Dear Friends and Supporters,
An Attitude of Gratitude --
I am not sure who coined this phrase, but here at the Land Trust we work with a mindset of gratitude every day. Unlike the difficulty of practicing other virtues, the practice of gratitude is an easy undertaking for us. We live in a beautiful and special place. We have generous and loyal friends and supporters. Together we have protected more than 1,000 acres of our island for perpetuity. That is presumably a very, very long time.
We are especially grateful as we look back on 2018. In March, we announced the launch of
The Canopy Campaign
to raise $4 million to match a $4 million challenge grant from The Anschutz Foundation -- a total $8 million in acquisition capital. Those funds were used to protect important properties on the island that rated high on our stewardship matrix in terms of environmental value, historic and cultural significance, the likelihood of high-density development, price per acre, size of parcel, location, and other criteria.
Even after raising millions of dollars, however, we are unable to purchase every available parcel of land. For example, just this week the Land Trust’s Board of Directors made the difficult decision to pass on the acquisition of 3.5 acres next to Bennie’s Red Barn. We are grateful to the ownership of that property for working with us on a purchase agreement that provided the Land Trust with the time to determine if the acquisition was financially feasible and prudent.
While contributing significant capital to acquire properties, this community has also continued to loyally support our annual membership. Your membership contributions enable us to thoughtfully maintain the more than 29 properties in our trust and to strategically partner with you for the island’s future. To say thank you for your generosity is hardly adequate. But we are extraordinarily grateful for your sustained support in making sure that St. Simons is protected . . . forever.
David H. Pope
Executive Director
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We are honored to announce that
Parker's
is the Land Trust's
Presenting Corporate Sponsor
for our 2019 events, including the Annual Oyster Roast on January 19
and the Live Oak Reception on March 16.
Headquartered on St. Simons Island,
Parker's
owns and
manages
convenience stores across the region.
Sincerest thanks to
Parker's
for their generous support.
NOTE: If you are interested in joining our list of corporate sponsors,
please call (912) 638-9109 or email: emellison@sslt.org.
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#GivingTuesday Was a Success Because of YOU!
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Thank you to all our #GivingTuesday supporters!
This community's celebration of philanthropy continues to awe and inspire us. In the span of less than 24 hours this week, we received online donations, hand-delivered checks, and mailed contributions as part of the global giving initiative. In total, you donated
more than $19,000 on Giving Tuesday
. Your generosity is helping to create a conservation culture in coastal Georgia. We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!
If you missed this one-day giving event, don't worry! There are still opportunities to support the Land Trust before the end of the year. Visit the
donation page
on our website for more information.
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Recently, some of our amazing volunteers were at Cannon's Point Preserve participating in trail trimming. Jan Young and Jackie Magnant (pictured above) were not afraid to use a machete to get through these plants and to remove fallen limbs! Our volunteers take on a wide variety of tasks throughout the year, including cleaning up storm debris, planting native species, checking on properties, guiding tours, and months-long work for the annual Oyster Roast,. We are grateful for the hard work and support of so many!
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Property Volunteer Appreciation Event
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On November 7th, we hosted an appreciation event at Ember/Mas Lounge
for all active
Property Volunteers
.
Awards were presented to
Volunteer of the Year, Bob Muir
,
as well as our
Top 5 Property Volunteers: Jackie Magnant, Chris Bone, Richard Burgner, Craig Sullivan and Marti Jeffers
for their commitment to the Land Trust
and to the community. Thank you!
To become a volunteer, don't miss out on our next
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Purdue graduate student Emily Thyroff and her restoration research team at Cannon’s Point Preserve began implementing Phase Four of the CPP
Maritime Forest Restoration Project
this month.
The area that is undergoing reforestation was previously planted in pine trees that became infested with pine beetle. As part of the Restoration Project, those diseased trees were clear-cut, removed, and replaced with 150 new live oak saplings.
Phase Four research involves treating the saplings in a variety of ways to determine what makes them thrive. This includes comparing the use of tube shelters as protection vs using Vexar mesh tubes or open plantings. A primary goal of the project is to better understand successful methods of protection from deer browsing that will benefit live oak restoration projects around the state and in other parts of the south eastern United States.
The Land Trust is grateful to Emily, Dr. Douglass Jacobs, and Dr. Owen Burney for their commitment to this first-of-its-kind project and the ongoing partnership with The Nature Conservancy of Georgia, Purdue University, and New Mexico State University.
In other news: Recent studies have shown maritime forest restoration is a type of natural climate solution. Read more
here
.
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Support Us Through AmazonSmile
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Don't forget to shop for holiday gifts, as well as year-round purchases, on AmazonSmile!
Amazon
donates 0.5%
of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization
of your choice.
Click
here
to choose the Land Trust and watch your shopping dollars turn into protected and connected lands and waterways on St. Simons!
*Note: You must shop through AmazonSmile for the Land Trust to receive donations.*
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Anderson Fine Art Gallery
,
a 1% for St. Simons partner,
is celebrating
20 years
of business!
To honor the community's patronage over the last 20 years, selected paintings will be
discounted 20%
from
November 23rd through December 31st, and 1% of sales will be donated to the Land Trust.
Visit the Gallery's
website
for more information and to view some of stunning artwork being offered.
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St. Simons Land Trust in the News
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We are grateful to local media for featuring our
1% for St. Simons
program!
Click on the links below to read the full articles.
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KEYSTONE SPECIES
is a term used frequently among those working in wildlife conservation. It refers to those species that have a “disproportionately large effect” on their environments and play a “critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community” in much the same way a keystone is critical to the structure of an arch.
A classic example of such a crucial species in coastal Georgia is our beloved live oak. The
Maritime Forest Restoration Project at Cannon’s Point Preserve
includes planting live oak seedlings because this keystone species is vitally important to the health
of a maritime forest.
Land Trust Dictionary
is a new feature of our E-newsletter that provides context and interesting facts about land protection. If there is something YOU would like to learn more about, please let us know and we'll ask an expert!
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We are thrilled to announce that
Raleigh Kitchen
has joined the Land Trust team as its new Membership and Outreach Manager.
A St. Simons native, Raleigh previously worked as the Lead Naturalist at Sea Island, where she helped develop the resort's upcoming Nature Center. She has long served on the Land Trust's Stewardship Committee and is a member of the board of Coastal WildScapes. Her skills in wildlife education, member relations, and marketing will be utilized daily at the Land Trust.
"It is an honor to work for an organization whose mission and vision align with my own. To play a role in making real, lasting impact on the island I've called home for over 20 years is a dream come true."
Welcome, Raleigh!
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The St. Simons Land Trust's Board of Directors met last month for a full-day, high-impact planning retreat. Following a six-month Organizational Review, and after studying the results of a Constituency Survey, the SSLT board and staff came together to evaluate priorities, set goals, and develop a strategic program of work for 2019 and beyond.
Pictured above are some of the Land Trust Board members who attended a social gathering at Cannon's Point Preserve the day before the October 19 Retreat. Seated, left to right: David Wright, Susan Shipman, Nancy Dorn, Frances McCrary, Deb Luginbuhl, Frank Mitchell. Standing, left to right: Scott Coleman, Jay Buchert, Patrick Parker, Tom Regan, and board Chairman Scott McQuade.
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What DO you give the person who has everything? Or the people who value preservation, serenity, wilderness, and traditions more than they value things?
As you make your year-end contributions, please consider
Holiday Tribute Gifts
to the Land Trust that honor your loved ones while giving back to the community. This year, instead of giving "stuff," give those on your gift list a little piece of St. Simons!
Purchase your Tribute Gifts today. No wrapping required!
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December 8:
Volunteer Orientation 9:00 AM. Register
here
.
December 22-24:
Cannon's Point Preserve will be CLOSED.
January 19
: 19th Annual Oyster Roast. Purchase your tickets
here
.
January 22
: Information Session on Rising Sea Level Predictions for Glynn County presented by the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation. To RSVP, click
here
.
March 16
: Live Oak Reception at Sea Island
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