Mission

It is the mission of the Silver Lake Land Trust (SLLT) to protect the natural resources and environment of the Silver Lake area by preserving as much land as possible in an open, undeveloped state. To carry out this mission the SLLT will:

• educate and inform Silver Lake residents and appropriate officials and agencies in Harrisville and Nelson regarding the value of conserving land around Silver Lake;
• encourage Silver Lake landowners to donate or sell conservation easements on their properties;
• acquire conservation easements from landowners and, as appropriate, use mechanisms other than conservation easements – e.g. deed restrictions, purchase of land, purchase of rights of first refusal – to conserve land;
• work with other conservation organizations to help them conserve land in the Silver Lake area;
• ensure that existing conservation easements are being monitored and that the provisions of those easements are being scrupulously followed;
• when requested by landowners who have donated easements or are thinking of donating easements, work with such landowners to ensure that the Towns of Harrisville and Nelson provide property tax benefits that the landowners are entitled to under state law;
• support the strengthening and enforcement of planning and zoning ordinances in the Towns of Harrisville and Nelson that tend to promote land conservation; and
• work with the Silver Lake Association of Chesham and Nelson and with conservation organizations to protect the natural resources and environment of Silver Lake.