Our Purpose
The KLT exists to protect, steward, create access to and build community power on land in and around Kingston as a means of reestablishing mutual care between humans and the ecosystems that sustain us.
Our Vision
On the land and in the communities where we work, we imagine an ecosystem of collaboration across political, socio-economic, language, and regulatory barriers to protect and take care of the land in a way that builds resilience for the land and our community. Equitable access to and tenure of land is the foundation from which we aim to collectively repair society and the environment.
Our Service Area
We are based in the City of Kingston, New York and also protect land in the Town of Ulster and Town of Hurley. Click here to see a service area map of Ulster County land trusts.
Our Work
We protect land by owning land, and are looking to hold conservation easements to help others protect their land. We inspire and facilitate land protection through planning, policy, design, advocacy, programs and outreach.
We practice Community Conservation:
We are members of the national organization of land conservation organizations, the Land Trust Alliance (LTA), and we are working toward accreditation. According to the LTA, Community Conservation is an approach to land conservation that includes more people and begins by listening to many different voices in the community — then responding. Community Conservation uses the strengths of the land trust to meet needs expressed by people in the community.
Regional Conservation Connections:
We are regularly in touch with Hudson Valley and Catskills land conservation organizations at roundtables, symposiums and conference calls. In particular we have worked closely with Scenic Hudson, Open Space Institute and Woodstock Land Conservancy, and our trail system connects with the Wallkill Valley Land Trust's rail trail. We are also building relationships with professors and students in related fields from local universities (Bard and SUNY New Paltz).
We encourage Equitable Development:
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Equitable Development is an approach for meeting the needs of underserved communities through policies and programs that reduce disparities while fostering places that are healthy and vibrant.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI):
We strive to be an open and inclusive community supporting diversity in age, race, language, income, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation and gender identity. We are committed to centering BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) voices and needs in our work around land access, ownership, livelihood through the land, and land conservation.
We remove barriers to participation in our work and to public decision making by diversifying our team and doing outreach in communities that are underrepresented. As 15% of Kingston is Hispanic, most of our programming is bilingual (Spanish interpretation is available).
