Commentary
Saving nature one celebration at a time
I treated myself to a birthday celebration in Bloomington last week. Hoosier author Scott Russell Sanders introduced his new book at a fund raising event for the Sycamore Land Trust. Local musician Tom Roznowski traded center stage with Sanders who read several passages from A Conservationist Manifesto, which will be published in April by Indiana University Press.
Sustainability and connection with community were the themes of this event, and you felt it from the moment you walked into the inviting arena. Appropriately the venue was Farm Bloomington, Chef Daniel Orr’s restaurant known for its creative local and seasonal fare. Local wines and beers were also sampled courtesy of the Brewers of Indiana Guild.
Sander’s style was filled with the imagery of Leopold and the philosophical wanderings of Thoreau. Toss in some of Berry’s local character, and you have a feel for what will come in his book. A portion of the event’s proceeds went to the Sycamore Land Trust to help preserve the unique landscapes of southern Indiana. Their mission covers many counties from Monroe south. In their less than 20 years of existence, they have amassed more than 5,000 protected acres within their territory. Visit www.bloomington.in.us/~sycamore/ for more information.
There are about two dozen land trusts operating in Indiana, some with overlapping territories and focus, but all with the goal to protect natural areas from development so future generations have land to explore, wander and enjoy. Boone County, along with Marion and surrounding counties are part of CILTI, Central Indiana Land Trust Inc. www.conservingindiana.org. There are no properties protected by CILTI or other Land Trusts in Boone County.
Besides generous donations of land by owners through gift or will, land trusts also acquire natural lands by purchase, which often offers the landowner significant tax benefits. Conservation easements are another option which allows for property to be kept privately owned, but with restricted uses for conservation purposes.
Perhaps the most widely know land trust, and the nations largest, is The Nature Conservancy, which has an active office in Indianapolis. Its mission is to protect endangered species, plants and animals and their threatened ecosystems, or more simply stated to preserve the diversity on earth. Visit www.nature.org/indiana to find out more.
Besides non-governmental land trusts, the Indiana Heritage Trust also purchases properties to protect them from development for future generations to have “wild” places to explore. Funded mostly by donations and with the purchase of environmental license plates, the IHT also may receive some funding from the state. If protection of natural land is important to you, you should become let your legislators know you value the Indiana Heritage Trust program, and you should considered involvement with a CILTI or another land trust.
In a recent interview about A Conservationist Manifesto, www.scottrussellsanders.com
Sanders said the title reveals his sense of urgency about the destructive ways of our current lifestyle. It is our obsession with consumption, always wanting newer and more of advertisers’ offerings, that “there’s no point in answering this barrage with a polite whisper. … Because we’re in denial about how dramatically our way of life needs to change if we hope to create a just and peaceful and sustainable society.”
Visit www.conservingindiana.org/greenspace.html to learn more about the importance and benefits of protected greenspace.
Lynn Jenkins is a Zionsville resident and publisher of Indiana Living Green. E-mail her at Lynn@IndianaLivingGreen.com.
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