The Educational Mission
The educational component of our
mission is ongoing and over the years has included, and will continue to include,
wildflower walks, area geology studies, stream walks, a variety of presentations
regarding our natural resources and processes for conservation protection, and
meetings with individual property owners regarding conservation protection of
the land.
The Trust expanded the scope of its educational mission in March 2004 with the
co-sponsorship of Protecting Rural Lands, a one-day workshop at Denison
University's Burton Morgan Center. This workshop, presented in cooperation
with Denison University and OSU Extension Service - Licking County, was designed
for owners of rural property and those who advise or work with such owners,
to learn about long-term conservation protection for land. A diverse group
of approximately 90 people – farmers, concerned citizens, lawyers, other professionals
and public officials - spent the day in general or group sessions discussing
economic considerations which make that protection possible. Dr. Bob Teater,
former Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the keynote
speaker for the workshop, stated the challenge for the day, and for tomorrow,
in these terms:
"One of the concepts that I want to emphasize is that we have to look at the soil and land as more than just space to build on. That ignores what's under ground - the soil, the water, the minerals, the forest, the wildlife - the living system. Are we really looking at resource management in terms of the resources, not just the space to build?"