Nature Briefs
Sitka deer rely on Alaska’s old-growth forests, and rare Amargosa toads depend on a short stretch of river in the northern Mojave Desert.
New Jersey residents Pat and Leslie Wood are avid travelers and bird lovers who found smart ways to support the world they cherish.
Leslie and Patrick Wood both grew up near special places that shaped their passion for enjoying the outdoors.
Leslie, a retired hairdresser, grew up in Nyack, a town on the Hudson River that’s north of New York City. She spent her childhood summers boating on the Hudson, visiting her family in Lake George and at an outdoor sleepaway camp.
Patrick, now a software engineer, first discovered nature along the Wabash River in Lafayette, Indiana, where farmland could be found less than a mile’s bike ride away. Many of his favorite memories took place at Lake Michigan and nearby Turkey Run State Park, where he explored hiking trails, waterfalls and footbridges with his family.
The Woods’ love of nature has endured for decades. They have traveled extensively to discover wonderful places: through the Canadian and American Rockies, down the Mississippi River, across the American West, all along the East Coast, and to Mexico, Panama, Norway, Turkey, Egypt and more. But their favorite place is home, where they enjoy 15 acres in beautiful northwestern New Jersey, overlooking a small lake where foxes, turkeys, coyotes and the occasional bear or bobcat make appearances. “I like the birds,” Leslie says.
The Woods made their first contribution to The Nature Conservancy over 40 years ago. “I just remember being very impressed by the work that they did,” says Pat. They have since started to create charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), which they find to be a practical way to support loved ones and charitable organizations.
“CRTs allow us to provide for our family now, instead of years down the line when we pass. They provide an income stream for life, which in some cases is better than a large lump-sum gift,” says Pat. “Also, selling stocks that have had massive gains would incur a significant tax bite regardless of whether we keep the gains for ourselves or give them to our family. CRTs serve as a mechanism to create income streams without incurring up-front capital gains taxes and principal that can grow tax deferred.”
Quote: Patrick Wood
My hope for the future is a world where people and nature coexist and people are more aware of how their actions impact the world around them.
Thanks to their financial savvy, Leslie and Pat are able to do even more for the people and causes they care about the most. “My hope for the future is a world where people and nature coexist,” says Pat, “and people are more aware of how their actions impact the world around them.”
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