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Hilltown Land Trust

Dedicated to protecting the working lands, native habitats and rural beauty of the Hilltowns since 1986

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About the Hilltown Land Trust

Our Mission Statement

Hilltown Land Trust protects land and promotes ecological diversity and health, respectful land stewardship, historic character, and natural beauty in our hilltowns.

Our Values

Community

The benefits of conserving land stretch beyond just our geographic service area. Our HLT community includes partners, donors, visitors, volunteers, and supporters from all over and from all walks of life. By welcoming and embracing diverse opinions and identities, our Hilltown Land Trust community and the land we conserve, and steward will have greater impact both within our service area and beyond.

Sustainability

We believe that the health of the land, the fauna and flora, our air and water, and ultimately, people require attention and care over the long term. Our mission and resultant actions must be anchored in the truths of the past, the realities of today, and be focused on future outcomes.

Collaboration

We seek to build lasting partnerships through listening and sustained engagement and seek to pool our resources with others to advance shared goals. By leveraging our collective strengths and expertise, we will accomplish more than on our own.

Accountability

We understand that honesty and transparency are essential to earning the trust of our donors, our members, our volunteers, our partners, and the communities we seek to serve. Additionally, as a land conservation organization, we hold ourselves accountable to telling a more complete history of the land we conserve.

Belonging

All people benefit from the preservation of the natural world and have a right to be heard and to be included in issues that affect their lives and those of future generations. We seek to reduce historical and present-day barriers to accessing our natural world.

What Does Hilltown Land Trust Do?

Hilltown Land Trust works to conserve ecologically important wildlands, economically and culturally important working lands, and the scenic beauty and rural character of the Hilltowns. Our service area includes 13 rural towns: Ashfield, Chester, Chesterfield, Conway, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Windsor, and Worthington. Since our founding in 1986, we have protected and continue to steward over 5,000 acres of land.

A number of HLT properties offer public access and hiking trails. You can learn more by visiting our Protected Lands page.

Our project committee and Executive Director work with landowners to permanently protect ecologically valuable land in the Hilltowns. If you think you may be interested in working with HLT to protect your property, please contact our Executive Director, Sally Loomis.

To learn more about our work and vision, read our Seven-Year Strategic Plan: 2016-2023.

Visualize the region we serve with Hilltown Land Trust’s service area map.

Announcements

A photo of a small waterfall cascading through a wooded landscape.

Newly Conserved Riverfront Land in Williamsburg!

January 12, 2023

Twenty acres of forested land along the West Branch of the Mill River in … [Read More...]

An abstract blue and white painting of dandelion seeds on the breeze, conveyed with swirling lines. By Martin Bridge.

Watch the Launch! Writing the Land: Windblown I

December 27, 2022

The launch video of Writing the Land: Windblown I, featuring Hilltown Land … [Read More...]

Why Come to the Gorge?

November 17, 2022

The Gorge après Gorge is coming up soon! This fun, family-friendly, annual 5k … [Read More...]

Events

  • Feb 8th, 2023

    Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures

    Hilltown Land Trust is pleased to once again be partnering with All Out...
    DAR State Forest, Goshen MA

  • Feb 22nd, 2023

    Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures

    Hilltown Land Trust is pleased to once again be partnering with All Out...
    DAR State Forest, Goshen MA

  • Mar 8th, 2023

    Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures Senior Snowshoe with All Out Adventures

    Hilltown Land Trust is pleased to once again be partnering with All Out...
    Bullitt Reservation, Ashfield MA

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    © 2023 The The Hilltown Land Trust · 332 Bullitt Road, Ashfield, MA 01330
    tel: (413) 628-4485 ext 2 -OR- email: hlt[at]thetrustees[dot]org