March 2004: On Sunday, March 7, 2004, the Washtenaw Land Trust sponsored an informational meeting for organizations with an interest in protecting land in and around the Waterloo Recreation Area. Organizations represented at the meeting included the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Waterloo Hunt Club, The Nature Conservancy, and many other local groups.

The Waterloo State Recreation Area, the largest state park in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, is punctuated throughout by private holdings. The Washtenaw Land Trust is interested in finding ways to help protect the buffer lands and in-holdings scattered throughout the Waterloo region.

At the meeting, representatives from the DNR and the Washtenaw Land Trust discussed some of the ways that organizations can partner to help protect land in this region. The Washtenaw Land Trust also gave a brief introduction to Conservation Easements, a voluntary way for landowners to both protect their land while also potentially gaining federal income tax, estate tax and property tax benefits.

"It's energizing to see the enthusiasm for protecting the Waterloo region," commented William W. Hanson, Executive Director of the Washtenaw Land Trust. "We look forward to working with the many Waterloo-area stakeholder organizations to safeguard the important natural areas in and around the Waterloo Recreation Area that are not yet protected."

The Washtenaw Land Trust is a non-profit organization that works to protect farmland, natural areas and open space in Washtenaw County and the surrounding region, and to educate members, local officials and the public on land use issues. The Washtenaw Land Trust has increased its focus in and around the Waterloo region after acquiring the resources of the Waterloo Land Conservancy Trust in 2003.

For more information or to learn how you can contribute to this effort, contact the Washtenaw Land Trust at info@washtenawlandtrust.org or 734-302-LAND(5263).