For the past decade, they've conserved nearly 400 acres adjoining their property. We wanted to preserve the land. Vermont Land Trust is a security blanket for all the people who care about the future of Vermont. The Sands' reason for conserving is typical, says Bradley. Land conservation is timed more to life cycles than to economic cycles.
People reach a stage where they are ready to make a decision about land.
The organization needs to be ready to respond when that happens . . . There's opportunity to do more, says Bradley, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. That's difficult, but unless I can state the public benefit clearly, we tend not to do anything under 50 acres. Without the 37 percent of foundation support contributing to the budget, Bradley estimates that the trust would do about half the work it does now. A major player is the Freeman Foundation in Stowe.