Wide open spaces. Nature draws us still. In recent years, however, it has drawn perhaps too many of us. Much of what was once wide open is now cross-hatched with subdivision. The waves of sprawl are sweeping away wildlife habitat, biodiversity and a human connection to the land.

Today, the Conservancy is pushing itself to do more, to increase its conservation tactics and effectiveness exponentially by focusing its attention on developing high-leverage tools and strategies that create conservation results on a scale large enough to make an enduring difference.

The Conservation Buyer Program is one such strategy applied through three basic steps:

• land is bought in critical conservation areas
• appropriate conservation easements are designed for the land to protect natural features
• the land is resold to individuals dedicated to the conservation of the land and supportive of the protective conservation easement