the excellent work now on display.
As of November 13, 2020 a parking lot was completed! The early stage clearing was done by CLT volunteers, to save contractor costs, saving your contributed dollars. Our contractor installed a culvert to accommodate an intermittent waterway that erupts each springtime, and built a gravel driveway and parking for eight cars. There is a new path going to the already blazed Red Trail that loops through the woods. The new loop is blazed white and provides an easy walk through this beautiful forest. Drop by sometime to enjoy the trails and inspect our progress. Please respect the forest, the trails, the parking lot and all adjacent private property. Your cooperation and respect are greatly appreciated!
Watch our early progress !
(no need to join, just scroll to see the "Play"button)
Have you noticed the "Right to Farm Community" signage and online and printed directory of Colchester's local farms and agri-businesses? Learn more about these projects.
Get the Farms and Farmstands Brochure
We are an all-volunteer community land trust dedicated to maintaining Colchester's rural character and high quality of life for all citizens, now and in the future. Thanks to growing community support, we've been able to influence the preservation of more than 700 acres since forming in 2002. We are working hard to keep Colchester clean, green and beautiful in the spirit of "think globally, act locally"! We are sincerely grateful for the Colchester community's support in this important effort.
