The Preserve

“The Preserve” just might be the most assertive public land name in the country. It’s not “This Preserve.” Not “That Preserve.”

It’s “The Preserve.”

And with nearly 1,000 acres of coastal forest in southern Connecticut, The Preserve absolutely lives up to the hype. About half the land is filled with hiking trails, and the entire area plays an important role in maintaining water quality in Trout Brook and the Oyster and Mud Rivers, which feed into the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound.

In 1997, all of this beauty was at major risk of development. Proposed projects included plans for more than 220 homes and an 18-hole golf course. But the community stepped in to do something about it—pulling in Trust for Public Land for help. In June 2013, we reached an agreement with River Sound Development, LLC, to purchase The Preserve. We then worked to raise $10 million with the help of many partners and individual donors. The land is now protected by conservation easements and preserved for generations to come.