John Pritchard first became captivated by Lyme when visiting friends there decades ago.

He observed, “Lyme is largely rural and wooded, it has beautiful fields, and it borders the marshland of Lord Cove — the estuary of the Connecticut River — which The Nature Conservancy many years ago identified as one of the ‘40 last great places on earth.’ It’s also an incredible nursery for all kinds of fish and wildlife.”

John and his wife, Lee, later made their home in Lyme. “We fell in love with this beautiful rural enclave. It’s ‘paradise’ in a way.”

Now retired from a law firm that took him around the world, Pritchard is devoting his energies — and philanthropy — to Lyme’s land conservation.

According to John, he’s got a lot of help.

“Lyme is very unusual — there are about 800 households in the town and over half of them are members of the Lyme Land Conservation Trust. Lyme’s conservation ethic may not be exceeded by any other town in the country.”

As the chair of the Land Trust and an avid hiker, John sees the enormous responsibility in caring for its 113 properties comprising more than 3,000 acres (and growing). Dozens of trails need to be maintained for recreational and educational programs for all ages.

As a long-time committee and board member, he values the Foundation’s commitment to dismantle inequities. That’s why John established two charitable gift annuities at the Community Foundation. And he trusts the Foundation to invest his funds wisely.

After John’s lifetime, his fund will benefit the Lyme Land Conservation Trust. With the gift of his endowment, John hopes the Land Trust can hire additional staff to steward the land, educate the next generation of conservationists, and create more inclusive open spaces for historically marginalized communities.

“If steps are taken now,” he said, “it will benefit future generations forever.”