The Kingston Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that protects environmentally and socially significant land for the common good. In addition to traditional land conservation, we work collaboratively to address inequities by making land accessible to the community through urban agriculture, commuter trails, recreation, heritage sites, and affordable homes. Our innovative and inclusive programming encourages our diverse community to live in a sustainable and healthy relationship to the land and other living beings. Land for all, all for land!
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.
Kingston Land Trust is a member 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.
Kingston Land Trust Initiatives:
Land for Food Initiative
Food security has quickly emerged as a priority for our community during this challenging pandemic. The Kingston Land Trust has always taken a holistic approach to creating access to land that has included engaging residents in local food production.
Kingston Greenline
A JOINT INITIATIVE OF THE KINGSTON LAND TRUST, CITY OF KINGSTON, AND ULSTER COUNTY
The Kingston Greenline is a system of trails, linear parks, and complete streets that when fully developed will connect residents & visitors to Kingston’s natural, historic, cultural and commercial assets.
Kingston Pollinators
Pollinators are crucial to healthy natural and agricultural systems across the world. As part of our Land For Food initiative, we commit to supporting pollinators in our service area through habitat protection, plantings of native flowering plants, developing local garden projects, and forming innovative partnerships!
Land for Homes
DEVELOPING FOREVER AFFORDABLE HOMES
Collaborate with Bard MBA in Sustainability to create an Open Source Triple Bottom Line Housing Business Plan
Based on the Rapid Rehousing Group’s identification of the need for efficiency cottages to house folks who are currently un-housed, we are developing a model that other community groups can use as a resource to establish a healthy, closed loop connection between housing, the land, and community.
THE SOUTH PINE STREET FARM STAND
The South Pine Street Farm is a small urban agriculture project at 27 S. Pine St. in Kingston, NY. Farmers follow sustainable and chemical free growing practices while supplying produce through a seasonal farm stand as well as through arrangements with local restaurants and vendors. The farm stand is open from May to October every year.
Pine St. African Burial Ground
ON MAY 23RD 2019, THE KINGSTON LAND TRUST PERMANENTLY PROTECTED THE PINE STREET AFRICAN BURIAL GROUND, AND IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO HARAMBEE IN 2020!
Thanks to community support, last year we raised the funds to purchase this forgotten site, in partnership with Harambee and in collaboration with Scenic Hudson.