For 25 years, Placer Land Trust has been protecting natural and agricultural lands for the next generation. Well, that next generation is here! We are now working with young adults who have never known a world without Placer Land Trust. These young folks inspire our work every day! Hearing what they have to say about our natural world, and seeing the actions they are taking to protect it, reassure us that the lands we are protecting now, are in good hands for the future! Please read this message from one young supporter…
My name is Evan Burgeson, and I’m a proud member and volunteer of Placer Land Trust! I was even born the same year they were, in 1991! Placer Land Trust has been celebrating their 25th anniversary all year long, which has got me thinking of my 25 years…
I’ve had the incredible fortune of growing up on my parents’ farm in Newcastle. Blessed with a wonderful climate for growing, we have various citrus, a large garden, and a handful of other fruit and nut trees. As a kid, “raiding my refrigerator” usually just meant grazing about outside. I can’t overstate how important this upbringing has been in making me the person I am today. I think there’s something incredibly empowering about being able to cook a dinner from food you grew yourself. At the same time I think it is very humbling to be as much at the mercy of nature as farmers are.
Fortunately, my parents were never dependent on farming for their livelihoods, because small local family farms like ours are very hard to keep profitable. And often times, large plots of land are worth more money as a development than as a farm. The same is true for large areas of wilderness, which are especially at risk. I worry that generations even younger than me run the risk of losing their connection with nature forever. Fortunately, organizations like Placer Land Trust can preserve these areas in perpetuity, for everyone to enjoy.
We are also incredibly fortunate in Placer County to have some of these great wilderness areas for outdoor recreation. I learned to mountain bike on our local trails here in Placer County. When I ride and hike on these trails now—some of which I volunteered to help Placer Land Trust build—I see the next generation of kids enjoying nature and getting excited about the outdoors. I can’t imagine living here without protected places like Taylor Ranch, Hidden Falls, or the Miner’s Ravine bike trail (a beautiful sliver of wilderness in a concrete jungle). These wilderness areas give us a place to appreciate nature, stay healthy, and work off those holiday treats!
I really do feel passionately about the work Placer Land Trust does, which is why I am writing this letter to you. I think we have a wonderful opportunity with Placer Land Trust to really make some significant local impact * – and make it last forever. I think most of us have seen how long it can take for large national and government organizations to work to preserve natural areas, and then how quickly these areas can once again become threatened. With Placer Land Trust we have a unique chance to put our money directly toward preserving our local lands, forever.
I hope you’ll join me in supporting Placer Land Trust during this season of giving!
Happy Holidays ~
Evan Burgeson
P.S. Placer Land Trust Executive Director, Jeff Darlington here … I wanted to thank Evan for sharing his story, and encourage you to join Evan in giving an additional gift to Placer Land Trust before the end of the year.
* In terms of “significant local impact” how about 2,178 acres of newly protected land by this time next year, including new public recreation areas, wildlife preserves, and local ranch lands? If that sounds good to you, we have seven projects in the pipeline as we speak. Your year-end gift will help us permanently protect these 2,178 acres forever! Give now at http://www.placerlandtrust.org/donate/
And also, Evan didn’t mention it in his letter above, but he and his parents were awarded the 2016 Land Steward of the Year award for their volunteer efforts to protect and enhance natural and agricultural lands in Placer County for future generations. Thank you Evan and family!!
