Rooted in the Land, Growing for the Future

The Vision of 1995

The New Brunswick Community Land Trust (NBCLT) was born from a radical, yet simple idea: that “land is far more than a commodity to be bought and sold; it is fundamental to who we are”. Established in 1995 as a charitable organization by a coalition of foresters, farmers, and conservationists, our founders—including David Coon and Robert Young—sought to ensure local control over rural properties that might otherwise leave community ownership.

Our Mandate

The mandate of the NBCLT is to protect working lands for future generations. We believe ecological stewardship is essential for the sustainability of any land-based economic undertaking, including forestry, farming and even homesteading. The shared ‘eco’s of both ecology and economy is the Greek word ECO which means home. How does humanity create a home on Earth without destroying it? This remains a poignant question for society as a whole. The NBCLT brought into practice legal tools to protect “working land” from being stripped of its resources or reverting to brush.

Current Challenge & Opportunity

The original mandate of the NBCLT to protect working lands is as relevant as ever. With land prices increasing it has become more difficult to afford land for local food production & sustainable forest products harvest. The NBCLT wants to help local producers continue their stewardship and welcome the next generation through reaffirming our commitment to the CLT model first described in 1995:

• Removing Land from the Speculative Market: We ensure land remains a community asset, fulfilling the 1995 goal of maintaining “local control”.
• Ecological Stewardship: We remain committed to ensuring land is “maintained in ecologically sustainable production,” whether as a managed woodlot or a vibrant farm.
• Active Participation: By providing land access to a new generation of growers, we honour the original intent to provide long-term security for those who practice “careful stewardship”.

Whether through conservation easement held for decades or a new community garden plot, our pulse remains the same: ensuring the soil of New Brunswick continues to sustain our communities for generations to come.

Learn about the Community Land Trust Movement: A Legacy of Land Justice and Stewardship

The Roots of Resilience: A History of Community Land Stewardship

The Community Land Trust (CLT) model traces its modern roots to the American Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s with the creation of New Communities Inc. in Lee County, Georgia. Founded in 1969 as a radical response to the displacement of Black farmers, it proved that land could be treated as a common resource by separating land ownership from the ownership of the improvements built upon it. This vision—that land is “far more than a commodity… it is fundamental to who we are”—laid the groundwork for the New Brunswick Community Land Trust to establish its own mission in 1995.

In Canada, the movement has matured into a diverse network of urban and rural trusts. In the Maritimes, this momentum has become a burgeoning force for land protection:

• Nova Scotia: The Nova Scotia Community Land Trust and regional groups like the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association have led the way in protecting farmland and coastal assets from market speculation.
• New Brunswick: Since 1995, the NBCLT has worked to ensure “local control over rural properties” through a model of membership-based ownership.

Today, we connect the 1969 Georgia vision of land justice to our goal of “careful stewardship… in perpetuity”. By offering “long-term leases” for sustainable gardens and micro-farms, we ensure that New Brunswick’s “working land” remains the “lifeblood of rural communities”.

Enjoy the first article written about our organization in 1995