Some of the land protection highlights from the past year included:

• The protection of more than 2,300 acres and three miles of river frontage in Chippewa and Luce counties near Newberry;
• The purchase of a 140-acre addition to the Round Island Point Preserve in Chippewa County, bringing the preserve’s total size to 1,024 acres;
• The protection of 446 acres of Charlevoix County privately owned land along US-31 through the purchase of development rights and the donation of a conservation easement;
• Sixty three acres of private property in Springvale Township , Emmet County protected through a conservation easement;

Other 2006 organizational highlights included the following:

• New trails and parking areas were completed at the Goodhart Farms Nature Preserve in Emmet County . With more than 7 miles of trails, this property allows for hiking, biking, cross country skiing, and horseback riding;
• A new kiosk at the Conservancy office allows visitors to view aerial images of every single Conservancy nature preserve through a program called “Google Earth.” Files are now available on the Conservancy website for downloading to personal computers with sufficient capabilities.
• More than a hundred volunteers assisted the organization with a multitude of activities including mailings, preserve and trail monitoring and maintenance, and donated use of photographs and artwork.
• More than 5,000 young people participated in an environmental education program offered through the Conservancy. Seasonally themed programs for school aged students and community field trips are held throughout the year at various nature preserves and natural areas. The popular preschool programs continue to grow.

The Land Trust Alliance recently reported that from 2000-2005, the number of protected acres nationwide increased by 96%. This trend proved true across Michigan as well, which reported a 48% increase in acres conserved over the same time period. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that during the same years (2000-2005), the population of Emmet County alone grew by more than 2,100 individuals. “As more and more people understand the private land protection options that are available to them, land conservancies continue to make a bigger difference on our landscape,” said Little Traverse Conservancy executive director, Tom Bailey. “And because growth and development continue at a pace much faster than land protection, every project we can complete is important.”

To find out more about the Little Traverse Conservancy and opportunities to protect your private land, please visit their website at www.landtrust.org or call 231.347.0991.

This stretch of US-31 has been protected by Mary Faculak (credit: Todd Parker)