Natural Lands has been protecting open space since the early 1950s. In that time, we have completed hundreds of conservation projects, each one unique it its own way. There is, however, a common thread to every conservation story: it begins with a landowner who makes the choice to protect her or his land.
So how does it all work? Here’s a peek under the hood.
Natural Lands is unique among the region’s conservation organizations because of our large network of nature preserves. We know these lands will be protected and cared for… forever. Our network currently includes 40+ nature preserves and Stoneleigh: a natural garden, across two states and 13 counties, totaling nearly 23,300 acres. And counting.
Many times, the land we save remains in private ownership but we place it under a conservation easement, which is a legally binding agreement that permanently limits a property’s use and binds all present and future owners of the land.
We currently hold 400+ easements on more than 26,000 acres. Our staff monitor these properties regularly 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 acquire open space by buying it and then “flipping” the land to them. We do this most often for state parks and forests, and for townships.
A huge part of the work we do at Natural Lands is helping other non-profits and government agencies with their open space goals. In addition to buying land on their behalf, we also help our partners manage the land they own using smart, sustainable, tried-and-true practices.
We also help townships raise money for open space, revise their zoning codes to help them retain open space during development, develop park master plans, and build trail systems.
More than 140 municipalities have achieved their own open space goals in consultation with our conservation services team.
In a nutshell, we grow greener communities.
Considering conservation? Send a message to Todd Sampsell, vice president of conservation, or call him at 610-353-5587 x215.
Delaware River Watershed Initiative
An unprecedented collaboration to protect and restore water quality in the Delaware River Watershed.