More than 6,000 acres of valuable shoreline and farmland adjacent to Lake Michigan will be permanently preserved thanks, in part, to a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
In October 2003, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC), a
Food Systems and Rural Development general grantee launched the “Coastal Campaign,” to protect sand dunes, acres of prime fruit-producing farmland and forests that serve as a natural wildlife habitat.
“The grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation means a great deal to the region,” stated Glen Chown, executive director of GTRLC. “The economy in northwest Michigan is fundamentally tied to recreation, tourism and agriculture. To maintain a viable economy for generations to come, we must help protect land that fosters sustainable agriculture.”
The grant will make it possible for GTRLC to work in partnership with the local farming community on plans to provide long-term preservation of the unique natural features of the land, while encouraging sustainable agricultural and forestry practices. In short, protection of this property will be good for the local farming community, good for the local tourism-based economy, and good for the unique environment of northwest Michigan.
GTRLC was founded in 1991 and has protected more than 16,000 acres of farmland to date. More information on the “Coastal Campaign” project can be found on the GTRLC’s Web site at www.gtrlc.org.
