In the beginning, The Nature Conservancy was primarily concerned with acquiring and protecting land. The purchase of the 60-acre Mianus River Gorge Wildlife Refuge and Preserve in Bedford, New York, created the first Nature Conservancy preserve, established the revolving Land Preservation Fund as our foremost conservation tool, and set the tone for our early preservation strategy.
In 1955, a group of conservation-minded neighbors sought help from The Nature Conservancy when they learned of a deal to sell Mianus Gorge to a developer. A wild ravine created by a glacial cleft, Mianus Gorge contains a grove of old-growth hemlocks—some of which are over 100 feet tall and more than 325 years old—more than 150 birds species and a diversity of natural communities. The Conservancy pledged $7,500 to protect the gorge, stipulating that the loan be repaid for use in other conservation efforts.
Today the Mianus River Gorge preserve has grown to 719 acres and visitors can enjoy guided walks along a trail through the gorge. The Mianus River Gorge Committee, a nonprofit land trust, now manages the preserve, and the Conservancy holds title to most of the land.
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