Exciting New Conservation Project Announcement
Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to share that our land trust has an incredible opportunity to protect 750 acres of critical wildlife habitat along the Riverbend Corridor. This property includes wetlands, mature forests, and key pollinator zones. The landowner is eager to partner with us, but we need to act quickly—our goal is to secure the purchase agreement within 90 days.
I’ll post more details below, but first, I’d love to hear your initial thoughts and questions.
Yes, Edward. The preliminary estimate is $4.2 million. The landowner is open to a bargain sale, and we’re exploring potential funding sources, including the state’s Conservation Partnership Grant and a few private donors who’ve expressed interest in large-scale projects like this.
Great questions, Helen. Our preliminary budget model looks like this:
- $2 million from the state grant (application already in progress)
- $1 million from two private donors who’ve verbally committed pending board approval
- The remaining $1.2 million would be a combination of board-led fundraising and possibly a bridge loan, if needed.
We’ll prepare a detailed financial plan for review at the next board meeting.
Absolutely. The property provides critical habitat for two state-listed bird species and offers potential for a 3-mile public trail loop without impacting sensitive areas. It also buffers the river from agricultural runoff, improving water quality for downstream communities.
Good question. There is some developer interest, but the landowner prefers conservation. As for the community, initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive—we’ll do outreach sessions next month to maintain transparency and build support.