the Nature Spot
Baby animals!
Our Stewardship Intern, Jackie Bilello, discovered that one of our protected conservation sites is home to a new family of coyotes.
In Their Own Words
Carolyn Streiter
“This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had, to save the land so that future generations can enjoy the beauty.”
About Us
Mission Statement
The Legacy Land Conservancy (formerly Washtenaw Land Trust) protects the forests, fields, wetlands, and rivers of southern Michigan. Serving Washtenaw and Jackson counties, the Conservancy’s mission is to protect local nature and farmland, today and forever.
History
In the late 1960s a small team of Washtenaw county locals joined together to help safeguard open space along the Huron River. This team became the Washtenaw Land Conservancy in 1971, the first local land trust in Michigan. These people worked diligently to protect the lands that we know now to be part of our community park systems – including the Osborne Mill Riverlands Preserve, now managed by Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission, and the City of Ann Arbor’s Bandemer Park, Bird Hills Park, and Black Pond Woods.
Another nearby group of individuals formed the Potawatomi Land Trust in 1989, focusing on protecting our region’s fertile farmland. With similar goals, these two organizations created a partnership and eventually merged in 1999, calling themselves the Washtenaw Land Trust. The Land Trust expanded again in 2003 with a merger with the Waterloo Land Conservancy Trust. In 2009, the Washtenaw Land Trust changed its name to Legacy Land Conservancy, to reflect its regional scope. As your trusted land protection agency, we hope you will join us in this important work.
The Conservancy Today and in the Future
Nationally recognized for conservation excellence, the Conservancy is among the first conservancies nationwide to be awarded accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. Learn more.
“Make no small plans, for they have not the power to move men’s souls.” – Daniel Burnham
The Legacy Land Conservancy is making big plans! The Conservancy has helped protect over 3,500 acres, and has a goal of protecting 25,000 acres within the next twenty years. Nature and open space is important to us all – for clean air, clean water, and wildlife habitat, for relaxation and recreation, for growing fresh healthy food, and more. The Conservancy works to spread this message through outreach and education, offering many events throughout the year to celebrate, learn about, and enjoy protected lands in our community.
What do you think? If you have comments, suggestions, or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 734.302.LAND(5263) or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We look forward to talking with you!
