THE GREEN LEAF Fall 2025
President’s letter
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Preparing for the WLT November annual meeting always provides an opportunity to reflect on last year’s endeavors and next year’s plans. One aspect of WLT’s recent activities stands out more than ever: the extent to which our work and programming is deeply interwoven with the fabric of the Warren community through partnerships of many kinds.
We are the Warren Community Garden’s fiscal and legal sponsor, allowing it to accept tax deductible donations, establish a bank account and enter into agreements such as the lease with the Town. Board members volunteer at the garden and/or tend a plot, and WLT Board of Directors member Elizabeth Chandler has been involved with the garden since its inception.
As you’ll read in this newsletter, we support the work of the Warren Affordable Housing Corporation. WLT Board member Will Walker represented WLT on a regional Local Affordable Housing Task Force, guiding WLT to a resolution in support of the task force’s work and action items.
Earth’s Palate Farm is located on property with a WLT conservation easement, which Director BK Stafford stewards annually. We are proud to support agriculture in Warren…especially when it’s time to pick up our CSA box full of delicious farm products or treat ourselves to some of Kevin’s amazing baked goods.
Some of our favorite programs are run in conjunction with Warren Parks & Rec. WLT Board member Bill Mansfield has been a Cider Run stalwart for years, helping to organize the race and then leading the pack of runners. Bill’s fellow Directors Dave Schneiderbeck and Mickey Morris duck out of our April meeting early every year, as they are point people for the Earth Day Town Clean-up.
Warren’s history is as rich as its natural resources, and we love partnering with the Warren Historical Society to draw attention to both. I’m proud to serve on the WHS Board of Directors (I’m a historian and history teacher by training) and we are fortunate to benefit from the Society’s excellent management of the Town’s collection when learning about the history of our preserves.
The Warren Public Library is a newer partner, and one we are excited to continue sharing programming with. Thanks to the efforts of new Board member Deborah Dickstein, we co-sponsored a children’s program with the Library last winter, and hope to reprise the experience when the cold weather sets in this year.
In a small town, it makes good logistical sense to combine forces for programming and other efforts. But there’s more to it than that. We share with all of our partners care for and pride in Warren. Its fields, forests, and farmland, certainly…we are a land trust, after all. But also its people, history and character. We look forward to continued productive collaboration with all of the above, as well as new shared endeavors to come!
Sincerely,
Rebecca