ALT-update Mailing List: Latest Happenings

[Updates on the Athens Land Trust's Activities (alt-update]

ALT Updates

50 acres of Farmland Protected!
On Friday, February 16, ALT purchased an 
agricultural conservation easement protecting 50 
acres of Oconee County farmland through the Farm 
and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) of the 
Natural Resource Conservation Service. FRPP 
provided 50% of the funding for the easement 
purchase, with Oconee County and private 
individuals providing 25%. The landowners, Rickey 
and Kay House, donated the remaining 25%. The 
easement was held up when everyone learned that 
the 441 bypass of Bishop was proposed to be built 
through the House's farm. Rickey and Kay are 
hoping to preserve more of their 197-acre farm through the FRPP in the future.

Exciting New Way to Donate!
Elena Brown and Jared Harper have set up a 
monthly donation to ALT through their bank's 
billpay service. They are our first donors to do 
this and we are very grateful for their 
generosity and commitment to ALT. Thank you!

Save the Date  Spirit of the Land!
The Athens Land Trust and the Oconee River Land 
Trust are partnering for the 3rd year to present 
Spirit of the Land, an art sale and wine tasting 
to raise awareness of the need for land 
conservation and to raise funds for our work.

The Spirit of the Land event will take place 
Saturday, March 31, 2007, at the State Botanical 
Gardens Garden Club Terrace Room. The focus of 
this unique event will be on the benefits of 
protecting land, including the fruit of the land 
and the beauty of natural areas. The event will 
include artwork by more than 20 local artists 
focusing on this theme, a tasting of wines that 
reflect the land that produced them, live music, 
hors d'oeuvres and an auction of unique items. 
One of our donated items for this year's auction 
is Michael Stipe?s cover photograph from R.E.M.?s New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

We will also have an Opening Reception for the 
art exhibit and sale on Sunday, March 25, from 
1-4 p.m. in the Conservatory that is open to the 
public. Our signature artist, Alan Campbell, is 
creating a piece especially for the event.  The 
art show, with over 26 local artists, is being 
curated by René Shoemaker. We have worked with 
the artists to create a sustainable event, where 
the artists are allowed to set the price of their 
works and they share the proceeds with our organizations.

Tickets for the evening are $35 in advance and 
$40 at the door; they are available at Gosford 
Wine, Homeplace Gifts, and our offices. Proceeds 
from the event will be shared by the two land 
trusts and used for land conservation efforts in 
our region. Sponsors of the event include R.E.M., 
Gosford Wine, the Botanical Garden, and the Winthrop Foundation, among others.

Spirit of the Land has been a great success, with 
over 175 attendees at last year?s event, and 
featuring donations from more than 125 artists, 
wineries, and local businesses. Please join us for a wonderful evening!




Heather Benham
Project Director

Athens Land Trust, Inc.
2109 W. Broad Street
Athens, GA 30606-3545

Telephone: 706.613.0122 ? Fax: 706.613.0143
heather [at] athenslandtrust.org ? www.athenslandtrust.org

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SAVE THE DATE:
March 31, 2007
S  P  I  R  I  T      O  F       T  H  E     L  A  N  D
The Third Annual Wine & Art Benefit for Land Conservation
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