Willeboordse and Lund toyed with the idea of developing the lot, but ultimately concluded that its value as open space trumped other options.  They approached NeighborSpace in the summer of 2015 about donating a conservation easement for public open space and, in July 2016, NeighborSpace accepted the donation.

The property boasts a 200-year-old white oak, which provides a plethora of benefits. A recent study found that "trees that are more than 120 years old, in addition to providing more ecological value than younger trees in terms of carbon storage, air pollution control, and energy conservation, can also contribute to property value owing to the provision of more shade and aesthetic benefits." (" Tree Cover Contributes to Increased Property Values," AC Trees, 9/28/2016).

The donation marks the 18th property that NeighborSpace will have protected since its founding in 2002. As the land under its protection has grown to 86 acres, the organization is under increasing pressure to raise funds for ongoing stewardship expenses, which average $1,300 per property annually.  These include costs for liability and conservation defense insurance, along with overhead costs related to annual monitoring that is required by the Internal Revenue Service. Given that land trusts are typically obligated to protect lands in their portfolio in perpetuity, each additional property presents in a new and ongoing fundraising challenge.

Given these fundraising needs, NeighborSpace can't take on a new property without a commitment from a community for help with ongoing stewardship.  Willeboordse and Lund rose to this challenge, hosting a breakfast gathering last April to solicit support from their neighbors, and a fundraising house party on September 22 (the Fall Equinox)  for the same purpose.  We were so pleased to see so many old friends and to bring so many new friends into the fold. The Equinox event raised over $3,000.