Morse Creek by John Gussman
As you look out over our community’s wide-open farmland or take a walk in the woods along the Dungeness, Lyre, Elwha or Calawah rivers, I hope you know you’ve helped protect some of these special places.
Over the past 28 years, together we’ve conserved more than 3,300 acres of local farms, forests, and wildlife habitat — including 12 linear miles of the streams and rivers we love.
These accomplishments are a great start, but our work as a community has just begun if we are going to maintain the family farms, woodlands and waters critical for our way of life and our economy.
We live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet – a place where our landscape is crucial to our quality of life. However, our lands are a finite resource and over recent decades short-sighted development has led to a steady loss of working farm and forest lands, land and shorelines available for public recreation, and habitat for wildlife. Land use pressures are only increasing; thus we must step up the pace at which we conserve the lands that define this amazing place.
Today, in the midst of this year’s giving season, will you consider making a gift toward the conservation of local lands for farms, fish and forests?
Your support will help us work faster and harder to permanently conserve the lands that define and sustain our community before they are lost forever.
What’s at stake?
Bull elk by Patrick Downs
- The clean water and fresh, local food so important to our way of life.
- Fishing and walking along our local rivers and streams; going to the farmers markets; taking in the fresh air as it moves down the Strait.
- Habitat for wildlife like our local herds of Roosevelt elk that need woodlands, meadows, and access to water to thrive on the Olympic Peninsula.
Fortunately, several local families have asked us to work with them to conserve their farms and wildlife habitat. With your support, we can provide the assistance they need to permanently protect these cherished lands.
Often, these families can’t wait, but conservation can be an alternative to selling their land for short-term gains and instead, allow it to be transferred to their children or young farmers.
Additionally, others want to establish places for people to walk, enjoy nature, and provide places for youth to bring their learning to life. That too is important and needed for the education of our children and what it means to live here. With your support, we can help preserve places for such outdoor experiences and exploration.
In the coming year, the Land Trust is seeking permanent conservation along the Calawah River in Forks, the Clallam River near Clallam Bay, forestland north of Lake Crescent, salmon habitat along the Elwha River and Morse Creek. We’ll also begin work on an emerging farmland project in Dungeness that will test a new method of conservation, and could accelerate the pace we’re able to conserve our local farms.
Your gift today will help ensure continued land conservation at a time when it’s needed more than ever.
Together, we’ll work to make certain the places that define the North Olympic Peninsula’s landscape will be available for generations to come forever.
CLICK HERE or the “Donate Now” button below to securely give a gift of conservation today.
Thank you and have a lovely holiday.
Sincerely,
Tom Sanford
Executive Director