The Farmington Land Trust is proud to announce the allocation of $250,000 from the
State of Connecticut Bond Commission. Approved during a meeting in Hartford on June 7, 2024, these funds will support the renovation of the Farmington Land Trust Headquarters and Wilcox-Bushley Homestead Environmental Education Center in Unionville.
The 25-acre preserve, located on Coppermine Road across from West District School, serves as a sanctuary for passive recreation and environmental education. Donated in 1995 by Mary and Ruth
Bushley, the property has remained a crucial piece of rural, pristine land, safeguarded from commercial development. Mary Bushley resided on the homestead until donating the historic home and surrounding acreage in 2013.
State Representative Mike Demicco emphasized the significance of the funding: “This funding will allow the Farmington Land Trust to complete crucial renovations to transform a historic farm property into a headquarters and environmental education center. The funding not only helps preserve local history but enhances local educational opportunities as well.”
Cate Grady-Benson, Executive Director of the Farmington Land Trust, expressed deep gratitude for the bond approval, stating, “It all started with the generous gift of 25 acres of land with forest, meadow, and pond, along with a circa 1800 farmhouse, by two conservation-minded women, Mary Bushley and her sister Ruth Bushley Childs. Our Board, along with many volunteers and generous donors, has worked tirelessly over the past four years to renovate the farmhouse to create the Wilcox-Bushley Homestead
Environmental Education Center for the community. The Center will allow us to offer a wide range of programs connecting conservation of land and stewardship to our role in helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Although we had many generous financial supporters, we still had a way to go to complete the project. Working with State Representative Mike Demicco, we were able to secure the much-needed funds. We are extremely grateful for the bond approval by the State of Connecticut Bond Commission and Governor Lamont and look forward to expanding our outreach to the Greater Hartford
region.”
The bond commission funds will play a vital role in finalizing the renovation project and supporting ongoing educational programs for the greater Hartford community.
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