Natural Lands Trust Incorporated

SAVES OPEN SPACE, CARES FOR NATURE AND CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THE OUTDOORS. (SEE SCHEDULE O)

SAVING OPEN SPACENATURAL LANDS IS UNIQUE AMONG THE REGION'S CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH LAND WE OWN. WE TAKE THIS APPROACH BECAUSE, IF WE OWN IT, WE KNOW IT WILL BE PROTECTED AND CARED FOR FOREVER.WE CURRENTLY OWN NATURE PRESERVES AND ONE PUBLIC GARDEN ACROSS TWO STATES AND 13 COUNTIES, TOTALING NEARLY 23,000 ACRES. AND COUNTING.MANY TIMES, THE LAND WE SAVE REMAINS IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP BUT WE PLACE(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IT UNDER A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, WHICH PERMANENTLY LIMITS A PROPERTY'S USE.WE CURRENTLY HOLD 371 EASEMENTS (55 - BY MONTGOMERY COUNTY LANDS TRUST) ON MORE THAN 25,000 ACRES. MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF MONITOR THESE PROPERTIES EVERY YEAR TO ENSURE THE TERMS OF THE EASEMENTS ARE BEING UPHELD. BECAUSE OF OUR EXPERTISE IN BUYING LAND OUTRIGHT (AND IN SECURING GRANT MONEY TO PAY FOR IT), WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT WE CAN HELP OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES ACQUIRE OPEN SPACE BY BUYING IT AND THEN TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND TO THEM. WE DO THIS MOST OFTEN FOR STATE PARKS AND FORESTS, AND FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO BUYING LAND ON BEHALF OF THESE PARTNERS, WE ALSO HELP THEM MANAGE THE LAND THEY OWN USING SMART, SUSTAINABLE, TRIED-AND-TRUE PRACTICES.IN ADDITION, WE HELP MUNICIPALITIES RAISE MONEY FOR OPEN SPACE, REVISE THEIR ZONING CODES TO HELP THEM RETAIN OPEN SPACE DURING DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVE THEIR PARKS, AND BUILD TRAIL SYSTEMS.

CARING FOR NATUREYOU KNOW THAT OLD ADAGE "LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE"? THAT IS NOT ALWAYS BEST. NATURAL AREAS NEED HELP TO BECOME AND REMAIN PLACES WHERE NATIVE PLANTS AND WILDLIFE CAN THRIVE. THAT'S WHY NEARLY HALF OUR STAFF ARE COMMITTED TO CARING FOR OUR PRESERVES. IN FACT, THIS COMMITMENT TO CARING FOR NATURE IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY NATURAL LANDS OWNS SO MUCH LAND SO WE CAN ACTIVELY ENRICH AND RESTORE OUR PRESERVES, BALANCING THE NEEDS OF NATURE AND HER VISITORS(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)OUR LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS INCLUDE: A - RETURNING FORMER FARM FIELDS TO FORESTS BY PLANTING THOUSANDS OF TREES. AS THEY GROW, THEY SEQUESTER CARBON; PREVENT EROSION; AND PROVIDE CRITICAL FOREST HABITAT FOR BIRDS, BUGS, AND BEYOND. B - EXPLORING AND EMPLOYING AN ARRAY OF TECHNIQUES TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE PLANTS ON OUR PRESERVES.C - IMPROVING WATER QUALITY OF THE CREEKS THAT MEANDER THROUGH OUR PRESERVES BY PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS ALONG THEM. D - RE-ESTABLISHING ONCE PLENTIFUL HABITATS BY TRANSFORMING RETIRED FARM FIELDS TO GRASSLANDS, RESTORING MAN-MADE PONDS TO WETLANDS, AND SUPPORTING GROWING WOODLANDS BY CONTROLLING INVASIVE PLANTS AND DEER.

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE OUTDOORS...AND TO EACH OTHERWHEN WE SPEND TIME IN NATURE, WE'RE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER. PLUS, THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATION REQUIRES THAT THERE BE PASSIONATE NATURE-LOVERS TO CARRY ON OUR WORK. THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMMITTED TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOY AND DISCOVERY IN THE OUTDOORS FOR EVERYONE. OUR NATURE PRESERVES AND PUBLIC GARDEN ARE OPEN FOR EVERYONE TO VISIT, AND ARE ALWAYS FREE. IN ADDITION TO PLACES FOR EXPLORATION, OUR PRESERVES ALLOW US TO HOST MYRIAD EVENTS EVERY YEAR CATERING TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT INTERESTS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE COMMITTED TO OFFERING AN ARRAY OF EVENTS FOR CHILDREN SO THAT THE NEXT GENERATION HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A LONG-LASTING CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DEVELOP A DEEPER CONNECTION TO NATURAL LANDS AND, BY EXTENSION, OUR PRESERVES THROUGH OUR FORCE OF NATURE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. FORCE OF NATURE VOLUNTEERS LEARN VALUABLE LAND MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION STRATEGIES, HONE OUTREACH AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND MEET GREAT PEOPLE. IN ADDITION, WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO NATURE TO URBANIZED COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION. WITH PARTNERS IN PHILADELPHIA, COATESVILLE, CHESTER, AND POTTSTOWN, WE ARE WORKING TO SET ASIDE OPEN SPACE, IMPROVE PARKS, BRING OUTDOOR EDUCATION TO SCHOOLS, AND ENCOURAGE GREENING.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS