Grassroots Conservation Campaign
Strategic Land Acquisition - Goal: $8.5 million
What is it?
Pheasants Forever's Strategic Land Acquisition receives or purchases private land – particularly native prairie. This prairie land can be pristine, or worthy of rescue and restored to it's natural state. Our goal is to protect acquired land, or return it to its vital, natural, fully functional state – a sustainable habitat that meets the needs of all types of wildlife, plants, trees and native grasses. Each acquisition supports the delicate balance of natural life and at the same time enriches our lives. Valuable land becomes an invaluable protected treasure. Forever more.
Why is it important?
Land acquisition is vital. It enables us to play a more direct and aggressive role in protecting and restoring endangered open spaces. In other words, it gives us greater control over outside infl uences – influences that may deplete natural resources and destroy valuable wildlife. The strategic acquisition of land is fundamental to our mission. Our members want access to land, land they are willing to nurture and protect. Protecting pristine land is easier and more cost effective than restoration. The sooner we intercede the better. We will always work in a variety of ways to ensure that each acquisition is leveraged to the greatest extent possible, to achieve the deepest impact. That may mean partnering with a local chapter to make a strategic purchase, or, for example, buying smaller carefully chosen parcels of land that help secure the surrounding area from development. The goal is to make every dollar work harder, stretch farther and help us achieve more.
How will we achieve it?
Land that is ideal for our purposes will be carefully chosen. It will be acquired through outright donations of land and money for purchases or planned giving donations and irrevocable gifts through our Habitat Legacy Society. The society educates landowners about the urgent need as well as the financial benefits allowed through tax law and estate planning – not to mention the value of personal recognition and the sheer joy of giving. Land will also be acquired through state and federal legislative initiatives that promote and support the restoration and protection of public and private lands and through partnerships with state natural resource agencies, land trusts and other nonprofit organizations. However it may be acquired, it will be fiercely protected and preserved for generations.