A Passion for Conservation Prompts Monthly Action

Bonnie and Kent Jones are the kind of people that know what they want. They chose Cooperstown as their home largely because the lake, surrounding farms, and countryside are far less spoiled than other rural areas in the Northeast.

Appreciating the tangible outcomes of land trusts, they quickly joined the conservation efforts of Otsego Land Trust.

The conservation ethic of John Muir and Aldo Leopold comes naturally to them. They both grew up in rural areas, neither of which remains as unspoiled as the Cooperstown area. They spent summers on an Adirondack lake and hiked some of the 46 High Peaks while their children were growing up. This inspired Kent to serve on the Boards of the Sagamore Institute on Raquette Lake and the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks. Bonnie has provided her legal skills in charitable giving and conservation easements to Open Spaces and Saratoga PLAN. Now they are getting involved in the efforts of Otsego Land Trust.

Hiking in the Cheviot Mountains in northern England heightened the Jones’ commitment to the conservation and stewardship of watersheds, wooded hills and farmland. “England appears to us as if it’s 500 years ahead of the United States in the stewardship of its land. There is little urban or village sprawl and every acre of tillable farmland is protected as part of the food supply. We asked ourselves why Americans aren’t more passionate about land protection? Now, we feel compelled to spread the word about conservation and to help secure the resources to sustain the environmental health and natural beauty of our area.”

Bonnie and Kent are the most recent people to join our monthly giving program. “We elected to have our contribution withdrawn from our bank account on a monthly basis and appreciate that Otsego Land Trust offers that option,” Bonnie recently told us. “We realize that most contributions come in at the end of the calendar year, but that fixed expenses come every month. We hope that what is convenient for us also helps cash flow at Otsego Land Trust.” Please join us in extending a hearty welcome to Bonnie and Kent as they get settled in the area and get involved in local conservation efforts.