Our Mission
The Newtown Forest Association (NFA) is dedicated to preserving forests, agricultural lands, meadows, watersheds, and other open spaces in Newtown, CT for the benefit of plants, animals, and human residents of our town.
History of the NFA
The NFA proudly holds the mantle of Connecticut’s oldest private land trust. Formed in 1923 by a group of Newtown residents, original annual dues were $1. In 1924 the Town Forest became our first preserve, thanks to donations totaling 15.5 acres, including a 7 acre donation from Dr. Howard Peck. This parcel became the first Town Forest anywhere in the United States.
The absence of records suggest a period of dormancy through 1937 when Paul Cullens and Paul Smith convened to reorganize the Association. In 1939 the NFA was legally incorporated and the Town Forest expanded with the addition of 3 adjoining parcels. Then, in 1940 the NFA obtained its determination letter that it was a tax-exempt charitable organization. In 1955 the organizations by-laws and charters were updated.
The organization then entered another period of relative dormancy until 1970 when former board member Henry Schnakenberg donated 7 acres on Great Hill Rd to the NFA. Through 1997 the NFA operated on a shoestring budget with very little operating costs, relying largely on the efforts of volunteers and neighbors to maintain properties.
In 1997 Josephine Holcombe passed and willed the NFA 86 acres now known as the Holcombe Hill Wildlife Preserve at 65 Great Hill Road, nearby the existing Holcombe Memorial of 76 acres on Birch Hill Road. The Holcombe Preserve is the highest point in Newtown and home to our headquarters, with sweeping views in all directions.
The NFA has had over 100 board members in our rich history, who have shepherded the organization into the 21st century. Today, the NFA preserves over 1,400 acres throughout Newtown, across 76 different parcels of land. We continue to work tirelessly to maintain open spaces for the benefit of the plants, animals, and people who call Newtown home.
Meet the NFA Team
-
Trent McCann
Executive Director
Trent joined the NFA as our first ever ED in the fall of 2021. He comes to the organization with nearly a decade of working in open space and parkland management in lower Fairfield County.
His background in environmental education and non-profit management. He holds a Masters degree in Conservation Education from NYU and teaches courses in Ecology and Biology at the University of Connecticut in addition to his work with the NFA.
Trent’s passion for all things outdoors - birding, camping, hiking, skiing, and exploring - have driven him to a career of conservation. He and his wife have recently relocated to their new home here in Newtown.
Trent can be reached via email at trent.mccann@newtownforestassociation.org
-
Donna Vella
Administration & Programs Associate
Donna has been a health and wellness advocate for more than 30 years. Her role as NFA’s Administrative and Programs Associate underscores her passion for the transformative power of the natural world.
After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology, she was a corporate mergers and acquisitions paralegal and later became a valued member of the leadership team of several start-up and Fortune 500 companies.
Later in her career, she pursued her aspiration for helping individuals and communities flourish. As a certified Outdoor Guide and health coach, she strives to inspire personal growth and holistic wellness through positive psychology, nutrition, mindfulness and an embodied connection with nature.
Donna can be reached via email at donna.vella@newtownforestassociation.org
-
Now Hiring!
Resident Caretaker & Stewardship Manager
Board Members
-
![]()
Bart Smith
President
Read Bio
Bart Smith has lived in Newtown for most of his life, attending Newtown schools and Western Connecticut State University. In addition to his role in the NFA, over the years, he has been active in the community including youth sports programs and the Newtown Rotary. He retired from the printing industry, working in a variety of roles, after 43 years in 2020. Bart enjoys golf, travel & landscape design. "My passion with the NFA has been working with local landowners to preserve as much open space as possible for the generations to come"
-
![]()
Jody Eldredge
Vice President
Read Bio
Jody’s focus as a NFA Board member has been on the Land Preservation committee. She is passionate about preservation and conservation of the open space in Newtown, protecting the delicate balance between nature, environment, and responsible development for generations to come. Jody brings knowledge of land management and wildlife to the NFA.
Jody graduated from Pace University with a BA in Management Information Systems. In her spare time, Jody enjoys exploratory walks with her dog, horses, gardening, history, architecture, & travel. Jody has been a Newtown Resident Since 2015 and an NFA Board Member Since 2023
-
![]()
Mike Dylag
Treasurer
Read Bio
A lifelong Connecticut resident and Newtown resident since 2007, Mike Dylag has a true love of the outdoors and a spirit of giving back to the environment. He has hiked and backpacked extensively in the White Mountains, Catskills, and Taconics and while on his adventures, Mike abides by the principles of “Leave No Trace.” He is a longtime member and supporter of the following environmental/outdoor organizations: Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Sierra Club and Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), as well as local organizations such as the NFA and Southbury Land Trust.
Mike graduated from Fairfield University with an accounting degree, is a CPA, and has held senior level financial positions in the healthcare services and information technology and staffing/recruitment industries. As a board member of the NFA, he is looking to apply his love of the outdoors and environment, as well as his financial acumen, toward enhancing stewardship, expanding membership, and assisting with fundraising.
-
![]()
Liliane Gentry
Secretary
Read Bio
Liliane is a passionate gardener and nature lover who has been living in Newtown since 1997. She was born and raised in Haarlem, The Netherlands, and immigrated to Westchester County, New York in 1983. She graduated from Pace University with a degree in Accounting and Information Systems, and later pursued a Horticulture Landscape Design certification.
Over the course of her professional career, she has held various positions in Finance, Operations, Change Management, and Information Technology. Liliane and her partner, Jack Ubertalli, recently built a home in Newtown, where they are working on designing and establishing perennial borders, hillside gardens and a native meadow to attract and support local wildlife, insects, and birds.
Liliane is an avid enthusiast of the outdoors and enjoys activities like birding, hiking, and visiting local gardens and nurseries. She is a longtime member of the Garden Conservancy, an organization whose mission it is to preserve, share, and celebrate America’s gardens. She is eager to continue promoting and raising awareness of the NFA organization in the local community through its various outreach programs and educational events, such as guided hikes, restoration projects, and fun, seasonal outdoor gatherings.
-
![]()
Guy Peterson
Read Bio
Guy Peterson grew up in Fairfield, CT, in a family that was active in environmental preservation. He has lived in Newtown since 1993. After graduating from Providence College in 1989 with a BS in Accounting, he joined Deloitte & Touche LLP where he continues to be employed as a Director working in Deloitte’s National Office. Guy joined the NFA board in 2003 as Treasurer and has focused on improving board governance, grant writing, and coordinating Eagle Scout projects, as well as rolling up his sleeves doing property maintenance. Guy is also credited with creating the first NFA web site and starting the annual newsletter Guy has been actively involved as a Cubmaster for Pack 70 and a Committee Member of Troop 370. Guy also serves as Treasurer and one of the founding members of the Pootatuck Watershed Association and is currently the Chairman of the Northern Fairfield Land Trust Coalition.
-
![]()
Harvey Pessin
Read Bio
His focus has been to educate our community about land acquisition and donation opportunities In addition his focus also includes stewardship project activities of the NFA.
He is a graduate of CUNY and the University of Miami, after which he had a career as a special education teacher, wireless data salesman, and ultimately the owner and principal of Heirloom Gardens, a boutique greenhouse grower and landscape design and installation company.
-
![]()
Scott Baggett
Read Bio
Scott Baggett has been a Newtown resident since 1984, attending schools in Maryland and West Virgina before moving north to Connecticut.
Scott is the production manager at The Newtown Bee where he has been employed for over 39 years. In his spare time Scott and his wife Sherri Smith Baggett enjoy being with family (whose three grandchildren are 7th generation Newtowners), raising golden retrievers, hiking, and gardening. In addition to being a board member of Newtown Forest Association, he is a corporator for Newtown Savings Bank.
Raising his family in Newtown has reinforced Scott’s strong sense for our community. He is aware you cannot stop generational change but can share the wonderful things that make our town great with hopes they can be preserved and conserved for future generations.
-
![]()
Ed Kelleher
Read Bio
His focus as an NFA board member has been to share his legal expertise and advice concerning legal and ethical issues related to corporate governance and the operations of our land trust. He has previously served for several years as NFA Vice President, dating back to 2001.
Ed and his family have resided in Newtown since 1990. He has a B.A. from Dickinson College and his law degree from Columbia Law School. His private law practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate, zoning, land use, estate planning.
-
Bob Eckenrode
Read Bio
Bob served as President of the NFA Board of Directors from 2008-2020. His specific efforts have been focused on wildlife habitat enhancement and stewardship of the natural resources on NFA properties and using a Lead by Example method of sharing these efforts with residents and town officials. These efforts also include working with board members to raise the profile of the NFA in Newtown and regionally. Land owner outreach and education are a priority as well being an active member of the steering committee for the Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership (22 Town RCP including Fairfield County in Connecticut and Westchester county in New York)
-
![]()
Dan Dalton
Read Bio
Dan Dalton was born in Rochester, New York. He has a degree in Forest Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. Dan is a Board Certified Master Arborist, and works as a manager for the Davey Tree Expert Company in Hamden, CT. He also teaches Arboriculture and Plant Health Care in the Horticulture Department at Naugatuck Valley Community College, as well as for many Green Industry professional groups. He and his wife Anne have lived in Sandy Hook for 39 years, where they raised their three children: Patrick, Caitlin, and Tim. He has been a member of the Newtown Forest Association Board of Directors since 2009, where his primary interest is land stewardship. In rare moments of spare time, Dan enjoys hiking, kayaking, and music.
