How gifts to the Blufflands are used

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Gifts for blufflands protection are used for:

1) Education - share with landowners the many ways they can protect their lands.
Most landowners have no idea how to protect their land or the financial benefits of doing so. The Foundation devotes the time - sometimes years - to help individual landowners think through how best to protect their land in their personal situations. Also, they bring vital information about land protection to landowners gatherings and to realtors, appraisers, and other professionals who don't work with these tools every day.

2) Protection - ensure some woodlands and prairie will remain woodlands and prairie.
Protection of five sites is in progress right now. Most of these sites will adjoin or be near lands that are already protected - assuring bigger areas of wildlife survival. Your gift helps make land donations, purchases and conservation easements possible. You save important sites.

3) Restoration - advise landowners on how to keep their natural lands healthy and diverse.
During the summer, the Foundation's college interns help burn prairies and cut invasive plants on protected, private lands. These land stewardship services also introduce the Foundation to those who own key lands that adjoin protected habitat. Stewardship helps landowners understand how special their land is and why it needs and deserves protection.

Each dollar you give is multiplied four times by The McKnight Foundation and other major donors who are already investing in the future of this region.

It will take about $300,000 to keep the Foundation's blufflands program in high gear for the next two years. The McKnight Foundation provides major funds for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and neighboring land trusts to protect blufflands. And we competed nationally and won a grant for permanent conservation agreements in the bluffs. But $35,000 is still needed for blufflands protection in 2005-06.

Ultimately your gift today sets the stage to protect blufflands valued at $2 million over the next two years! Your gift will have big impact!

Those who contribute $25 or more for Mississippi Blufflands protection can receive full member benefits.


Mississippi River Blufflands protection

What makes the Blufflands special

Private, voluntary action is the key          

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For more information, e-mail Anita O'Gara, director of development, or call (515) 288-1846.