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Dear Friends:
During the last several years
the Northern Prairies Land Trust has moved from an idea
in the minds of its volunteer organizers to a position
of leadership and trust in the private lands conservation
movement. The wonderful response to Northern Prairies
has reconfirmed what we all knew to be true - the resources
of this region include not just our prairies, rivers,
wetlands, and wildlife, but the enduring conservation
ethic of our private landowners.
Northern Prairies Land Trust works with
landowners in Nebraska and South Dakota. These two states
encompass an area equivalent in size to New York, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire
combined! South Dakota has nearly 77,000 square miles
of land and water, but only 5.6% of that is public land.
Nebraska also has nearly 77,000 square miles, and only
1.5% of that is public land.
When we think of the water resources of
Nebraska and South Dakota it is the Missouri River that
comes to mind. This river drains the largest river basin
in the United States. The Missouri River's many prairie
river tributaries, such as the Platte, Cedar and Niobrara,
in Nebraska and the Cheyenne, Bad, James and Big Sioux
in South Dakota are home to a rich ecosystem and provide
shelter to a vast array of native and migratory wildlife.
With the exception of the land around the Missouri River
reservoirs, these water resources are nearly all on
private lands.
We at Northern Prairies are committed
to protecting the great open space and agricultural
legacy of our region and believe that the desire of
private owners to protect the conservation values on
their land is a proper foundation from which to pursue
our goal. Since word first got out that we had organized,
expressions of interest from landowners and potential
volunteers has been heartening, and just a bit overwhelming.
Someone referred to us as a "demand drive"
conservation organization! the good news is that with
the unstinting help of our volunteers, we are catching
up with the backlog of work and look forward to hearing
from you.
Our constituency is made up of those who
look beyond their immediate horizons and ask themselves
how this land will look when seen by future generations.
Our goal is to conserve land and do it in a way that
will last.
Join us. Protecting the land is a joyous
undertaking.
Sincerely,
John H. Davidson
President of Northern Prairies Land Trust
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