Landowners, Neighbors in Conservation

The Wolf River Conservancy is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the Wolf River and its watershed as a sustainable natural resource. This is our mission and is certainly not new to any of our long-time readers. The ways in which we enact the mission are never-ending processes of educating and connecting citizens across the Mid-South.

When it comes to real estate, landowners are priority number one for outreach and education. Landowners in the Mid-South do not align with a unified political view, have the same religious beliefs, occupy one income level, nor do they share the same ethnicity. The Wolf River watershed harbors landowners as diverse as the thousands of plant and animal species within its bounds (see last month’s article on species diversity). Reaching out to such a wide-ranging body of people is not easy. It of course takes time, research, and patience (that is always part of the work); but outreach to landowners also helps if you are a good neighbor, good steward of the land, and treat people fairly.

At the Conservancy, we have been treating the people around us (partners, donors, volunteers, contractors, and yes landowners) fairly. Our hope is that this has paid off and will continue to pay off – not only in acres purchased or voluntarily placed into a conservation easement but also land enhanced through better management by connecting the landowner to the person or group with the right knowledge. To any landowner who may read this article: we at Wolf River Conservancy know how to protect land from long-term damage and steward land responsibly, and you know your land the best.

If we coordinate together, imagine what could be accomplished.

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