Chattahoochee Valley Land Trust

 

An Affiliate Of Georgia Land Trust

  

 

CVLT Ranked One of the Top Land Trusts

in the Southeast for Land Protection

 

Since its beginnings in July 1999, the Chattahoochee Valley Land Trust has made steady gains in organizational strength and in moving toward its mission of conserving land in beautiful southwest Georgia. Each year has seen growing interest by landowners in protecting their properties. Each new protected property ties into a broad effort to keep the Chattahoochee Valley area a tranquil, beautiful, and healthy environment for us and generations to follow.

From our first easement, an urban site in north Columbus, to the present, with over 25,000 acres protected through easements held by CVLT, we have steadily expanded the breadth and effectiveness of our outreach. We now have moved into the Flint River basin, protecting stream flows to this river so important to the economy and environment of south Georgia.

We have also moved to protect significant tracts throughout the farm and forest lands of Taylor, Harris, Stewart, and Talbot counties.  While moving into the countryside, we have maintained a strong urban presence, protecting small farms on the outskirts of Columbus and downtown. 

Even while land conversion from rural to urban landscapes has increased in our area since 1999, CVLT has helped easement donors retire  millions of dollars in development rights.  These grants of easements “extinguish” rights on a property, in particular, development rights that could eventually manifest themselves as subdivisions, strip malls and other land-intensive commerce.

Altogether, we hold 35 easements, with the donors coming from all walks of life-farmers, city leaders, foresters, doctors, hunters, and family landowners. The easements span the full array of conservation values: public access, habitat and water quality protection, protection of open spaces, including productive agricultural and silvicultural lands, and protection of historic resources. 

Our effectiveness has been enhanced through various partnerships, including our longstanding relationship with the Georgia Land Trust and  ongoing Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB-see article in the What We Protect section) program activities in which we have worked with The Nature Conservancy and Fort Benning.

In citing our successes, we are reminded that none of our work would be possible without the ongoing generous support of landowners and donors. We receive contributions from literally hundreds of supporters each year, with many repeat donors.  We thank you very much for your support in our first decade of protecting our homeplace and hope we can count on your support in the future.

For more information on how we can help you protect your land, please contact:

 

Matt Wells, program director

Georgia Land Trust, Inc.

Chattahoochee Valley Land Trust, Inc.

P.O. Box 175

Columbus, GA 31902

706-718-3324

 

 

Chattohoochee Valley Land Trust

Board of Directors

 

Tony Link, president

 

John Turner, vice president

 

Ken Henson Jr., treasurer

  

Edward Callaway

 

Ben Cheek

 

LuAnn Craighton

 

Mat Swift

 

Jennifer Wellborn

 

Will White

 

 

Executive Director: Katherine Eddins

 

 

Secretary: Matthew Wells, program director