The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Annual Report 2010: The Roots of Innovation

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The Nature Conservancy’s history is one of innovation. On Christmas Eve 1954, neighbors of a hemlock forest in Bedford, New York, were given an ultimatum: Make a bid on the wooded ravine at Mianus River Gorge or the 60 acres will be sold to a developer. The neighbors pledged their life insurance policies to make a down payment and turned to a nascent nonprofit organization for help. Together, the Mianus Gorge Conservation Group and The Nature Conservancy struck a deal to buy the land.

It was a bold move in the 1950s – and it was a defining moment for the Conservancy. Nearly 60 years later, that same spirit of innovation and audacity of vision that was present at Mianus River Gorge guides our work in all 50 states and more than 30 countries around the world.

You are invited to read our 2010 Annual Report and see how we have advanced our record of innovation over the years in places such as:

• Quito, Ecuador, where a unique payment system has revolutionized the way we protect watersheds and clean water sources across Latin America;
• Berau, Indonesia, whose Conservancy-supported Forest Carbon Program was selected by the government as one of the country’s four Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) pilot projects; and
• The Gulf of Mexico, a place where a long-term vision of restoration could help an ecosystem heal.
  We hope you enjoy viewing some of our 2010 conservation highlights that members and supporters like you helped make happen in the past year.

A spirit of audacious innovation was born at Mianus River Gorge, and your support ensures that we can continue to use smart, innovative research and work to protect and restore the Earth's most critical natural places for generations to come. Thank you for your support.