Our Work

The Charlotte Land Trust works to preserve the best of Charlotte’s farm and forest land, wildlife habitat, waterways and scenic views through conservation easements. Protecting land now and into the future is the core of our work.

Since CLT’s founding in 1986, land use in Charlotte, particularly farming, has changed greatly. Today there is only one dairy farm left, but conservation of farmland over the years has ensured that the land remains available for different types of farming. CLT has helped conserve parcels of forest, wetlands and waterways that provide  wildlife habitat, protect water quality and store carbon in a time of climate change. 

Our conservation projects often start with a call from a landowner. We welcome the opportunity to learn more about these properties and to work with landowners on questions about conservation. Conservation can be a complex undertaking and won’t work for everyone who talks with us, but we’ve found that these conversations are valuable as a way to learn more about how to best care for the land.

As a small all-volunteer organization, the Charlotte Land Trust frequently partners with other land trusts such as the Vermont Land Trust, Nature Conservancy and Lake Champlain Land Trust. These partnerships expand the capacity of our organization and our ability to tackle more complex projects. We also use the expertise of the Land Trust Alliance, a national resource for land trusts on best practices for conservation and organizational management.

Outreach and education about conservation and its benefits are important aspects of our work. Throughout the year we host events to inform and to celebrate conservation and its impact on our environment. Our donors are essential to our work. They are our partners in conservation and we are fortunate to have their support in protecting the best of Charlotte’s landscape.