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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]]>Contact: Erin Heskett
Midwest Program Director
(269) 324-1683 | eheskett@lta.org
MUNCIE, IN— Dr. Helen Steussy and her daughter, Al, will be biking 3,630 miles from Oregon to New Hampshire on their “Flight for the Land” tour to raise money and awareness for land conservation. Beginning June 20th, it will take them 50 days and many thousands of feet of elevation to traverse the Cascades, Rockies, Black Hills and Appalachians on their journey from sea to shining sea. The pair, dedicated to spreading the word about the value of land conservation, will pass through many conservation lands along the way – all protected by state and local land trusts, and other organizations dedicated to preserving for future generations what remains of America’s natural landscapes.
Despite the importance of land conservation to our health and communities, we are quickly losing critical natural areas as poorly planned development eats the open landscape. Every day, over 5,000 acres of land are developed in the U.S. That’s the equivalent of losing New York’s Central Park, Chicago’s Lincoln Park, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Houston’s Memorial Park, Tampa’s Al Lopez Park, and the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Current rates and patterns of land consumption, if left unchecked, will result in wide-scale loss and fragmentation of our most important natural places within the next 20 years. The places we have counted upon for generations are disappearing at an accelerated pace and the window of opportunity to reverse this trend is rapidly closing.
That’s why Helen and Al decided to act now to help raise funds and awareness for land conservation – before it’s too late.
Across the country, local citizens and communities have joined together to save the places they cherish by establishing land trusts. These non-profit, community-based conservation organizations acquire and protect land for the public good. The nation's 1,700 land trusts help preserve land for future generations, protect our food and water supply, provide wildlife habitat, and strengthen communities. Strong land trusts work with communities to acquire and manage land for the purpose of permanent conservation and then steward the land for public benefit.
Over the years, land trusts have been extraordinarily successful, having protected more than 37 million acres of land, according to the National Land Trust Census (www.lta.org/census).
Helen and Al will be meeting with land trusts along their route to learn about the unique landscapes these land trusts are protecting, but also to help highlight the important work of land trusts and to showcase their individual successes and challenges.
Helen will be keeping a blog of the trip, and has already started blogging about conservation and its importance to her and her family. Follow her at: http://flightforthelandride.blogspot.com/.
Donations for the journey are now being accepted on their secure website: http://sites.google.com/site/flightfortheland/. The proceeds from the campaign will be split between the Red-tail Conservancy in Indiana, of which Helen is a founding member, local land trusts along the route, and the Land Trust Alliance.
About the Land Trust Alliance
The Land Trust Alliance is a national conservation group that works on behalf of America’s 1,700 land trusts to save the places people love by strengthening conservation throughout America. The Alliance works to increase the pace and quality of conservation by advocating favorable tax policies, training land trusts in best practices and working to ensure the permanence of conservation in the face of continuing threats. For additional information about the Land Trust Alliance, please visit www.landtrustalliance.org or contact Erin Heskett, Midwest Program Director at the Land Trust Alliance, at (269) 324-1683.
About the Red-tail Conservancy
Red-tail Conservancy preserves, protects, and restores natural areas and farm land in east central Indiana while increasing awareness of our natural heritage. Focused on this mission in five counties in east central Indiana, since its founding in 1999, the Red-tail Conservancy has permanently protected nearly 2,000 acres of natural areas and farmland while engaging students and adult volunteers in land stewardship activities and education. For additional information about the Red-tail Conservancy, please visit fortheland.org, or contact Barry Banks, Executive Director at the Red-tail Conservancy, at (765) 288-2587.
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