FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill Clabough
Executive Director
865-755-3883
MARYVILLE, TN -- What a perfect way to end our 25th year of service and jump start our 26th year as an East Tennessee land trust! FLC is pleased to announce a late December conservation easement signing on a 648 acre tract in Polk County. Surrounded on all sides by the Cherokee National Forest, this property offers ridge top views of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, including the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. There are three cabins currently on the property. Tributaries on the property allow for critical trout spawning for both the Hiwassee and Ocoee River watersheds, including 2.4 miles of trout habitat along Big Lost Creek. The property offers a mixed hardwood forest as well as old-growth white pine and hemlock. Bill Clabough, FLC’s Executive Director, considers this a rare opportunity to preserve land that remains relatively untouched by human hands. “The beauty and environmental values of this property are in keeping with the forest lands surrounding it. What an outstanding opportunity for Foothills to assist in the preservation of this natural area both for our community and wildlife habitat.”
Additional FLC 2010 conservation easements include an 11 acre tract outside of Maryville. Catherine Gilreath, a longtime Blount County resident and outdoors person/volunteer, recently decided to give back to her community in the form of a conservation easement. Her wish to preserve this land stemmed from the experiences she had growing up and the desire to preserve the land for others. Gilreath says, “Sports kept me out of trouble. Growing up in Sevier County (Kodak) across the road from Beech Springs School, my sibling and I along with all the neighborhood kids, enjoyed the nearby outdoor recreational facilities. That’s why I wanted to specify that this property could be used for community soccer fields and for other recreational uses.” The property includes a mix of open space and woodlands as well as a creek – all wonderful attributes for an outdoor sports area.
Billy Wallace decided to partner with Foothills this year to place his 15 acre tract in Halls (Knox County) under conservation easement. This is truly a unique piece of land that includes a blue hole (or underwater sinkhole) that is part cave and part spring. The property’s spring feeds into Beaver Creek that cuts through the Halls community. Surrounding the blue hole is good quality habitat for a variety of field and wetland birds. Sparrows love the mix of grasses and nearby water source – allowing them a place for nesting and protection. A lone, tall tree trunk along the spring hole is the remnant of an ash tree that likely provides for bird, owl and even raccoon habitat.
In early 2010, FLC agreed to hold a conservation easement for the Legacy Parks Foundation on 26 acres in Knox County for the purpose of enlarging the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge (SIWR) property. Since that time, the Legacy Parks Foundation has given this tract (w/ easement) over to Knox County for inclusion in the refuge. SIWR is a wildlife sanctuary that encompasses 360 acres. It’s available for recreational use by the general public. Management of the SIWR refuge is a joint effort between Knox County Parks & Recreation and the Seven Islands Foundation.
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]]>Date: April 24, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET
Instructor: Kay Sohl
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Cost: $55 before 4/23, then cost will increase to $65
Land trusts depend on the generosity of donors, and it’s absolutely essential that land trusts use these gifts according to the donor’s intentions. In this webinar, you will learn best practices in managing the receipt and use of restricted gifts.
Participants will learn:
1. How GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), FASB, and IRS regulations on restricted gifts
2. What constitutes unrestricted, temporarily restricted or permanently restricted gifts, including endowments
3. The difference between board designated funds and restricted gifts
4. How to record temporarily and permanently restricted gifts
5. How to record the use of temporarily restricted funds
6. How to manage time restrictions on gifts, multi-year grants and donor pledges
7. Strategies for setting up stewardship funds
Contact:
Vanessa Vaughan
The Conservation Fund
703.908.5809
vvaughan@conservationfund.org
Project protects wildlife habitat, provides recreational opportunities for race fans April 25, 2008
Talladega, AL - Today, The Conservation Fund joined with Ryan Newman, driver of Penske Racing's #12 Alltel Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and NASCAR legend Bobby Allison to announce the second Racing for Wildlife project: the protection of more than 1,100 acres in the Talladega National Forest.
Racing for Wildlife unites the sports community with passionate land and water conservationists across the country. The Conservation Fund and the Ryan Newman Foundation launched the program last year to begin building an American land legacy for generations of sports enthusiasts who share Newman's love of the outdoors. Michigan International Speedway provided inaugural support for Racing for Wildlife's first project at Mill Lake in southern Michigan.
"I've met a lot of NASCAR fans who are avid fisherman like me," said Newman. "And they know how important it is to protect the beautiful land and water that we enjoy today so our grandchildren can enjoy it in the future."
Racing for Wildlife's new project will protect prime land for hiking, camping and recreation, just a short drive from Talladega Superspeedway, in the Talladega National Forest. The effort will complete the protection of the eight-mile crest of Rebecca Mountain, a major ridge in the Appalachian Mountains, and allow the U.S. Forest Service to complete a portion of the Pinhoti Trail, which connects Rebecca Mountain to the popular Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Georgia.
The Conservation Fund is working with the U.S. Forest Service to raise the funds needed to acquire the property. In a critical step forward, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Alabama's congressional delegation have already secured $738,000 from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. From private donors, The Conservation Fund now seeks to raise an additional $550,000.
"Alabama's national forests offer beautiful views and are home to diverse species of wildlife that are enjoyed year round by visitors from Alabama and across the country," said U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL). "I was proud to play a role in the continued protection and preservation of our wildlife and natural resources." Sen. Shelby serves on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, which provides funds for the U.S. Forest Service.
"From the foothills of the Appalachians in North Alabama to the beaches of the Gulf Coast, Alabama is blessed with an abundance of natural resources that continue to be an important part of our southern culture," said U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. "It's hard to imagine an Alabama without thick woods for fathers and sons to camp, freshwater streams for families to fish or wild lands for Saturday afternoon hikes together."
Sen. Sessions also added, "We've done much to preserve Alabama's resources, conserving sensitive acres in places like Mt. Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge, Little River Canyon, and the Cahaba River. Still, there is more to be done, and I applaud the Conservation Fund, the Ryan Newman Foundation and the Racing for Wildlife program for moving ahead with efforts to conserve over 1,000 acres of Rebecca Mountain near the Talladega National Forest, including an important stretch of land on the Pinhoti Trail. Future generations of Alabamians will undoubtedly benefit from these important conservation efforts."
"Alabama's national forests are a treasure for all our citizens, and I am proud to support efforts that help protect and preserve our natural resources for generations to come," said U.S. Rep Mike Rogers (R-AL), whose district includes Talladega.
The project has received the support of NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, a long-time resident of Alabama and four-time winner at Talladega Superspeedway. "I applaud Ryan's commitment to the outdoors and to protecting places for the public to use and enjoy," said Allison. "I'm thrilled that he has chosen Talladega as the site for the second Racing for Wildlife project and I hope that race fans will get involved in protecting this property on Rebecca Mountain."
"I'm honored to work once again with Ryan Newman and also with legendary driver Bobby Allison, who is no stranger to Talladega," said Rex Boner, vice president and southeast representative for The Conservation Fund. "We are grateful for their dedication to providing places where the youth of today and tomorrow can connect with nature. Stay tuned for more Racing for Wildlife projects coming soon to a track near you."
Over time, Racing for Wildlife will pursue new conservation projects that offer recreational opportunities near urban areas, so families can easily enjoy the outdoors in protected places. In selecting conservation projects, Racing for Wildlife will work with local land conservation groups and public agencies to find opportunities that both fulfill state-recognized conservation priorities and invite a new generation to experience the outdoors. Racing for Wildlife's first project, still ongoing, is the restoration of the Mill Lake Youth Camp, a historic camp near the Michigan International Speedway that will reopen to families, focusing on youth activities, family events and individual use.
To learn more about Racing for Wildlife or to make a donation, visit www.racingforwildlife.org.
The Ryan Newman Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonrofit organization, which was established in January 2005 by NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and his wife, Krissie. The mission of the foundation is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters; to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation so the beauty of the great outdoors can be appreciated by future generations; and to provide college scholarship funding through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students interested in auto racing careers. The Ryan Newman Foundation is proud to be supported by the NASCAR Foundation.
The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America's land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. Since 1985, we have helped protect more than 6 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities. We're a top-ranked conservation organization, effective and efficient.
]]>This webinar is part of the Planning for Growth and Open Space Conservation Webinar Series, sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, National Open Space Conservation Group.
Conservation easements have been an important tool for conserving private lands and retaining working landscapes for farming and forestry, but creating the conservation easement is only part of the story. This program will discuss some of the common challenges associated with monitoring and enforcing conservation easements and how to overcome them.
The following presenters will facilitate this webinar: