The new agreement ensures that Highstead will be protected in perpetuity.
As anyone who’s visited our Redding property can attest, Highstead is a special place, home to a variety of habitats—from verdant wetlands to dry forests to sunny meadows—each which supports diverse plant and animal communities, including rare species such as purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens), bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), and the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis). Now, thanks to a new agreement with the Aspetuck Land Trust known as a conservation easement, 167 acres at Highstead will be permanently protected from subdivision and development—ensuring connectivity for wildlife, protecting clean drinking water, and helping to maintain the region’s rural character.
Highstead’s Agreement with Aspetuck
In late October 2025, Highstead deeded the development rights on 167 acres to the Aspetuck Land Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Westport, Conn., which to date has protected over 2,200 acres throughout Fairfield County and is a qualified holder of conservation easements. Under the agreement, Aspetuck will be responsible for annually monitoring the property to ensure that Highstead complies with the easement and that its natural state remains intact. The agreement assures that Highstead remains forever a “place of quiet rest, restoration, and undisturbed sanctuary in its natural, scenic, and open space condition.”