Good Work by TCF
Posted by Larry E  |  September 23, 2009 6:04:03 AM

I’ve been working with The Conservation Fund (TCF) in the northern New Hampshire town of Shelburne during the past four years and have seen firsthand the good work being done there by TCF. My wife and I were able to close on an easement on our own 130-acre mountain forest this summer, largely due to the resources brought to Shelburne by TCF through its Androscoggin Valley Conservation Initiative. Several neighboring landowners are also in the process of placing conservation easements on an additional 1,100 acres and would not be in a position to do so without TCF’s assistance. Conservation is expensive and in Shelburne there are a number of landowners wanting to insure that their family lands remain undeveloped, but would not be able to meet the often prohibitive costs associated with donating a conservation easement. TCF is managing the easement process for these Shelburne landowners and is raising funds through grants and other fund-raising efforts to meet the costs of easements.

When a 1,200-acre parcel abutting the Appalachian Trail in Shelburne became available, TCF stepped up and purchased the tract outright using its revolving fund, with an intention of placing a conservation easement on the tract before selling it to a responsible timber owner. A conservation easement will provide an additional protective buffer around the AT while keeping the land on the tax rolls and as a productive timber resource.

Thanks to TCF, Shelburne will forever see many of its iconic farms and high mountain forestlands remain undeveloped just as its 300 citizens so wish, and at no cost to the small town with limited resources.

Why I donate to the Conservation Fund
Posted by taylorjrs  |  August 30, 2009 6:14:12 PM

As an avid paddler and hiker, I contribute to the Conservation Fund because I like the fact that 97.7% of their funds go to programs. I like that they partner with both private and public organizations to protect natural resources and at the same time are sensitive to the needs of low income and often marginalized people. I like it that they limit their paper communications.

The Conservation Fund
Posted by peterthe driver  |  March 9, 2009 6:27:49 AM

They are a wolf in sheep's clothing:They have come to our northern New Hampshire town of only 450 taxpayers, with a per capita income of $20,690,wanting us to pay for 300 acres that we will then give to them. The land is undevelopable, chopped-up and some in a flood plain. So the family that owns it wants us to be on the hook for $800,000, then donate the land to the Fund. They in turn, say that we may only have to pay $300,000, because they may get grants to cover the rest. The Fund also holds out the possibility that the town could use 20 acres, (in the flood plain), for a park, selling timber and/or selling the water under the ground. Small point: none of this is in writing; the town does not have the people, funds or wherewithall to run a business; the state regulates timber and water; and they told us that if we don't act on it immediately, we will miss the opportunity of a lifetime. The two facts that they don't mention: 1) They don't have to let us on the land that we would give to them; and 2) They are accumulating forestlands, (over 6 million acres), so that they can continue to scam Home Depot, California power plants and other large corporations by selling them imaginary carbon offsets; and, they don't have to give us a penny of the millions that they get. Beware: their "Four-Star Rating" does not reflect their true mission---only that they are efficient at it.

good bet for your dollar
Posted by smartdonor  |  December 22, 2008 6:36:38 AM

I really like that The Conservation Fund does not use an endowment, therefore, the money I donate gets invested in projects across the country instead of sitting in a bank. In tough economic times they don't lose any money in the market like other nonprofits.