APRIL 2022
JULY, 2020
Click on the video link below from President of the East Lyme Land Trust, Ron Luich. Ron shares the stories of building more support around Open Space and the Environment, the benefits to the community, and where more opportunities for support might be. The environment and Open Space are very important to people, and know that it will strongly benefit the community.
JANUARY, 2020
Progress Report
Recently we were awarded with grants issued by DEEP for two properties in East Lyme. We’d like to take this opportunity to provide you with some of the background and future associated with these grants.
The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program is administered by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
During the 2018 meeting, the East Lyme Land Trust (ELLT) membership voted for a Board of Directors and they in turn voted for new officers. At the first meeting of the newly elected board the question arose, “What can we do help our beloved town?” The board decided that we should work toward protecting the most valuable asset of East Lyme – drinking water! The board determined that protection of forest land – source of our drinking water – was within our charter as a land trust.
The first property that we submitted a request for was located off of Walnut Hill Road. Due to the size – 355 acres – we joined with “Woodsmen Land Trust” (see #1 on map below), in making our submission. The majority of the property is in East Lyme and the balance is in Montville. As part of the submission, two “Yellow Book” appraisals at an average cost of $5,000 each was required. This property was appraised at $1,600,000 and $1,665,000. The grant received from DEEP was for “an amount not to exceed $560,000.” (DEEP can grant up to 60% of the appraised value.)
A second request for grant money was made to DEEP for the “Upper Pattagansett River Watershed Reserve” (40 acres) property (see #2 on map below). The appraised property value was $521,000 in 2017 and $470,000 in 2018. Again, two “Yellow Book” appraisals at an average cost of $5,000 each was required. The trust received a grant from DEEP for “an amount not to exceed $179,200.” In addition, we have received $20,000 from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.
There are another series of actions required by DEEP that we must take before we finally acquire the funds. It may be 6 months to a year before we actually see a check.
We continue to apply for grants, for these and other properties, from various organizations who support protecting forest land.
In keeping with our policy, we do not discuss details or names of the properties -other than published - that we are acquiring.
Again, our goal is to protect the drinking water supply for our grandchildren.
During the next year, the ELLT looks forward to present to the board of selectman specific topics for support to meet our mutual goals.
For more information on how you can help support the work of the East Lyme Land Trust, please click here.
Recently we were awarded with grants issued by DEEP for two properties in East Lyme. We’d like to take this opportunity to provide you with some of the background and future associated with these grants.
The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program is administered by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
During the 2018 meeting, the East Lyme Land Trust (ELLT) membership voted for a Board of Directors and they in turn voted for new officers. At the first meeting of the newly elected board the question arose, “What can we do help our beloved town?” The board decided that we should work toward protecting the most valuable asset of East Lyme – drinking water! The board determined that protection of forest land – source of our drinking water – was within our charter as a land trust.
The first property that we submitted a request for was located off of Walnut Hill Road. Due to the size – 355 acres – we joined with “Woodsmen Land Trust” (see #1 on map below), in making our submission. The majority of the property is in East Lyme and the balance is in Montville. As part of the submission, two “Yellow Book” appraisals at an average cost of $5,000 each was required. This property was appraised at $1,600,000 and $1,665,000. The grant received from DEEP was for “an amount not to exceed $560,000.” (DEEP can grant up to 60% of the appraised value.)
A second request for grant money was made to DEEP for the “Upper Pattagansett River Watershed Reserve” (40 acres) property (see #2 on map below). The appraised property value was $521,000 in 2017 and $470,000 in 2018. Again, two “Yellow Book” appraisals at an average cost of $5,000 each was required. The trust received a grant from DEEP for “an amount not to exceed $179,200.” In addition, we have received $20,000 from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.
There are another series of actions required by DEEP that we must take before we finally acquire the funds. It may be 6 months to a year before we actually see a check.
We continue to apply for grants, for these and other properties, from various organizations who support protecting forest land.
In keeping with our policy, we do not discuss details or names of the properties -other than published - that we are acquiring.
Again, our goal is to protect the drinking water supply for our grandchildren.
During the next year, the ELLT looks forward to present to the board of selectman specific topics for support to meet our mutual goals.
For more information on how you can help support the work of the East Lyme Land Trust, please click here.
