Long Term Protection
Protecting Your Conservation Vision for the Long Term
Connecticut Farmland Trust’s participation in Terrafirma
When a farm family makes the decision to conserve their land, they are doing something extraordinary. They are looking beyond their own lifetime and making a commitment to future generations — to healthy soils, productive fields, working barns, and the continuation of agriculture in their community.
At Connecticut Farmland Trust, we take that commitment just as seriously.
That is one reason we participate in Terrafirma, a conservation defense insurance program created by the Land Trust Alliance specifically for accredited land trusts across the country.
What Is Terrafirma?
Terrafirma is a unique insurance program that helps land trusts defend conservation easements if they are ever challenged. While conservation agreements are carefully crafted to reflect a family’s goals and comply with state and federal law, the future is unpredictable. Properties change hands. Laws evolve. Disputes can arise.
In rare cases, defending a conservation easement in court can be costly. Terrafirma provides financial resources to help ensure that, if a challenge occurs, the land trust has the means to uphold the terms of the agreement.
Why This Matters to Landowners
When a landowner works with Connecticut Farmland Trust to place a conservation easement on their farm, they are expressing a clear vision:
- The land will remain available for agriculture.
- Farm ownership can stay within the family or be purchased by, or given to, a future farmer.
- Agricultural buildings and evolving farming practices are accommodated.
- The soils and productivity of the land are protected.
Our participation in Terrafirma strengthens that promise. It is part of our broader, long-term partnership with farm families. It signals that conservation is not just about signing a document — it is about stewardship, monitoring, relationship, and, when necessary, defense.
A Commitment That Extends Beyond Today
Every conservation easement we hold is a permanent agreement. That permanence requires preparation. It requires thoughtful stewardship planning. And it requires tools to ensure we can stand behind the commitments we make together.
By participating in Terrafirma, Connecticut Farmland Trust is reinforcing its responsibility to the landowners who have entrusted us with their legacy. It is one more way we work to ensure that conserved farmland remains farmland — productive, viable, and protected — long into the future.
If you are considering conserving your farm, we welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how we structure agreements to meet your family’s goals, and how we protect those commitments for generations to come.
