FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sam Oliver
847-382-7283
BARRINGTON, IL -- Lake County Stormwater Management Commission recognized Patsy Mortimer with the 2010 "Stewardship of the Year” Award December 2 for her dedication and leadership of the Flint Creek Watershed Partnership. SMC Chairman, Steve Mountsier, and Executive Director, Mike Warner, presented a framed photo of Flint Creek in winter to Patsy. Partners and supporters from Citizens for Conservation, Barrington Area Council of Governments, Barrington Area Development Council, North Barrington, Schumm Consulting, SMC, Trillium Native Landscapes and the Village of Barrington joined her for the award presentation.
Patsy helped form Flint Creek Watershed Partnership in 2005 and guided development of the Flint Creek Watershed Plan in 2007 to improve water quality, reduce flooding and protect natural resources. The partnership is now implementing the plan with rain gardens, detention basin retrofits, and native stream buffers. Educational presentations, tours, workshops and displays keep watershed stakeholders engaged, further enhancing the quality of life in the watershed. Mike Warner thanked Patsy and remarked, “Your integrity and compassion are hallmarks of a true steward of the land.”
Flint Creek Watershed Partnership brings together stakeholders to preserve, protect and improve the Flint Creek sub-watershed of the Fox River. More information is at www.flintcreekwatershed.org or contact Patsy Mortimer, pmortimer@earthlink.net 847-381-8663.
Photo caption: Lake County Stormwater Management Commission Executive Director, Mike Warner, and Chairman, Steve Mountsier, present Patsy Mortimer the 2010 Stewardship of the Year award. She is joined by Tom Vanderpoel and Karen Hunter, Citizens for Conservation (CFC); Janet Agnoletti, Barrington Area Council of Governments; Meredith Tucker, CFC; Gary Herrmann, North Barrington; Mike Novotney, SMC; Sam Oliver, CFC; Mike Szymanski, Village of Barrington; Kevin Rische, Trillium Native Landscapes. (Behind the cameras and not pictured: Bob Lee, Barrington Area Development Council and CFC; Nancy Schumm, Schumm Consulting
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Contact: Anne Fleming
Communications and Publications Coordinator
Little Traverse Conservancy
(231) 347-0991 | anne@landtrust.org
HARBOR SPRINGS, MI -- A beautiful property on the outskirts of Petoskey was recently donated to the Little Traverse Conservancy so that it could remain a natural sanctuary for animals for all time.
Martha “Marty” Alice Curtis was described as a private woman who had a strong connection to all living things and the earth. Born in Petoskey, Martha developed a love of farming growing up on her family’s hobby farm. Her formal training was in nursing and she worked as a surgical nurse in both Petoskey and California. But her passion was animals.
One of Martha’s closest friends, Lois Holmes, described Martha as generous, non-boastful, and someone who lived the simple life by choice. “I called her ‘the St. Francis of Petoskey’ because she believed every creature was entitled to life, including insects and spiders,” Lois said. “She always felt that when she was with nature, she was close to God.”
Late in high school, Martha owned and registered a small herd of Galloway cattle and used her own money to raise oats and hay for them. At one time, she started a business raising puppies to be trained as guide dogs for the blind.
In her will, Martha donated 25 acres of mixed forest and field, including beautiful views of Little Traverse Bay. The property has been identified as a “priority area” for the protection of water quality in the Little Traverse Bay Watershed Plan.
As part of her gift, Martha included money to remove the home and associated development and for ongoing stewardship of the property. She requested that hunting would not be allowed and that no trails or parking area be developed. Her desire was that the land be returned to its natural state so that local animals could find refuge there. “It was as if the wild animals knew that they were safe on that land,” Lois said.
“And every year, the monarchs seemed to find refuge in Marty’s woods and converged in the fields because of the milkweed. You could count on it every year.”
The new preserve will be known as the Martha A. Curtis Nature Preserve. Lying adjacent to the Bay View Woods, the property greatly increases both watershed and wildlife protection in an otherwise developing region. “Natural lands like this — sitting amidst neighborhoods — serve a multitude of purposes for both wildlife and humans,” said LTC Executive Director Tom Bailey.
“This preserve is a significant addition to land conservation in the area. Together with the Bay View Woods, it provides significant wildlife habitat and protects water quality by maintaining the natural hydrology of a large area with steep slopes that drain into Little Traverse Bay. It is a wonderful gift to the community and to conservation.”
Since 1972, the Little Traverse Conservancy has been working as the oldest regional, non-profit land trust in Michigan. With the support of more than 4,100 members, the Little Traverse Conservancy works with private landowners and units of local government to permanently protect ecologically significant and scenic lands from development. Since it was founded, more than 40,000 acres and 105 miles of shoreline along our region’s lakes, rivers, and streams have been set aside to remain in their natural state within Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Mackinac, and Chippewa counties. In addition, more than 6,000 young people participate in a Conservancy environmental education outing every year. For more information about the Little Traverse Conservancy and land protection options for your land, please contact their office at 231.347.0991 or visit www.landtrust.org.
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Contact: Kevin Joyce
The Black Swamp Conservancy
419.872.5263 | kjoyce@blackswamp.org
PERRYSBURG, OH -- Black Swamp Conservancy has passed the 9,000-acre mark in conserved lands.
The conservancy, based in Perrysburg, Ohio, is a non-profit land conservation organization dedicated to protecting and preserving natural and agricultural lands in northwest Ohio for the benefit of future generations. The organization serves a sixteen-county area that is about the size of the state of Connecticut.
“There are lots of benefits from land conservation, so this is an important milestone for all the citizens of northwest Ohio,” said Kevin Joyce, executive director of the conservancy. “Parks and nature preserves provide space for healthy outdoor activities. Farmland preservation ensures the future of agriculture, Ohio’s #1 industry. Woods and wetlands help keep our water and air clean.”
The conservancy passed the 9,000-acre mark when it reached a land conservation agreement with the owners of a 235-acre family farm west of Fremont.
Since then, Black Swamp Conservancy has added to its protected lands a 63-acre woods outside Tiffin, 145 acres of prime farmland near Delta in Fulton County, a 65-acre nature preserve on the Sandusky River north of Fremont, and an 18-acre wetland and waterway in the city of Oregon.
“9,300 acres is a lot of land,” said Mr. Joyce. “It would cover more than 7,000 football fields, including the end zones. If laid end-to-end, those fields would stretch from our office in Perrysburg to the White House in Washington, D.C.”
The conservancy preserves land mostly through perpetual land conservation agreements known as conservation easements. Through such an agreement, the landowner gives up the right to develop the property – such as by constructing buildings, putting in roads or driveways or subdividing the land – in order to protect its conservation values, which might include its value as prime farmland or as habitat for native plants and animals.
Every land conservation is filed with the county recorder, and the use restrictions become binding on the current owner and everyone else who acquires ownership at any time in the future, in perpetuity.
Under the terms of its conservation agreements, Black Swamp Conservancy is responsible for ensuring that the use restrictions are not violated. However, the conservancy does not become an owner of the property. If the land conservation agreement is broken, the conservancy may take legal action to stop the misconduct and return the property to its original condition.
“Our purpose at Black Swamp Conservancy is to preserve the rural heritage, unique natural habitats, and lakes and streams of northwest Ohio,” said the conservancy’s executive director, Kevin Joyce. “Our hope is that, by protecting our valuable land and water resources, we help create healthier communities with strong, sustainable economies.”
“The economic benefits of land conservation shouldn’t be overlooked,” added Mr. Joyce. “For example, our friends at Black Swamp Bird Observatory tell us that we had 50,000 birdwatchers in the Port Clinton area in just one week in May. Fishermen flock to northwest Ohio when the walleye make their run up the rivers every spring. Those visitors are spending a lot of money while they’re in our area.”
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WASHINGTON, DC – Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC) has been presented with a national conservation award for its pioneering work in the land trust field in developing and implementing conservation management plans for important natural areas and setting the example for effective collaboration in conservation.
The SWMLC was selected by The Land Trust Alliance of Washington, DC, from more than 1,700 land trusts across the country, to receive its National Land Trust Excellence Award, which was presented at Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference in Hartford, Connecticut, on October 3, 2010.
SWMLC’s Stewardship staff members are recognized as both regional and national leaders in conservation management. They have developed partnerships with organizations such as the Stewardship Network, Natural Areas Association (NAA), and Defenders of Wildlife to provide workshops and seminars across the country. They have been sought after to share their expertise at numerous conferences and training events for the Land Trust Alliance, Center for Collaborative Conservation, Stewardship Network, NAA, Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy, and several other conservation organizations.
“Our long-term viability, and our ability to create meaningful work in perpetuity, whether it’s scenic or cultural or protecting natural landscapes, is only going to be effective if we become part of this broader community’s fabric,” said SWMLC Executive Director Pete Ter Louw, who accepted the award for the Conservancy.
SWMLC created an innovative model for prioritization that incorporates broad stakeholder involvement and geographic information systems analysis to identify areas with critical conservation values for protection and management. The long list of stakeholders involved in these projects include federal agencies, state agencies, county officials, conservation districts, township and city officials, community foundations, private conservation organizations, universities, nature centers, community leaders, and private landowners.
The Land Trust Alliance recognized the success of this model and provided SWMLC a Strategic Conservation Planning grant to use to prioritize conservation actions in and around the 25,000-acre Barry State Game Area. Implementation of the resulting plan began immediately as a private family foundation, engaged in the planning process, stepped forward to make its core mission be the protection and restoration of priority lands. The same family foundation, the USFWS, MDNRE, Ducks Unlimited, and SWMLC have begun a long-term relationship coordinating restoration management between adjacent but separately held parcels in the same region. These partners also brought together several additional conservation organizations to receive a $1 million North American Wetland Conservation Act grant.
Rand Wentworth, President of the Land Trust Alliance, said in bestowing the award that “As a direct result of their willingness to seek out regional expertise, intergovernmental cooperation, and coordination with all of the regional members and the neighbors, the SWMLC has been able to make incredible conservation happen.” He added, “Together with fellow consevationists, the members of the SWMLC have found an effective way to preserve the quality of life and unique character of their community — now and forever."
About The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC)
SWMLC was founded in 1991 to protect the wild and scenic areas in the nine counties of southwest
Michigan. The 3.5 million acre service area, covering an expanse the size of Connecticut, is a crossroads of ecological regions. Eastern deciduous forests meet the Midwest prairies while southern mesic woodlands border northern coniferous forests and bogs. Large river systems wind throughout the countryside on their way to Lake Michigan and the largest freshwater dunes in the world. It is home to rural farms, urban centers, Great Lakes shoreline destinations, and Michigan’s largest State Game Areas – all within a short drive from Chicago, Indianapolis, and Detroit. Visit www.swmlc.org.
About The Land Trust Alliance
The Alliance is a national conservation organization that works in three ways to save the places people love. First, we increase the pace of conservation, so more land and natural resources get protected. Second, we enhance the quality of conservation, so the most important lands get protected using the best practices in the business. And third, we ensure the permanence of conservation by creating the laws and resources needed to defend protected land over time. The Land Trust Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and has several regional offices. Visit www.landtrustalliance.org.
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Contact: Jim Welsh
Executive Director
Natural Heritage Land Trust
(608) 258 9797
MADISON, WI — Good news that yesterday afternoon the Natural Heritage Land Trust purchased 100 acres to add to Westport Drumlin, a state natural area between Cherokee Marsh and Waunakee. Five years in the making, this acquisition permanently protects the western side of Westport Drumlin, a beautiful and ecologically-rich prairie and savanna. Acquisition of this property also means the permanent protection of four prairie remnants which The Prairie Enthusiasts has been managing for many years. It will also provide a location for a small parking area and trail head to greatly improve public access to the drumlin.
This is our third acquisition at Westport Drumlin; the protected landscape has grown from 14 acres to 217 acres in just two years. Click here for a map of the area.
Funding for the acquisition of the 100 acres came from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, The Conservation Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dane County Conservation Fund, Wisconsin Land Fund, and members of the Natural Heritage Land Trust. The Town of Westport and Village of Waunakee also helped make this acquisition possible.
Our special thanks go to the Koltes Brothers for their willingness to sell this great place so it can be permanently protected. I also want to thank Mark Martin of the DNR State Natural Areas program for his commitment to the Westport Drumlin landscape.
Contact: Scott Aiken
ST. JOSEPH — A judge on Tuesday ruled that the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is qualified to serve as watchdog to monitor the state’s stewardship of Warren Dunes and Warren Woods parks.
Berrien County Trial Court Judge John Dewane made the finding after a hearing on a proposed amendment to a 2009 judgment that would give title to about 550 acres of park land to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
The court heard several witnesses and reviewed other information before concluding that the conservancy is qualified and has the capability to act independently as special trustee.
The hearing provided an opportunity for the public to comment on matters affecting the future of a popular resource. Warren Dunes on Lake Michigan near Bridgman is the state’s busiest park, attracting more than a million visitors a year.
“We’re looking down the road years and years,” the judge said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Portage-based SWMLC would serve as monitor under the proposed amended judgment, which is supported by the conservancy, the state attorney general’s office and others involved in litigation over the land and its trustee.
Dewane said that when certain changes are made, as agreed by all parties, he will sign the amended judgment.
The Department of Natural Resources, now the DNRE, was appointed successor trustee for the land in 2009, but the judge left the title vested in the court, saying that additional oversight was needed.
Although the state has managed the parks for decades, the judge at the time of last year’s ruling pointed out examples of changing government positions, such as Indiana’s decision to sell the Toll Road to a foreign joint venture group for $3.8 billion.
The amended judgment now before the court would give title to the Warren Dunes and Warren Woods property to the DNRE but prohibit the agency from selling, leasing or granting an interest in any part of it.
Formed in 1991, the nonprofit SWMLC has preserved about 8,450 acres of land, or 13 square miles, in nine counties through conservation easements, purchases and gifts. The organization has 1,200 members, an annual budget of $500,000 and a staff of five full-time and two part-time employees.
SWMLC would not be involved in day-to-day operation or maintenance of the parks but would monitor DNRE’s compliance with restrictions on the property title specified by the judgment. The restrictions include holding and maintaining the land forever as public parks.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Suzanne Klein, lawyer for the land conservancy, called three witnesses to testify about the organization’s capability to serve as special trustee.
Much of the questioning was about SWMLC’s ability to function independently of the DNRE.
George Burgoyne, who retired from the DNR in 2004 after 33 years and is now a member of the SWMLC board, said 80 percent of the conservation organization’s funding is donated by private sources.
“The second thing I see is our board is very proud of our independence,” he said.
Burgoyne, a Berrien County native, said he is familiar with the Warren Woods and Warren Dunes land and is aware of its significance.
“I view this as an extra layer of protection for a very special area,” he said of designating SWMLC special trustee.
Burgoyne said that during his last DNR position he was responsible for the land management functions covering 4.5 million acres. Over the years, he said, it was sometimes helpful to have a local organization watching over land that had special qualities.
Dewane reminded Burgoyne of oil and gas leases on public land sold by the state in past years and asked if SWMLC could bring such a proposal to the court’s attention if one arose involving Warren Woods or Warren Dunes.
“I have no doubt in my mind,” Burgoyne said.
Paw Paw lawyer Harold Schuitmaker, corporate counsel for Van Buren County, and Kip Miller, chief naturalist for Berrien County parks, also testified on behalf of SWMLC.
Under the amended judgment, SWMLC is to be responsible only to the court, and if necessary after giving notice to the DNRE, can enforce compliance with the restrictions in the judgment.
The court could ask the conservancy to examine the property and report findings.
The restrictions are in keeping with those set by Three Oaks industrialist Edward K. Warren and his wife, Mary, who deeded the land to a charitable trust in 1918.
The Edward K. Warren Foundation leased the land in both parks to the state for 100 years.
A 1937 agreement covered 250 acres in Lake Township, now part of the 1,952-acre Warren Dunes park, and a 1949 agreement for the 300 acres in Warren Woods in Chikaming Township.
In 2009, Dewane appointed the Department of Natural Resources, which this year became DNRE, successor trustee for the land. The DNR was named to replace the Warren Foundation, which dissolved in 1964.
While designating the DNR as successor trustee, the court retained title to the property.
The attorney general appealed Dewane’s decision about the title, but while the appeal was pending the parties agreed to the amended judgment.
In October 2008 Dewane dismissed a complaint filed by heirs of Edward K. and Mary Warren, who sought to resurrect the long-defunct Warren foundation.
The judge found that there was no statutory basis for renewal or reinstatement.
The trust then vested in the court until Dewane named the DNR as successor.
The state’s petition for appointment of the DNR as successor trustee was consolidated with the Warren heirs’ complaint.
Contact: Maria Steiner
Community Relations Director
Central Indiana Land Trust Inc.
1500 N. Delaware Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone: 317-631-5263
Friends and members of the Central Indiana Land Trust celebrated the permanent protection of fifty-three acres of nature this past Saturday, June 12th, 2010. Not your typical nature preserve location, Oliver’s Woods is located in the heart of one of Indianapolis’s busiest shopping - and highest income – areas. The nature preserve is located directly adjacent to the 683,000 square foot Keystone at the Crossing shopping area, widely known as Indiana’s luxury shopping mall. It is anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrum and includes other retailers such as Tiffany & Co. and Williams Sonoma. Also within walking distance of the preserve: over 1,000 hotel rooms and 40 restaurants. About 180,000 people live within a five-mile radius of the property and boast an average household income of more than $85,000, more than double Indiana’s average household income.
Former landowner Oliver Blair Daugherty ensured the permanent protection of his family’s land by bequeathing it to the Central Indiana Land Trust upon his passing in 2009. He lived on the land until he became ill in 2008, and fended off many purchase offers over the years – with at least one offer coming in at $14 million.
This 53 acres had been in Mr. Daugherty’s family since the mid-1800s, when his great-grandfather received it as a land grant. The land has been named Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve in his honor. Oliver’s Woods also features a home, named the Daugherty House, which will eventually become the Land Trust’s headquarters. The home was built in the late 1800s as a Dutch Colonial and has many historical features. Additions were built on in the 1950s, including a kitchen and garage.
One hundred fifty guests were in attendance as Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard spoke to the importance of a community’s access to nature.
“We are delighted that Oliver Daugherty chose to preserve this beautiful natural area in the midst of such a highly developed part of the city, and we are honored that he chose the Central Indiana Land Trust as the vehicle for doing so. Mr. Daugherty’s wishes and the mission of the Land Trust are a perfect fit. The Central Indiana Land Trust will ensure that this land is protected forever,” said Heather Bacher, Executive Director for the Central Indiana Land Trust.
Mr. Daugherty generally kept to himself, but was interviewed by Jeff Kollath for the Indianapolis Parks Department in 2003. When asked what he would like to see done with the land either during or after his lifetime, Mr. Daugherty said, “I’d like to see what’s here stay here.”
The new preserve has 16 acres of forest and 37 acres of prairie restoration, as well as a mile of White River frontage. This will be the Land Trust’s seventh protected site located on the White River, central Indiana’s largest river. The White River is of particular environmental importance, as it supplies over 500,000 residents with their drinking water, as well as recreational opportunities for many anglers and paddlers.
In the future, the preserve will be open for the public to use for wildlife viewing and hiking. A portion of it is in an easement with the City of Indianapolis for the southern portion of Town Run Park mountain bike trails. The area under easement will continue to serve the community as mountain bike trails.
About the Central Indiana Land Trust
The Central Indiana Land Trust is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization that has protected over 3,800 acres in central Indiana through conservation easements, fee simple land acquisition, and land protection partnerships. The Land Trust manages 15 of their 28 properties as nature preserves that are open to the public.
Through land protection, stewardship and education, the Central Indiana Land Trust preserves natural areas, improving air and water quality and enhancing life in our communities for present and future generations. For more information, please visit www.ConservingIndiana.org.
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]]>Little Traverse Conservancy
3264 Powell Road
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
For more information, please call: 231.347.0991
Imagine you are on a boat in Emmet County’s Crooked Lake, moving north along the Inland Waterway. You are heading toward the Crooked River and ahead of you are the Alanson locks which will transport you safely to the Crooked River. To your left, just before the locks, are beautiful, undeveloped wetlands. It is a place where the call of kingfishers is common, as is the water trail of a muskrat or otter that just passed through.
This spring, Little Traverse Conservancy purchased 2,000 feet of this frontage along with 23 acres of marsh and forested wetlands to create the Inland Waterway Preserve. According to wildlife ecologist Burt Ebbers, “I cannot think of any other waterfront parcel in the upper Crooked River watershed more deserving of preservation than this property, both in terms of helping maintain water quality and providing quality habitat for native plants and animals.” Ebbers noted that the new preserve includes a well-defined Northern Fen community, a rarity in this region.
“Protecting this much shoreline near the top of the waterway was a high priority for the Conservancy,” said Tom Bailey, executive director for the Conservancy.
Funding for the purchase came primarily from the Taylor Foundation, and was greatly enhanced with a $15,000 contribution from the Pickerel-Crooked Lake Association (PCLA), a dynamic group that has worked in partnership with the Conservancy throughout the years. Most notably, this group served a significant role in protecting the Oden Island Nature Preserve and the Black Hole Nature Preserve.
“The PCLA is made up of members with a wide variety of backgrounds with the common interest of protecting the environmental well being of our lakes,” said Ray McMullen, president of PCLA. “Unscientifically speaking, one of the best ways to maintain or enhance the quality of a water body is to leave it the heck alone. This is why PCLA has been pleased to work with LTC on many conservation projects.”
The new preserve directly adds to protection provided by other preserves. On June 24, a pontoon ride to the new preserve will depart from Ryde Marine in Oden at 6:30 pm. There is limited space and pre-registration is required, so please call 231.347.0991 for more information or visit www.landtrust.org.
Since 1972, the Little Traverse Conservancy has been working as the oldest regional, non-profit land trust in Michigan. With the support of more than 4,000 members, the Little Traverse Conservancy works with private landowners and units of local government to permanently protect ecologically significant and scenic lands from development. Since it was founded, more than 40,000 acres and 103 miles of shoreline along our region’s lakes, rivers, and streams have been set aside to remain in their natural state within Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Mackinac, and Chippewa counties. In addition, more than 6,000 young people participate in a Conservancy environmental education outing every year. For more information about the Little Traverse Conservancy and land protection options for your land, please contact their office at 231.347.0991 or visit www.landtrust.org.
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