FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mike Strigel,
Executive Director, Gathering Waters Conservancy
608-333-9495 | mike@gatheringwaters.org

 

Largest Land Conservation Project in Wisconsin History Completed

 

MADISON, WI -- Gathering Waters Conservancy today applauded the announcement of the largest land conservation project in Wisconsin history – the St Croix-Brule Working Forest property, which comprises approximately 67,000 acres of working timberland and globally significant Pine Barrens in northwestern Wisconsin.

“This deal highlights the power of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program – helping to support our state’s economy, while protecting important natural resources and providing public access,” said Mike Strigel, Executive Director of Gathering Waters Conservancy, the umbrella organization for Wisconsin’s 50 land trusts. “This project reinforces the Stewardship Program’s enduring bipartisan legacy in Wisconsin.”

Protection of this tract with a working forest conservation easement will conserve wildlife habitat and
enhance water quality by sustaining productive forests at a large scale and preventing forest fragmentation. Containing much of the last remaining unprotected globally-significant Pine Barrens, this property provides critical habitat for several threatened or endangered species.

“The collaboration here between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Lyme Timber and The Conservation Fund represents a public-private partnership that’s only possible because of our state’s investment in the Stewardship Program,” Strigel added.

Additionally, being situated adjacent to several publicly owned and managed conservation lands
including the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Brule River State Forest, Douglas County Forest,
and Bayfield County Forest, this property serves as a significant connector and will permanently stitch
together approximately one million acres of conserved lands creating a contiguous, un-fragmented, diverse habitat that include lakes, streams, open fields comprised of grasses and shrubs, and a variety of natural and planted pine, conifer and hardwood forests.

###

About Gathering Waters Conservancy

Gathering Waters Conservancy is a statewide land conservation organization founded in 1994 to strengthen Wisconsin’s private non-profit land trusts. Through technical assistance, outreach and public policy advocacy, Gathering Waters helps land trusts, landowners, and communities protect the places that make Wisconsin special.
www.gatheringwaters.org.

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Edward Sortwell Clement, Jr., Esq.
Executive Director, Aquidneck Land Trust
401-849-2799 ext. 12 | tclement@ailt.org

 

Successfully Achieved All Goals of Agreement

 

MIDDLETOWN, RI -- On January 10th of this year, the Aquidneck Land Trust (“ALT”) and the Paul W. Crowley East Bay Campus of the Met School (“East Bay Met”) signed a Conservation Collaboration Agreement recognizing that young people in particular have a major stake in what Aquidneck Island’s environment will be like and that the future quality of our environment is in the process of being determined now.

East Bay Met is part of the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center, a State of Rhode Island funded public school district and local education agency which serves about 690 high school students in six small schools across three campuses in Rhode Island. The East Bay Met campus is in Newport and has 120 high school students.     

East Bay Met’s campus is near Miantonomi Memorial Park and Sunset Hill, two properties that ALT conserved with the City of Newport. Students and faculty of East Bay Met utilize these public open space areas for educational and recreational purposes.

Some of the key provisions of the Conservation Collaboration Agreement were as follows:

1. East Bay Met was to work towards raising the necessary funds by Earth Day 2012 so that all of its students could become members of ALT through ALT’s Young Friends Membership Program;
2. ALT and East Bay Met were to collaborate on an Earth Day 2012 cleanup of Miantonomi Memorial Park and Sunset Hill in Newport;
3. ALT staff were to provide educational presentations to East Bay Met students about land conservation; and
4. ALT was to provide East Bay Met the natural science lesson plans ALT developed for its Sakonnet Greenway Trail, the largest nature trail on Aquidneck Island, as this trail area is a spectacular and free living classroom.

ALT and East Bay Met successfully achieved all of the goals laid out in the Conservation Collaboration Agreement.  Even before Earth Day, the East Bay Met students had successfully raised the necessary $1,800 so that all of the school’s 120 students could become ALT members at the Young Friends Membership rate of $15/person.  It is estimated that together ALT staff, East Bay Met faculty and students picked up about 1,000 pounds of trash on their very successful Earth Day cleanup in April. ALT staff provided technical land conservation, invasive plant species and job related presentations to East Bay Met students. Further, ALT provided East Bay Met with its natural science lesson plans for its Sakonnet Greenway Trail and took East Bay Met students and faculty on a guided tour of this trail.  

In an effort to expedite its time-sensitive land conservation work, ALT is reaching out to young people to join the cause, through its new Young Friends Membership Program and other initiatives such as ALT’s natural science lesson plans for the Sakonnet Greenway Trail, as young people have a major stake in what Aquidneck Island’s environment will be like which is in the process of being determined now. The Pennfield School, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, signed a Conservation Collaboration Agreement with ALT in April 2011, and ALT is currently in discussions with other schools.

ALT’s time-sensitive mission is to conserve Aquidneck Island's open spaces and natural character for the lasting benefit of our community. Since its founding in 1990, the organization has conserved 2,387 acres on 66 properties on Aquidneck Island.  ALT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and the first land trust in Rhode Island to have received national accreditation. For more information, visit www.AquidneckLandTrust.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Emily DeSantis
NYS DEC
(518) 402-8000

Ethan Winter
Land Trust Alliance
(518) 587-0774

Grants Leverage an Additional $1.2 Million in Private Money

Public-Private Partnerships to Boost Local Land Conservation

 

ROCHESTER, NY -- Conservation Partnership Program grants totaling $1.4 million were awarded to 53 nonprofit land trusts across the state, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Land Trust Alliance announced today at the Saint Paul Pocket Park in the City of Rochester. The grants, funded through New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), will be matched by $1.2 million in private and local funding.

The purpose of the grants is to increase the pace, improve the quality and ensure the permanence of voluntary conservation of private lands, which will result in significant environmental and economic benefits for communities throughout New York.

“Through the hard work of New York’s many land trusts, the Conservation Partnership Program continues its important role in improving quality of life by enabling environmental, social and economic improvement projects in urban, rural and suburban settings,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “Land conservation benefits New York’s residents, visitors, environment and economy.”

The grants announced today will help local land trusts sustain and expand community and landowner outreach, land conservation, stewardship and education programs. The grants will advance regional economic development goals, create land trust jobs and strengthen partnerships with local and state governments while advancing locally supported efforts to preserve farmland, municipal watersheds and green infrastructure around the state. Land trusts will also apply grant funds to prepare for national accreditation, supporting New York land trust commitments to rigorous standards for organizational excellence.

“The Conservation Partnership Program grants of $1.4 million demonstrate New York State’s continued commitment to the local land trusts who are dedicated to providing clean air, water , food and places of recreation to the communities they serve. Not only will these investments in land conservation boost property values and protect public health but they will also support local businesses thus saving tax dollars,” said Senator Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “I am especially pleased that today’s announcement that 53 nonprofit organizations will receive funds includes both the Western New York Land Conservancy and the Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo.”

Assemblyman Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst), Chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, remarked, “This is a challenging time for homeowners, charities, and businesses across New York State. Empowering local communities through the Conservation Partnership Program is one proven way to give New York's citizens a voice in their future. It is also an effective way for New York to get the most out of the Environmental Protection Fund. We applaud the work land trusts do on Long Island and across the state and look forward to supporting the program in the coming years.”

“From Buffalo and Rochester to the Hudson River Valley and Long Island, the State of New York is partnering with strong, local private organizations to protect the natural places New Yorkers cherish and depend on for clean air and water, food, and recreation,” said Rand Wentworth, president of the Land Trust Alliance. “I commend Governor Cuomo, Commissioner Martens, Senator Grisanti, Assemblyman Sweeney and their colleagues in the Legislature for supporting this initiative. At a time when states are watching their budgets carefully, the EPF and the Conservation Partnership Program are proven, cost-effective investments that pay vital dividends for public health and New York’s economy.”

Grant awards ranged from $5,000 to $75,000. Land trusts awarded grants include the North Shore Land Alliance, Hudson Highlands Land Trust, Columbia Land Conservancy, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Genesee Land Trust and Western New York Land Conservancy. Grant funds are intended to assist land trusts in advancing goals set in the New York State’s Open Space Plan and state wildlife action plan.

The EPF-funded grants will also support urban open space programs administered by the Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn-Queens Land Trusts, Capital District Community Gardens and Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo.

The $1.4 million was awarded by region as follows:

• Western New York /Finger Lakes/Southern Tier: 10 awards totaling $232,650
• Central New York/Mohawk Valley: 5 awards totaling $80,300
• Northern New York/Adirondacks: 14 awards totaling $257,200
• Capital Region: 14 awards totaling $246,262
• Hudson Valley: 22 awards totaling $456,088
• New York City: 2 awards totaling $100,000
• Long Island: 3 awards totaling $45,000

View a complete listing of the 2012 grant recipients.

Since the program’s inception in 2002, the Conservation Partnership Program has awarded $6,677,500 in grants for 434 projects benefiting 79 different land trust organizations across the state and leveraged more than $13 million in additional funding. These funds have helped create employment and advancement opportunities in the conservation field and helped local communities permanently conserve 15,500 acres of farmland, wildlife habitat, recreation areas and urban open space. The Alliance administers the Conservation Partnership Program in coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Recent research underscores how investments in land conservation and open space boost property values, support local businesses, save taxpayer dollars, and protect public health. A study released in February by the Trust for Public Land found that every dollar of investment from New York’s Environmental Protection Fund generates seven dollars in additional economic benefits from tourism, reduced government costs and public health.

A 2010 report on the economic benefits of open space from the New York State Comptroller recommended the Conservation Partnership Program as a model for public-private collaboration because it leverages substantial resources for local efforts to preserve clean air and water resources, agriculture, and outdoor recreational opportunities close to home.

“The Conservation Partnership Program has demonstrated impressive statewide success by supporting land trusts in our local communities,” said Becky Thornton, chair of Land Trust Alliance’s New York Advisory Board and president of the Dutchess Land Conservancy. “This program is a model for the EPF because it unites the goals of New York’s Open Space Plan, the needs and desires of local municipalities, and the energy and enthusiasm of private landowners and land trust partners to protect and care for the land. When we work and invest together, we can make a huge difference for communities across New York State.”

“The New York State Conservation Partnership Program has been a singular success in advancing private land conservation across the state, especially in the greater Rochester region,” said Gay Mills, Executive Director of the Genesee Land Trust. “Genesee Land Trust’s recent projects, including protection of prime farmland and wildlife habitat near Sodus Bay as well as the El Camino Trail and Conkey Corner Park in downtown Rochester, have benefited greatly from the vision and investment of New York State.”

“Thanks to New York’s Environmental Protection Fund and the Land Trust Alliance-NYS DEC partnership, Rochester residents are enjoying clean drinking water from Hemlock and Canadice Lakes; sustainably grown food from local farms; and outdoor recreational opportunities in the City of Rochester, Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes,” said Jim Howe, Executive Director of the Central & Western NY Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

“Kodak is delighted to see the Conservation Partnership Program and the Environmental Protection Fund supporting the creation of a new rails-to-trails project along the Genesee River,” Charles Ruffing, Director, Health, Safety and Environment, Eastman Kodak Company. “We were early supporters of this effort, and we thank Governor Cuomo and Commissioner Martens for their leadership, and also the Genesee Land Trust, City of Rochester, The Nature Conservancy and the Land Trust Alliance for their hard work in making this happen.”

“Thanks to the Environmental Protection Fund and the Conservation Partnership Program, the Genesee Land Trust is working in the local neighborhood, creating a new corner park and the El Camino trail,” said Miguel A. Melendez Jr., Project HOPE Coordinator, Ibero-American Development Corporation (IADC). “This investment has helped Project HOPE and neighborhood residents take back public spaces and enhance our opportunities for healthy living.”

###

About the Land Trust Alliance

The Land Trust Alliance is the national leader of America’s land trust movement, serving 1,700 non-profit land trusts nationwide, including 90 organizations in New York. The Alliance works to accelerate the pace, increase the quality, and ensure the permanence of land conservation in New York and across the country.
The Alliance administers the Conservation Partnership Program in coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

For information about the Land Trust Alliance and the Conservation Partnership Program, please visit www.landtrustalliance.org or contact Ethan Winter in the Alliance’s Northeast office at (518) 587-0774 (ext. 207) or at ewinter@lta.org.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Julia Church, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
845-265-8080, ext. 7112 | commun@clearwater.org

Barbara Kendall, Hudson River Watershed Alliance
914-474-2759 | bkendall@hudsonwatershed.org

Tina Posterli, Riverkeeper
914-478-4501, ext. 239 | tposterli@riverkeeper.org

Jay Burgess, Scenic Hudson
845-473-4440, ext. 222 | jburgess@scenichudson.org

 

Leading Environmental Groups Cite Designation as Foundation for Region’s Future

 

HUDSON VALLEY, NY -- America’s Great Waters Coalition has declared the Hudson Estuary and watershed as one of the nation’s “Great Waters,” recognizing the river’s national importance and laying the groundwork for more effective federal contributions to the river’s restoration, according to leading river advocates. Building on the Hudson River’s reputation as the birthplace of the modern environmental movement and its naming as an American Heritage River, this new designation validates and reinforces the vision a broad array of partners has established for sustainable development centered on protecting the region’s natural resources and connecting more people to these irreplaceable treasures.

The heads of the region’s most prominent environmental organizations—Jeff Rumpf, executive director of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater; Barbara Kendall, coordinator of the Hudson River Watershed Alliance; Joan K. Davidson, chair of the OurHudson Steering Committee; Paul Gallay, president and Hudson Riverkeeper; and Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson—proclaimed that with this designation, now is the time to focus on a new model for federal involvement on the Hudson River that will sustain the estuary as a natural resource and a foundation for creating a sustainable economic future for the valley. They noted that the template for action in the region is embodied in New York State’s Hudson River Estuary Program Action Agenda, which has developed a regional vision for the environment and compatible economic development that builds on the valley’s history of innovation and leadership.

“Great Waters” is a designation bestowed by America’s Great Waters Coalition, which consists of 70 local, regional and national organizations that believe that speaking with a united voice and working together will help nationalize clean water, habitat restoration, watershed-based planning and public education efforts throughout the country as well as strengthen each region’s local efforts. New York State is in a leadership position to garner federal support and attention for the Hudson because of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program, which has developed a regional vision for the environment and compatible economic development that builds on the Hudson Valley’s history of innovation and leadership. Visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4920.html for more information about the Hudson River Estuary Program.

Shared Goals for a Healthy, Livable and Prosperous Valley

The valley’s residents, visitors, communities and businesses will benefit from:

• a swimmable river where water quality is regularly tested and reported, allowing the public to recreate safely in a Hudson that is free of sewage from outdated storm water and wastewater infrastructure;
• a fishable river where Hudson Valley residents can once again eat local fish without health concerns and limited commercial fisheries can thrive;
• completion of General Electric’s cleanup of toxic PCBs it dumped in the Hudson;
• a robust habitat restoration plan for the river that will allow communities to revitalize their waterfronts and attract new business and tourism investments;
• 65,000 acres of the most important scenic, ecological and agricultural significance along the Hudson forever protected, with riverfront parks where people can experience the river’s majesty and power to inspire;
• a heritage trail on both sides of the river from Albany to New York City that affords walking, kayaking/canoeing and other recreational opportunities and ways to experience history in a region designated by Congress as a National Heritage Area;
• development of regional watershed plans to address surface water and storm water management needs;
• a Hudson River estuary that boasts vibrant land, water and wildlife, with protected land that will buffer the impacts of global climate change;
• the establishment of the Hudson River as a great learning resource and creating a “pipeline” of new green leaders through support and advocacy for comprehensive environmental-education programs;
• the establishment of effective diversity outreach and consistent dialogue efforts to all people along the river, focusing on environmental justice and staunch protection of our natural resources;
• a shifting of our focus to create a sustainable economy based on building eco-friendly green cities.

“Designation of the Hudson Estuary as a Great Water builds on years of work by the state’s Hudson River Estuary Program and its partner organizations to enhance the region’s environment and economy through watershed planning and restoration initiatives. This is a big step forward,” said Barbara Kendall, coordinator of the Hudson River Watershed Alliance.

“Today we are one Hudson—united for America’s First River. This is the beginning of a new prominence and a new day for Clearwater, our Hudson River partners and the Hudson River Estuary. Thank you to our partners who have worked to achieve this great accomplishment; the tide is turned, and our shared fortunes are rising,” said Jeff Rumpf, executive director of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

Joan K. Davidson, chair of the OurHudson Steering Committee, expressed, “Congratulations to all the people and organizations, big and small, that have worked together to win this national salute to the greatest of America’s Great Waters, from the Adirondacks to the Verrazano Narrows. Excelsior!”

“It’s fitting that the Hudson River should be recognized as a Great Water in this, the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Although we still haven’t achieved the act’s goal of a ‘fishable, swimmable’ Hudson, this designation is an important recognition and should stimulate the increased investments we need to achieve these important goals,” said Paul Gallay, president and Hudson Riverkeeper.

“The Hudson Estuary has for generations inspired the nation to develop environmental policies and compatible economic development strategies. With the recognition of the Hudson and the NY-NJ Harbor as one Great Water, we have a new opportunity to restore our shared waters, revitalize our waterfronts for public use and create jobs,” said Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson.

Connection to New York-New Jersey Harbor Important to Success of Initiatives

The New York-New Jersey Harbor was named a Great Water in 2010, but the designation did not extend up the Hudson River at that time. The announcement of the entire Hudson River watershed as a Great Water acknowledges the natural hydrological connections between the harbor, the estuary and their tributaries and creates new opportunities for collaboration.

Roland Lewis, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and co-chair of the Harbor Coalition, a leading advocate for the New York-New Jersey Harbor, stated, “The goal of the NY-NJ Harbor Coalition is to galvanize support for transforming our urban waterfronts with exciting parks and docks that can accommodate everything from kayaks to tall ships, plus restored natural areas, enhanced waterfront neighborhoods and vital and sustainable port operations. By joining forces with other regional advocates through the Great Waters Coalition, we can amplify our voices and work together to secure the investment needed to make this vision a reality and create a tide that really does lift all boats.”

Estuary advocates cited that their agenda and the interests of the Harbor Coalition were remarkably similar and that both regions could be more effective at meeting their shared goals by working together.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Russ Shay
Director of Public Policy
202-800-2230 | rshay@lta.org

 

Urge House Passage of Conservation Tax Bill and Support for Farm Bill Programs

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, land trusts are descending on Capitol Hill for 118 meetings with key members of the Agriculture, Appropriations and tax-writing committees that could decide the fate of billions of dollars for land conservation. The Land Trust Alliance arranged these meetings to demonstrate the widespread support for land conservation programs throughout the country.  Land trust practitioners are promoting the economic, social and natural impact their work has on rural, suburban and urban communities alike.

“There is strong bipartisan support for land conservation in Congress because everyone can agree on the need for what land trusts provide: clean water, land to grow food, urban parks and gardens, and places to connect with nature,” said Land Trust Alliance President Rand Wentworth. 

Land trusts are community-based conservation organizations formed by local citizens that acquire and protect land for the benefit of their community. Strong land trusts provide local communities with effective champions and caretakers of their critical land resources.

“It’s important to come to Washington and explain how voluntary land conservation helps to allow people to keep working the land the way they have been for decades,” said Glen Chown, executive director of Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (MI). “People support our organization because we protect the land that gives meaning to our community.”

Landowners can retire the development rights on their land by donating a conservation easement to a land trust in their community – keeping their lands in productive use, protecting important fish and wildlife habitat, and conserving our scenic and historic heritage.

The Conservation Easement Tax Incentive, H.R. 1964, with 303 House co-sponsors and majorities of both Republicans and Democrats, will help thousands of family farmers, ranchers, and forest owners afford to conserve their land, while certain Farm Bill programs will provide cost-effective funding that leverages private dollars to conserve productive farm and ranch lands.

The Land Trust Alliance is a national conservation organization that leads a national network of 1,700 land trusts – local, nonprofit organizations working to protect clean water, safe food, and places to connect with nature. We increase the pace of conservation, so more land and natural resources get protected. We enhance the quality of conservation, so the most important lands get protected using best practices. And we ensure the permanence of conservation by creating the laws and resources needed to defend protected land over time. Details at www.lta.org/policy.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Peter Ter Louw
Executive Director
269-324-1600 | terlouw@SWMLC.org

 

 

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy
Reaches Milestones

 

PORTAGE, MI -- The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC), completed its 20th year of operation by protecting more than 1,500 acres and, cumulatively, more than 10,000 total acres. This landmark year demonstrates the commitment to conservation by the people of southwest Michigan and sets a new benchmark for SWMLC’s success.

During 2011, SWMLC protected 1,571 acres in five counties, including three preserves and 12 conservation easements. Four of the easement properties were purchased with federal and state funding to protect Great Lakes water quality. The three new preserves are the KL Avenue Nature Preserve in Kalamazoo County and the Black River Preserve and Pilgrim Haven Natural Area, both located in Van Buren County.

"This was SWMLC’s most successful year ever in the number of acres protected and in the conservation value and financial value of the land protected," said Peter Ter Louw, SWMLC executive director. "This success is primarily the result of our conservation planning to protect wildlife and water resources as well as the commitment by landowners to protect their land."

The crown jewel of SWMLC’s conservation work is the Pilgrim Haven Natural Area, a generous gift from the estate of Suzanne Upjohn DeLano Parish. The property has a long history of camping, originating as a Camp Fire Girl camp followed by ownership by the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ. It is a place long treasured by many families who spent time there every summer.

This scenic, 26-acre property, with 800 feet of beach frontage along Lake Michigan, contains a mixture of open fields, forest, and a small creek that flows into Lake Michigan just south of South Haven. SWMLC is currently working on plans — developed during public visioning sessions this past September — to identify the appropriate public use for the creation of this natural area.

The KL Avenue Nature Preserve in Oshtemo Township is a 70-acre property that will be open to the public once some initial work and site assessments are done. This rolling oak woodland has a diversity of topographical features that will provide interest for people who enjoy passive recreation. The property was a gift from Dr. Richard Malott, a professor at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

The Black River Preserve, located just southeast of South Haven, is a 121-acre natural area that will eventually offer canoe/kayak access as part of the Black River Water Trail. Three tributaries of the Black River are also protected along with lowland forests and marshes of the river’s floodplain. Former owner Dan Garvey and partners accepted a bargain sale, and SWMLC purchased the property with funds from the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
The 12 conservation easements completed by SWMLC during 2011 protect a total of 1,355 acres which include wetlands and forested floodplains on the Paw Paw and Portage Rivers, conservation land adjacent to the Barry State Game Area, and four sites within the Gull Lake watershed. Conservation of the 342-acre Eureka property in Waverly Township, Van Buren County, protects what is described as the best southern floodplain forest in the state of Michigan.

SWMLC could not have accomplished this magnitude of success without the support of donors, landowners, volunteers, foundations, businesses and government agencies.

"We are incredibly grateful for the support of the communities we work in and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support in assisting us with the work we do in southwest Michigan," said Ter Louw. "And we are excited to embark on the next 20 years of SWMLC’s conservation work."

###

About Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy

The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy serves the nine counties of southwest Michigan, and has protected over 10,400 acres since its inception as an all-volunteer organization in 1991. The Conservancy currently has seven full-time and one part-time staff and 150 active volunteers and is supported by over 1,100 household memberships.

SWMLC is partnering with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on the Barry State Game Area conservation project and with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality on watershed management planning projects for the Rocky River, Paw Paw River, Black River, Gull Lake watershed and Augusta Creek. SWMLC is working on waterfowl conservation, endangered species habitat acquisition and stewardship projects in collaboration with other land conservancies and nonprofit conservation partners through funding from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. SWMLC is also working on watershed planning and management with the Two Rivers Coalition, Van Buren Conservation District, and Friends of the St. Joseph River. In addition, SWMLC works with county and municipal governments to protect natural areas and open space along Lake Michigan as well as land that provides significant public benefit.

To learn more about the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, call (269) 324-1600, visit their web site at www.SWMLC.org, or like them on Facebook.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katrina Farmer
Communications Associate
603-357-0600 | katrina@monadnockconservancy.org

 

308 Acres of Family Property Donated

 

KEENE, NH -- To honor their deceased parents, the children of John and Rosemarie (Studer) Calhoun recently donated to the Monadnock Conservancy 308 acres of the family’s property, which straddles the Gilsum and Sullivan town lines.

Jack Calhoun, Will Calhoun, Helen Mercer, Annemarie Calhoun and Ruth McQuade signed the deed to donate the two parcels of land to the Monadnock Conservancy. The Conservancy will maintain the property, part of which is a certified tree farm, as a working forest and public recreation area. A conservation easement previously donated to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests prevents development of the land.

“We are all delighted that the Monadnock Conservancy will continue to steward the property in a manner consistent with the aspirations and goals of our dad and mom,” said Jack Calhoun on behalf of the family.

The Calhoun family has a heritage of loving and using the woods and its trees: John and Rosemarie’s fathers were a lumberman and forester, respectively, and John was a career consulting forester in the Monadnock Region. Each generation has learned from an early age to love the land.

“In turn, we wanted to see [our parents’ property] be a place for others to do the same,” said Jack Calhoun.

The Calhouns’ Bingham Hill Forest property will now be known as the John and Rosemarie Calhoun Family Forest. The public will be welcome to walk and hike on the system of old logging roads, and in time signage and limited parking will be installed. The forest, which John began decades ago to manage carefully as a timber resource, will continue to be harvested sustainably, providing a perpetual source of revenue for the Conservancy and opportunities for forestry demonstration and education.

The property features over 10,000 feet of river and stream frontage, including White Brook and the Ashuelot River. The protection of the forest helps prevent water contamination, avoiding future public health threats downstream, and it helps moderate stream flow in times of drought and flood.

In addition, the property directly abuts 466 acres of contiguous conserved land—not bisected by any major roads—and is a part of a larger corridor, thousands of acres in size extending eastward into Sullivan and Stoddard, protected by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Some of the benefits of unfragmented land are that it provides corridors for wildlife; allows water to filter through forests, wetlands and streams unimpeded; accommodates large-scale forest management planning and prevents sprawl development. Such lands also preserve the scenic landscape and rural character of the area.

The action to donate the Calhoun Family Forest was praised by Ryan Owens, Conservancy executive director, “This donation provides not only a means for us to welcome the public to a spectacular landscape completely under our management, but also to meet our long-term funding needs through sustainable forestry. We’re thinking of it as an endowment, but one that’s much more interesting to manage than a stock portfolio. Plus, the Calhouns have assured us that John will haunt us all if we don’t keep this a working forest.”

The protection of the Calhoun family’s property doubles the acreage the Monadnock Conservancy owns in fee simple, or outright. The vast majority of the organization’s land protection has been accomplished through conservation easements, through which a private landowner continues to own the land.

“The addition of the Calhoun Family Forest to the local area’s protected lands will help define a core part of our Region,” said Rocci Aguirre, conservation project manager for the Conservancy.

About the Monadnock Conservancy

The Monadnock Conservancy, founded in 1989, is the only land trust dedicated exclusively to the 35 towns of the Monadnock Region in southwestern New Hampshire. Its mission is to identify, promote and actively seek protection of significant natural, aesthetic and historic resources in the area; and to monitor and enforce the protection of lands in the trust. Based in Keene, N.H., the Conservancy is an accredited land trust and has protected 15,000 acres of forest, farmland, shoreline, wetlands, wildlife habitat and recreation trails in the region. For more information, visit www.monadnockconservancy.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
David Kotker
978-248-2055 x19 | kotker@mountgrace.org
Rachael Hanley
(413) 498-3357 | rhanley@nmhschool.org

 

 

School Sells 117 Acres of Land

 

NORTHFIELD, MA -- Directly across Gulf Road from the Northfield Town Forest, New England’s National Scenic Trail heads east to climb Mt. Grace before heading on to Mt. Monadnock.

Northfield Mount Hermon School has now protected this section of the trail, selling 117-acres of land, including ¾ miles of trail, to Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust as part of the Metacomet-Monadnock Forest Legacy Project.

“Northfield Mount Hermon School and Mount Grace Land Trust have been collaborating on this effort for over five years,” explained Bob Macomber (NMH ’60), a former trustee of the school who helped negotiate the sale.  “It became clear that this land could be a central piece to the Northfield section of the National Scenic Trail because it provides a more direct and more attractive hiking connection for adjacent sections of the Trail.  With the opportunity to participate in both a healthy recreational use and a long term conservation effort, the NMH Board readily approved this conveyance.”

“Northfield Mount Hermon is very pleased to have worked closely to support the excellent work and land stewardship of our neighbors at the Mount Grace Land Trust,” added NMH Head of School Charles A. Tierney III.  “Their important efforts continue to produce lasting value for all of us and future generations.”  Situated along a ridgeline known as the Bald Hills, which includes the popular hiking destination Crag Mountain, the protected land runs east toward the Warwick town line and includes part of Northfield’s Great Swamp and several unnamed tributary brooks that feed it.  

Mount Grace plans to transfer the property to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in 2012, when it will be added to the Northfield State Forest.  “This land gives access to the Northfield State Forest and the Great Swamp from the west,” said Mount Grace Conservation Director David Graham Wolf.  “We have a truly awe inspiring wetland system and wilderness back there. The property is part of a nearly 8,000-acre roadless area, making it a very significant biodiversity hot spot for our region.  This is a big win for land conservation in Massachusetts.”

This is the seventh property protected through the Metacomet-Monadnock Forest Legacy Project, a conservation effort three years in the making that will protect approximately 1,200 acres in six towns.  Partners in the project include local towns, Mount Grace, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Greater Northfield Watershed Association, and the USDA Forest Service, which provided a $1,645,000 grant to conserve the land.  Northfield Mount Hermon's decision to join in the Forest Legacy application was a major factor that played into the award of the grant.  DCR’s Bureau of Forestry serves as the lead agency to administer the Forest Legacy Program in Massachusetts.  Other grants in support of the project were provided by the Bafflin Foundation, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and the Fieldstone Foundation.

Earlier this year, as part of the same Forest Legacy Project, Mount Grace helped the Town of Northfield and local landowners Sam and Barbara Richardson protect 188 acres of land along the 215-mile New England National Scenic Trail, which runs from Connecticut to New Hampshire along a mix of private and public lands.  Those properties included the Northfield Town Forest.  Parking for access to the trail is at the Brush Mountain Conservation Area off Gulf Road.   Metacomet-Monadnock Forest Legacy funding also helped Mount Grace protect land on the Tully Trail in Warwick and Royalston and protect a 130-acre property in Erving this spring.

The United States Forest Service conducts a nationwide search for worthwhile forest conservation projects each year as part of the Forest Legacy Program. Projects are proposed by each state and compete for a limited pool of Forest Legacy funding which can be used to purchase either land or conservation restrictions on privately owned land.  Mount Grace has had many successful collaborations with Forest Legacy, including the 2006-2009 Quabbin Corridor Connection Project, and has conserved more than 4,000 acres in Franklin and Worcester Counties through the program.  

“Over the years, Mount Grace has done an exceptional job of securing parcels that exemplify the natural beauty of the region in order to protect it for future generations,” said Congressman John Olver.  “This acreage is located in the heart of a region with strong economic ties to forestry, recreation, and tourism. Conserving this land protects not only this unique economic asset but also critical habitat for forest interior species and the viewshed for the New England National Scenic Trail.”

About Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust

Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is a regional land trust that serves 23 towns in Franklin and Worcester counties and is supported by memberships and private, state and federal grants.  It protects significant natural, agricultural and scenic areas and encourages land stewardship in north-central and western Massachusetts for the benefit of the environment, the economy and future generations.  In 25 years through collaborations and partnerships, Mount Grace has protected 25,000 acres.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Citizens for Conservation
(847) 382-7283 | cfc@CitizensforConservation.org

 

2011 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award

 

BARRINGTON, IL -- Citizens for Conservation has received an important award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Chicago Wilderness for its Flint Creek Savanna restoration. This is a 2011 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award.  

The award recognizes “sites that are exemplary in the use of native landscaping, ecosystem restoration and protection, and/or conservation design.  These practices create and protect habitat for a variety of native plant and animal species and result in important environmental benefits for both people and nature.”

Chicago Wilderness and EPA commended CFC’s commitment to Flint Creek Savanna, including the dedication of CFC’s active volunteer base.
They were impressed with the enhanced habitat and biodiversity of prairie, wetland, and oak woods as well as the sharing of seed and plants with other local conservation groups and restoration projects  

The judges also cited CFC’s protection of habitat for nesting migratory birds and its public education and communication initiatives.  

The award capped Citizens for Conservation’s 40th anniversary celebration of Saving Living Space for Living Things.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Curtis McQueen
Eklutna Inc.
(907) 696-2828

Phil Shephard
Great Land Trust
(907) 903-7818

 

Eklutna Inc. to Receive $1.95 Million for Conservation Easement
at the Confluence of the Knik and Matanuska Rivers

 

ANCHORAGE, AK -- Eklutna Inc. CEO Curtis McQueen and Great Land Trust Executive Director Phil Shephard announced today that Eklutna Inc., the Native Corporation for Anchorage, will conserve nearly 4800 acres at the mouth of the Knik and Matanuska Rivers with a conservation easement. The land will remain under the ownership of Eklutna Inc. and traditional uses such as hunting and fishing by Shareholders and public access through permits will continue. The property contains excellent habitat for all five species of salmon in Cook Inlet as well as many other wildlife species. In addition, the property is adjacent to the Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge and Chugach State Park, two of Alaska’s most popular recreational areas. Scenic views of the property are well known by travelers crossing the Knik River Bridge on the Glenn Highway.

Great Land Trust has been working to conserve wetlands and other important habitats in south central Alaska since 1995. Eklutna, Inc is the largest private landowner in the region and both organizations anticipate more conservation projects in the future. Eklutna, Inc. will be paid $1.95 million for the conservation easement. The project was made possible through a collaborative effort with the Mat-Su Salmon Partnership, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA Fisheries, AK Dept of Fish and Game and CIRI. Funding for this conservation easement was made possible through resources set aside to offset habitat losses associated with the expansion of the Port of Anchorage.  

Curtis McQueen praised the project and said that “Eklutna Inc. has been working hard over the last several years to make more of its lands available for development so the growing community of Anchorage could continue to prosper. We have master planned strategic sections of our lands to meet the need for more residential, commercial and industrial development. At the same time, we are honored to work with the Great Land Trust to protect key habitat for our shareholders and the community. We anticipate doing more transactions of this kind in the future”.    

Phil Shephard applauded the deal, stating “working together with the staff and board at Eklutna Inc. to permanently conserve 4800 acres for the citizens of southcentral Alaska has been enriching and incredibly rewarding - we look forward to the next project very soon!”

The press is invited to a signing ceremony which will be held on Nov 4th at 3pm at the Eklutna Inc. office to commemorate this event. Their office is located at 16515 Centerfield Drive, Suite 201, Eagle River, Alaska 99577.

###