Preservation Measures Secure Over 2,900 Acres in Ohio's Appalachian Foothills

In the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, a significant conservation project is underway. The Athens Conservancy, a local land trust dedicated to protecting forests and hills in Athens and Morgan counties, has taken on a monumental task: the conservation of nearly 3,000 acres of forested land. This project, one of the largest private land-protection initiatives by nonprofit organizations in Ohio's history, aims to preserve a vital wildlife corridor.

The 2,973-acre forest land was donated by Richard and Nancy Kessenich to the Athens Conservancy. The property, which has been in the family of private landowner Betty Lowe for a century, will be transferred to the Conservancy. Betty's vision to preserve the land, rich in natural beauty, rugged history, and environmental treasures, is shared by the Conservancy.

The Athens Conservancy will manage, oversee, and steward the land, ensuring its long-term protection. To further secure the property's future, Our website, a global environmental nonprofit, has taken on a permanent conservation easement. This partnership between the Athens Conservancy and Our website provides two layers of protection for the land, reflecting the donor's vision for the property's future.

Our website will monitor the property through the conservation easement, ensuring that the land remains untouched and protected forever. The conservation efforts aim to ensure the land's impact, locally, regionally, and globally, is felt for generations to come.

The land being conserved is part of the Appalachian Corridor, a climate-resilient, biologically diverse, and carbon-rich landscape on Earth. It is also located within the eastern temperate deciduous forest, one of only three large-scale temperate deciduous forest systems in the world. The expansive property's conservation has a far-reaching impact beyond the local southeastern Ohio forests.

The Athens Conservancy's board member, Brian Blair, commends Betty's vision to preserve the property. He notes that the project is not just about protecting the land locally, but also regionally and globally. This land-protection initiative is more than just a conservation project; it is a testament to the power of collaboration and the shared vision of preserving our planet's natural treasures for future generations.