Mission, Values, and History
A leader in conservation and environmental education in central Connecticut.
55 years of environmental education and conservation.
Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut, know as ELCCT, is based in Bristol, Connecticut. Since our founding, in 1969, ELCCT has offered a diversity of hands-on experiential nature programs, using a variety of resources and facilities to schools and groups, families, and the public.
The Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center is your avenue to nature experiences on 132 acres, including the neighboring Pigeon Hill Preserve property, which is home to over 5 miles of trails through woodlands, wetlands, and wildflower fields.
Conserving land for the young and young at heart.
In addition to our education programs, ELCCT serves as a land trust and has protected over 750 acres of land in Bristol, Burlington, and Southington, Connecticut.
Mission Statement
Our Mission is to: “Inspire the appreciation and enjoyment of nature through education and conservation, fostering a healthy environment and an improved quality of life”.
Our Core Values
Educate: We are committed to providing opportunities for all to learn about and experience the environment thus inspiring appreciation and enjoyment by present and future generations.
Protect: We are committed to fostering a safe and healthy environment through sustainable practices and promoting a culture that heightens awareness of conservation and preservation.
Respect: We are committed to respect for the environment, and to teach respect for all.
Collaborate: We are committed to engaging the power of an open and inclusive community to ignite creative thinking and solve problems to nurture a healthy environment and improve the quality of life.
An Acknowledgement
The Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut acknowledges that the Indian Rock Nature Preserve occupies and operates on ancestral lands utilized by the Tunxis people and their descendants. We recognize the Tunxis people as the original stewards of this land.
While the Tunxis people predominantly settled along the Farmington River, they frequented this land to hunt and gather resources.
It is imperative that we are able to understand the extensive history of the Tunxis people and our place within that history in order to build respect and foster a healthy connection to the land. ELCCT is committed to the process of understanding our history and playing a role in educating the local community.
