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Join the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy on July 9th for their Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour Event at the beautiful Garden Theatre in Frankfort, Michigan. Attendees of this free event can expect award-winning films about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, and agriculture.
WHO IS THE GRAND TRAVERSE REGIONAL LAND CONSERVANCY?
For more than three decades, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has protected and cared for the region’s natural, scenic, farm and forest lands. Fully accredited by the Land Trust Alliance, the Conservancy is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Their service area includes Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Manistee Counties.
With the support of individual donors, foundations and volunteers, and the partnership of local, state, and federal agencies, they have protected more than 48,000 acres of land and 157 miles of shoreline along the region’s exceptional rivers, lakes and streams.
They focus their land conservation efforts on protecting crucial wildlife habitat and corridors, critical watersheds, unique high-quality farm lands, valuable forestland and ecologically significant dunes along Lake Michigan’s beautiful and endangered shore.
The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy thinks about the area they serve in terms of watersheds, coasts, scenic transportation corridors, and vital clusters of their region’s working farms and forests. By considering their community in this way, they are able to evaluate how certain land uses and protection efforts will impact the things their community values – access to our majestic shorelines; opportunities for hiking, birding, canoeing, biking, fishing and other outdoor activities; safe, clean water; respect for private property rights; and a healthy economy.
WHAT DOES THE GRAND TRAVERSE REGIONAL LAND CONSERVANCY DO?
The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy protects land in several ways:
- By working with landowners to permanently protect private land through voluntary conservation easements
- By acquiring high-quality natural lands by purchase or donation to create Conservancy owned nature preserves, which are open to the public
- By assisting local units of government in creating or expanding public parks and natural areas that result in enhanced public access to nature and improved recreational opportunities
- By providing technical assistance to local units of government with the administration of farmland protection programs
Their land protection experts use a variety of conservation tools to protect significant natural and working lands. Their stewardship team documents natural and man-made features on protected land, monitors over 300 conservation easements, and maintains 50 nature preserves and sanctuaries. Their fund development and outreach teams creatively build relationships with individuals and foundations to secure the resources necessary to protect water quality, natural lands, working lands, scenic views, and places where people can enjoy nature. And, on every level, thier work is supported by hundreds of volunteer colleagues.
HOW THE WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL HELPS.
Jennifer Jay, the Director of Communications and Engagement at Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, says, “We believe people will only choose to protect and honor things that they love, so hosting our Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour event is one way for us to instill a genuine love of our world, so people can choose to protect and steward it.”
When asked what her favorite thing about putting on this event is, Jennifer replied, “There is a connection between film and nature, and this is an opportunity to see that connection, which is a cool honor.”
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