KENT, Conn.—The Kent Land Trust (KLT), which has worked to protect and preserve the town’s natural resources since 1989, held its annual gathering of members and election of directors last Friday, Dec. 5, at the Kent Community House.
The nationally accredited organization is the steward of 1,369 acres that it owns and an additional 1,018 acres that are under easement. It manages numerous preserves with trails that are open to the public and offers educational programs for the community.
The annual gathering is a long-standing tradition in which KLT members, partners and neighbors come together to honor the organization’s conservation achievements and look ahead to the work of the coming year.
In addition to celebrating KLT’s impact, the event includes the election of the organization’s board of directors. This year, 10 community members were nominated for new or continuing service. Elected this year were Mike Benjamin, Jonathan Chaplain, Darrell Cherniske, Laurie Doss, Lorry Schiesel, Dana Slaughter, Bob Tobin, Kevin Umeh, Marc Weingarten, and Dorothy Ewer.
The KLT extended thanks to retiring directors Darcy Frisch and Laura Rothschild.
Schiesel, who has been a director since 2008 and who has served as secretary of the KLT since 2010, was named the new chairman, following in the footsteps of Michael Hallows. Hallows has been at the helm of the organization since 2020 and was vice chairman from 2017 to 2019.
In a statement the KLT said, “At the heart of our mission is our community. Every acre we protect, every trail we maintain, every educational program we offer is rooted in serving the people of Kent and preserving the natural beauty that defines our town. This gathering is our opportunity to say thank you, listen to our members, and share how we can continue working together to care for the place we all call home.”
The gathering included festive refreshments provided by 109 Cheese,
Community members who are not yet KLT members are encouraged to become involved in conservation, stewardship, and community programming. Membership information and online donations are available at www.kentlandtrust.org/become-a-member.
