The recession has been both a blessing and a struggle for local land conservation groups.
Depressed real estate prices and the credit crisis haven't allowed conservancies and land trusts to aggressively buy property because vacant land prices haven't decreased as much as some area home values.
But revenue remained flat, instead of declining, for regional conservancies and land trusts, with the help of new donors – even as old sources dried up.
Meanwhile, funding for state parks and wildlife areas has declined as offers of land for sale have jumped.
A steady stream of donations has allowed conservancies like ACRES Land Trust and the Little River Wetlands Project to maintain their land acquisition goals despite the bleak economy and strong land prices.
Of the multiple non-profits that conserve land to preserve wildlife and offer recreation in the region, ACRES is the largest and most active in northeast Indiana. Little River Wetlands and Blue Heron are small agencies in comparison.
Demand for private hunting grounds has pushed up the prices of natural land in rural areas of Steuben County, said Nate Simons, executive director of Blue Heron Ministries. The non-profit preserves open land in Steuben County plus neighboring areas in Ohio and Michigan. It owns four nature preserves including 148 acres.
Six years ago, Blue Heron bought 38 acres for $1,500 an acre. In 2007, the group spent $3,500 an acre and bought just 13 acres of non-farmable sand fields, Simons said.
Now, similar land is selling for $4,100 an acre, Simons said.
In Allen County, the Little River Wetlands Project recently acquired 67 acres connecting the group's Arrowhead Prairie and Arrowhead Marsh properties in Aboite Township. The entire project, including the purchase, a maintenance fund, demolition of some buildings, and planting a garden will cost $75,000, said Betsy Yankowiak, executive director.
The donor would have offered the low selling price regardless of the economy. But new cash donors have ensured the small land trust had the money to pay for the project, Yankowiak said.
The Little River project, which focuses on re-establishing historical wetlands in southwest Allen County and portions of Huntington County, has received less funding from large Fort Wayne foundations during the past year or so. Instead, support from smaller, family foundations and individual donors has grown, she said.
"Our funding was right on schedule. It just came from different places from what we've had in the past," Yankowiak said.
ACRES Land Trust has benefited from the recession and its golden anniversary. Cash donations from new donors have helped keep revenue on track with past years, Executive Director Jason Kissel said.
"A lot of people realize that investing in ACRES in particular is a very long-lasting thing," Kissel said. Stocks go up and down, but land will always benefit the community, offering a long-term return on investment, he said.
The land trust, which protects natural habitats in northeast Indiana, southern Michigan and northwest Ohio, is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. That milestone has also drawn more donors and ensured the number of property acquisitions kept a steady pace beginning even in 2009, he said.
Normally, the land trust closes on two to three properties a year. Last year was no different, and the land trust plans to acquire an additional 300 to 400 acres this year, Kissel said.
In late 2009, with the help of cash donors, the group finalized a deal to acquire 52 acres along Cedar Creek, which winds through a forested canyon that is the last natural sweep of land in Allen County, he said.
Less money
Unlike area conservancies, revenue for the Indiana Heritage Trust, the land acquisition arm of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, is declining. In 2009, the trust took in $400,000 less than 2008 from sales of the state's environment license plate – the main revenue source for the trust.
Sales dropped because of competition from other license plate options. In addition, plate buyers aren't willing to spend the extra money for the plates during this recession, trust director Nick Heinzelman said.
The General Assembly has not provided additional funding because of the state's own financial problems. Individual donations offer some funding, he said.
The DNR acquires land to protect wildlife and provide recreational opportunities through preserves, parks and fish and wildlife areas. The state often partners with non-profit groups like ACRES or local park systems to protect land.
The recession has prompted more property owners to call Heinzelman, hoping to sell their land to the DNR.
"We have people calling every week willing to sell. The biggest issue we have is lack of funding. We have far more projects that we could do than money that we have," Heinzelman said.
In 2009, the state purchased 16 properties totaling 2,733 acres. That's on par with 2008, when the state bought 18 properties covering about 2,616 acres.
But Heinzelman expects the state will tackle fewer projects this year and next because of the lack of funding – despite offers of land considered a top priority because they are adjacent to existing state parks and forests or land trusts, he said.
Property owners turn to the state when they find no takers on the open market. A 5-acre parcel with a cabin won't sell in today's market because people don't have the money for a vacation home right now, he said.
Some property owners might be willing to donate the land if they are unable to sell for top dollar to developers during the recession, Allen County Parks Director Jeff Baxter said.
Instead of receiving a check, they can deduct the value of the land from their income taxes. And if they intend to live on the property for the rest of their life, giving the property to a non-profit eliminates the need to pay property taxes. Such deals also prevent family members from paying inheritance taxes on the land, Baxter said.
"You don't want to celebrate all the benefits of the recession. It's true we're getting more support elsewhere than what we're used to. I don't know if people just have a change of heart," Yankowiak said. "People start thinking broader. 'Hey, I'm still eating, I still have a job. What can I give back to my community?' "
