The Conservancy has made impressive progress on several fronts in recent months. Most notably, Chris has concluded a number of land deals that have far-reaching implications. They fall into two categories: collaborative agreements with local governments to buy park land, using Clean Ohio and local matching funds (the Conservancy’s role is principally to ensure that the land is used for the intended purpose), and traditional agreements with private landowners to preserve lands of special value to them. Both types of transactions are central to our raison d’etre. Parks are an essential feature of our social infrastructure and one of the wisest public investments. Private conservation efforts are, alas, the most effective antidote to poorly planned land development currently available to us. If we hope to have any impact on the appearance and quality of life in Northeast Ohio, continuous activity in both areas is essential and recent successes are gratifying.

The other recent achievement has been in the fund-raising arena. Last fall’s Horse Barn Tour was a signal success and the 2004 Annual Fund appeal set a new record. Clearly, the Conservancy has many enthusiastic and generous supporters. The major need at present is more mundane. We have to find additional people who are willing to give the Conservancy an opportunity to persuade them that land conservation is as important as other philanthropic causes. If you have friends or family members who might fall into this category, why not give a gift membership? The cost is modest and the pay-off is likely to be huge.

Dan Nelson