With decades of experience in on-the-ground organizing for land preservation in Michigan, Barry Lonik describes the benefits of publicly funded conservation easements and outlines paths for community involvement to make it happen. Barry cites many examples showing how the needs of multiple long-term stakeholders can be satisfied while protecting green space and agricultural land.

Jean-Paul Stewart-Courtens shares how after losing the lease on the land he was farming he was able to find and add to a piece of farmland while protecting it for agriculture long term. Success required creative thinking, partnerships, and a mix of funding sources supported by tools such as conservation easements and resale restrictions. Also includes a discussion of leadership transition.

Tom Spaulding opens with an inspiring story of how he came to farm the land he’s on, and then shares the model and vision of the current multi-enterprise operation as well as the various strategies his organization has used or is implementing (LLC, community land trust, long-term leases) to protect the farm and prepare for succession.

John Bloom offers a useful conceptual framework distinguishing ownership, use and community as primary concepts to help those seeking to organize around the issue of agricultural land preservation.