2002 Year-End Summary

The Little Traverse Conservancy protected a total of 1,409 acres of land its five-county service area during 2002. This includes 22 separate projects with one mile of water frontage and one mile of significant road frontage. The Conservancy also reached record membership and contribution levels with 4,160 individuals, families, and businesses donating a total of $604,280.

"It is encouraging to see so many people continue to value the scenic and ecological protection of our region's lands, even in a weak economy," said Tom Bailey, the Conservancy's Executive Director. "We are only as strong as our membership support as we continue to seek a balance between growth and preservation."

Bailey added that this strong membership support is directly responsible for their ability to purchase more land for protection. One third of last year's land protection projects involved a purchase, and totaled over half of the land protected. The other two-thirds of the projects were donations of either land or conservation easements.

Highlighting last year's accomplishments was the protection of 586 acres of farmland in northwestern Emmet County. The donation of the Good Hart Farms to the Little Traverse Conservancy was the single largest land gift ever made in the organization's 30-year history. "It is just a phenomenal gift, both in terms of protected land and what it will mean for the community," said MaryKay O'Donnell, the Conservancy's Director of Land Protection.

Other Conservancy highlights of 2002 included:

· The completion of the Conservancy's first Purchase of Development Rights project with the protection of 345 acres of the Bonnett Farm in Cheboygan County.
· An 80-acre donated conservation easement in Charlevoix County.
· The protection of a 40-acre inholding within a 360-acre nature preserve in Chippewa County.

In addition to land protection, other accomplishments of the organization included:
· completion of preserve improvements at Raven Ridge, Andreae, Little Sand Bay, Chaboiganing, and Sleepy Hollow nature preserves,
· printing of the Conservancy's new Nature Preserve Guide, now available for free through their office, and
· the involvement of 6,362 young people from public and private schools, scout programs, and home school associations in a Conservancy field trip program. The snowshoe season was once again the most popular with 2,314 students getting outdoors to explore our winter woodlands.

Little Traverse Conservancy Protects 1,400 Acres in 2002
The Little Traverse Conservancy protected a total of 1,409 acres of land its five-county service area during 2002. This includes 22 separate projects with one mile of water frontage and one mile of significant road frontage. The Conservancy also reached record membership and contribution levels with 4,160 individuals, families, and businesses donating a total of $604,280. "It is encouraging to see so many people continue to value the scenic and ecological protection of our region's lands, even in a weak economy," said Tom Bailey, the Conservancy's Executive Director. "We are only as strong as our membership support as we continue to seek a balance between growth and preservation." Bailey added that this strong membership support is directly responsible for their ability to purchase more land for protection. One third of last year's land protection projects involved a purchase, and totaled over half of the land protected. The other two-thirds of the projects were donations of either land or conservation easements. Highlighting last year's accomplishments was the protection of 586 acres of farmland in northwestern Emmet County. The donation of the Good Hart Farms to the Little Traverse Conservancy was the single largest land gift ever made in the organization's 30-year history. "It is just a phenomenal gift, both in terms of protected land and what it will mean for the community," said MaryKay O'Donnell, the Conservancy's Director of Land Protection. Other Conservancy highlights of 2002 included: · The completion of the Conservancy's first Purchase of Development Rights project with the protection of 345 acres of the Bonnett Farm in Cheboygan County. · An 80-acre donated conservation easement in Charlevoix County. · The protection of a 40-acre inholding within a 360-acre nature preserve in Chippewa County. In addition to land protection, other accomplishments of the organization included: · completion of preserve improvements at Raven Ridge, Andreae, Little Sand Bay, Chaboiganing, and Sleepy Hollow nature preserves, · printing of the Conservancy's new Nature Preserve Guide, now available for free through their office, and · the involvement of 6,362 young people from public and private schools, scout programs, and home school associations in a Conservancy field trip program. The snowshoe season was once again the most popular with 2,314 students getting outdoors to explore our winter woodlands.