TPL’s 2006 Conservation Achievements

San Francisco, CA, December 29, 2006: In 2006, The Trust for Public Land, a national land conservation nonprofit, protected more than 113,000 acres of land in 33 states, with a fair-market value of more than $350 million. In addition, TPL and its affiliate, the Conservation Campaign, helped 33 states, counties, and municipalities nationwide pass measures that will generate more than $4.8 billion in new funding for parks and open space protection.

Since it was founded in 1972, TPL has helped protect more than two million acres of land, from the inner city to the wilderness, in 46 states. 2006 conservation highlights include:

Wao Kele O’Puna, Hawai’i Island, Hawai’i

The state’s last large lowland native rainforest, Wao Kele O’Puna was returned to Native Hawaiian ownership this year for traditional hunting, gathering and religious practices. Wao Kele O’Puna provides critical habitat, a vital seed bank for the re-growth of native forests covered by lava flows, and contributes to the largest drinking water source on Hawaii Island. For more visit www.tpl.org/hawaii

Sun Ranch, Madison River Valley, Montana

At more than 18,000 acres, the Sun Ranch lies within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, contains nine miles of the Madison River and some of the ecosystem’s most important wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. The Sun Ranch stretch of the upper Madison River is considered the birthplace of wild trout management and one of the first places where “catch and release” regulations were adopted in the U.S. For more visit www.tpl.org/montana

Katahdin Lake, Maine

Katahdin Lake, along with 4,000 acres that include old-growth forest, miles of pristine lake frontage, and spectacular views of Mount Katahdin, is now part of Baxter State Park. The land will be permanently preserved as a wilderness sanctuary, fulfilling former Governor Percival P. Baxter’s original vision for the park he donated to the people of Maine. For more visit wwww.tpl.org/maine

P.S. 274 Kosciuszko Community Playground, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York

Eighth-grade students were part of a team that designed a one-acre community park at Brooklyn’s P.S. 274, serving the school’s 1,000 students as well as children and families in the surrounding community. There are nearly 2,600 children under the age of 18 within a quarter-mile of the school. The new park transforms a cracked asphalt lot into a community playground that includes basketball courts, artificial turf field, running track, play equipment, game tables, trees, benches, bleachers, and a stage. For more visit www.tpl.org/newyork

Molsen Farm Community Park, Allen, Texas

As the former farming town of Allen, Texas, near Dallas, lost one farm after another to development, TPL helped the city acquire the 52-acre Molsen Farm for a heritage park. The new park is currently being designed and may include a day camp, community garden, classes on organic agriculture, and a petting zoo-all in an old-time farm setting. For more visit www.tpl.org/texas

Estate Maho Bay, Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

The largest preservation project on St. John since the National Park was created in 1956, the Estate has more than a quarter-mile of beachfront on pristine Maho Bay and rises to almost 1,000 feet in height. The property, which was owned by 11 heirs of Harvey Monroe Marsh, contains Danish colonial era ruins. Offshore are seagrass beds, green turtles, and coral reef systems, visited by thousands of people every year. For more visit www.tpl.org/florida

“The Trust for Public Land proudly helps communities protect the parks, playgrounds, open space, and working lands we love, giving us all healthy places to play,” said TPL President Will Rogers.

Conservation Services

In addition to Conservation Transaction services, TPL also supports landowners, communities, and local governments with a wide-range of conservation expertise, including:

Conservation Vision: TPL offers a set of tools that can make park creation and land conservation initiatives easier. TPL has completed Conservation Vision plans for more than 50 communities across the country. In 2006, TPL was honored for exceptional use of GIS-mapping technology by ESRI.

Conservation Finance: In addition to the billions of dollars in conservation finding created at the ballot box in 2006, TPL’s Finance professionals have:

• Celebrated the 2006 County Land Conservation Award winners – Calvert County, MD; Santa Fe County, NM; Carroll County, MD; Volusia County, FL; Los Angeles County, CA; and Wake County, NC.
• Launched the Conservation Almanac of Federal and State Lands in the West, providing a comprehensive online source of information on the status of land conservation in thirteen western states.

Center for City Park Excellence: This TPL research and support center assists cities with a comprehensive city park database and technical assistance through city-specific analysis. In 2006 the Center released new data on city park systems.

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks and open space. Since 1972, TPL has conserved more than two million acres of land nationwide. For more information about TPL, visit www.tpl.org