Remember when you were a kid and would go on road trips with your family? Whether you were on vacation or visiting family and friends, you would stare out the window at the passing landscapes (usually bugging someone by asking "when we will we get there?"). These landscapes are slowly disappearing, but Land Legacy is working hard to preserve them. And you can help. Let's load up the car and head out on a road trip and see what Land Legacy is doing to preserve the past, live in the present, and save for the future.... and how you can help!

Our road trip begins in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma on the banks of Spavinaw Creek - the drinking water source for the City of Tulsa. There, Land Legacy is partnering with the City and the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the creek by purchasing conservation easements from participating landowners. As a result, these beautiful lands, rich in wildlife habitat, are forever preserved, and water quality is protected.

Bring a frisbee or football and a picnic lunch for second stop in downtown Tulsa. The Chapman Centennial Green is a half-block city park that we created in partnership with the City and many generous donors. In keeping with "living in the present," this park will have wifi capabilities (thanks to COX communications) for those who need to work, check email, or just cruise the internet during lunch.

Heading down Route 66, we arrive in Edmond and visit Chitwood Farms - a 100-acre hay farm with prime agricultural soils. It's a great partnership where a conservation-minded developer (Turner and Company), the US Department of Agriculture, Land Legacy and Edmond Land Conservancy teamed to preserve a working farm that is nestled in a new neighborhood! Future generations will see how we worked together with business and had preservation on our minds.

Our final stop is in southwestern Oklahoma in the shadows of the Wichita Mountains. There, Land Legacy is partnering with the US Army on a land protection program at Ft. Sill. So far, 21 ranches have been preserved both for continued agriculture and to limit development next to the base. These easements were purchased through our partnership with the Army, the US Department of Agriculture, and other partners. Many ranchers today want to continue to raise cattle but can't afford to do so because of the pressure to sell their land for financial reasons. Our partnership has allowed a win-win situation where the base is protected from encroachment and the families can still raise cattle on these prime agricultural lands.

There are many other important places that Land Legacy, our partners, landowners and donors have helped to protect. Our programs include urban parks and trails, farm and ranch preservation, and watershed protection. So check out our website to take a virtual road trip through Land Legacy's protected lands. While there, please consider clicking on "donate now" to make a tax-deductible gift to support our work. With your help, more lands will be saved for future generations... and their road trips.

Click to donate now!