Madison-Morgan Conservancy

Future Educational Forums:

Stay Tuned:

Conservation Easement Workshop, September 23, 2010

and…

Historic Preservation v. Sustainability: The Next Great Debate, October 14, 2010, with special guest Mark McDonald of the GA Trust for Historic Preservation

Past Educational Forums:

Land Talks: The Future is Farming
May 20, 2010
5:00 p.m.
Hard Labor Creek State Park
$5 parking fee at Park
Picnic in the Park afterwards

Approximately 50 people attended Land Talks to hear guest speakers discuss the emerging economic markets of the local food movement and resulting opportunities being created in this region of Georgia. Guest speakers included Jeff Dorfman (UGA Ag Economics), Craig Page (UGA), Alice Rolls (GA Organics), Bobby Smith (UGA Cooperative Extension, Morgan County), Chuck Anglin (Morgan County Tax Assessor), Cory Mosser (Burge Organics), and Mort Ewing (Newton County Commissioner).

Land Talks is presented by the Madison-Morgan Conservancy, Smart Growth Newton County, Friends of Walton County, and the Center for Community Preservation and Planning. Our objective is to provide a venue for the continued conversation about the future of this region of Georgia – a region rich in natural, cultural, and agricultural resources and one facing increasing pressure from rapidly expanding Metropolitan Atlanta.

10th Anniversary Celebration and Membership Supper
Saturday, March 20, 2010
6:00 p.m.
Barn at Malcom’s Crossroads
$10 for members, $35 for non-members

115 members joined us at the Rather’s barn at Malcom’s Crossroads this year to celebrate the Conservancy’s 10th Anniversary. Jill Johnson, Director of the GA Conservation Voters, discussed state-wide water issues. Members feasted on homemade chili made from locally raised beef from the Verner Farms, Innisfail Farm, and Tewksbury Farm as well as chili made from local venison. The evening ended with an unrehearsed version of Michael Jackson’s Ease on Down the Road with lyrics written by Mary McCauley about conservation easements. We promise never to sing again, despite you pleas.

Greenprint Ramble
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Ramble, 2 p.m., Supper 6 p.m.
Northwest Morgan County and Cedar Lane Farm

A forty mile jaunt through the countryside, great stories told by long-time Morgan County residents, and this year a tour of Bostwick and the Nolan Store Crossroads and supper at Cedar Lane Farm made wholly of Morgan County ingredients—the Greenprint Ramble is the Madison-Morgan Conservancy’s signature event occurring only once every two years.

As an outgrowth of our mission, the Greenprint Ramble is a contextual learning experience designed to capture the imaginations of riders while we “go back” through Morgan County’s past. As we travel through the countryside and hear stories told by long-time residents, we will see many of our significant natural, agricultural, and historic resources listed on the Greenprint and recognize their value.

200 people joined us for a 40 mile bus tour through the northwest portion of Morgan County with a stop in Bostwick for a tour of the Bostwick Cotton Gin and Susie Agnes Hotel. The tour culminated with a supper for 230 people at Cedar Lane Farm which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Morgan County Greenprint. Supper was be made mostly of Morgan County ingredients from many of the farms seen during the Ramble. Produce, dairy, and meats raised right here in Morgan County – fresh from farm to table! What better way to celebrate the fruits of our land and the labor of Morgan County farmers.

Land Talks: Greening Downtown: Good for Business
Thursday, March 5th, 2009
4 p.m.
First Baptist Church, Monroe, GA

Approximately 50 people joined the Madison-Morgan Conservancy, Friends of Walton County, Smart Growth Newton County, and the Center to discuss greenspace development in downtowns for our fifth Land Talks.

Jim Durrett (Livable Communities Coalition) and Dan Reuter (Atlanta Regional Commission) were joined by Monica Callahan (Madison), Cheryl Delks (Covington), and William Chapman (Monroe) and discussed the economic, social, and environmental benefits of investing in green infrastructure.

Annual Membership Dinner
Saturday, November 22nd, 2008
The Rather’s Barn
6pm

Approximately 100 members gathered for a celebration of the Conservancy’s successes in 2008, including the protection of 250+ acres of agricultural land and one historic site through the donation of four conservation easements to GA Land Trust. This brings our total acreage of permanently protected land in Morgan County to almost 1,000 acres.

Conservation Easement Workshop
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
9am – 1pm
Burge Plantation

In this intimate setting, Katherine Eddins presented a nuts-and-bolts workshop on conservation easements, their tax incentives, and the process for implementing easements. Twenty individuals attended, some of whom were in the process of implementing conservation easements on their land by the end of 2008. 4.0 hours of CLE credit was available for lawyers.

Sustainability Expo
Saturday, September 27th, 2008
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center

Promoting the conservation of energy, water, and land.

The Madison-Morgan Conservancy, the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, HunkerDowns Freshmarket, and the Church of the Advent co-sponsored the “Stewards for the Earth” Innaugural Sustainability Expo on Saturday, September 27th. We invited vendors of green technologies (solar power, rain barrels, green architecture, geothermal, etc.) to display in the Hall at the Cultural Center, and there was a small local foods farmer’s market on the lawn. Also promoting sustainability were the Woopets – puppeteers performed “Echoes of Eco”, a puppet show (life size puppets) for all ages in the Auditorium.

About 100 attendees perused the Hall, learning from the vendors of sustainable technologies how they, as homeowners, could conserve energy, water, and land.

4th Tri-County Land Talks
Economic Development… and the Economics of Development
February 28th, 2008
6:00 PM
Burge Plantation

As our region continues to grow at unprecedented levels, Land Talks is taking a closer look at economic development, and what that development means to local governments and communities, both financially and socially. Join us as we learn from Rope Roberts and Jeff Dorfman, two of the state’s leading experts on Economic Development and the Economics of Development, respectively.

2007 Annual Membership Dinner
November 10th, 2007
6:30 PM
The Rather’s Barn

Our third annual membership dinner honoring our members. Please join us to hear our special speaker Devon Darntell. Devon is the Bio Energy Program Manager for the Georgia Forestry Commission and he will be speaking about Georgia’s role in the biofuel and carbon sequestration markets. Come help celebrate the seventh year of the Conservancy.

The First Greenprint Ramble
October 13th, 2007

Take a ride over the Georgia Railroad. Pass Go (Godfrey that is), and collect 200 years of history in the inaugural GREENPRINT RAMBLE, a driving tour sponsored by the Madison-Morgan Conservancy on Saturday, October 13. Based on the future land use map prepared in 2003 and adopted by the county to guide land use decisions (also called the Greenprint map), this tour will feature Godfrey and Pennington communities as riders cover a southwestern slice of Morgan County. Do you know where the oldest house in Morgan County is? The largest tree? The most beautiful vista? Taken by bus with a narrator we’ll provide, in your personal vehicle with tour guide in hand, or on a group van, you’ll learn things about the land and people here you never realized, and we hope to challenge you to consider the future of dairy farming, the scale of development, and the effects to our natural resources of all types of human activities. The event will include stops at two dairies, several homes, and nineteenth-century churches, where restrooms and drinks will be provided.

After soaking up the views and the stories, you will want to celebrate Morgan County’s agricultural abundance at a dinner made entirely of local fare. The Conservancy is bringing together a team of farmers, cooks, and servers to present a homemade culinary extravaganza. There will be grass-fed roast beef from Sandy Creek Road, marinated venison, Buckhead poultry, and Burnt Pine quail. Feast ad lib on a large variety of greens, nuts, fruit, and vegetables from farms you know. The eggs will be freshly gathered, the honey nourished with Morgan County clover and privet, and the milk not only produced but also pasteurized at a farm less than two miles from our lovely Pennington dining spot. (There may even be butter churning and grape mashing on site.)

Whether you join us for just the tour, just dinner, or for both, you will be participating in an event the likes of which has not occurred since the founding days of the county. Whether you love history, love food, or love this place, you will come away with an appreciation for all. Whether you are a multi-generation native, a former Morgan countian now removed, or a newcomer from the metropolis, the tour will generate questions, pride, and an appreciation of resources becoming scarcer as Georgia’s population continues to explode.

Third Conservation Easement Workshop
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Burge Plantation, Mansfield, GA
Continuing Education Credit Available
$25 admission fee

The Madison-Morgan Conservancy, in partnership with Ga Land Trust, Smart Growth Newton County, and Friends of Walton County, will hold the third Conservation Easement Workshop at Burge Plantation on Tuesday, April 24th. Katherine Eddins, Executive Director of the Georgia Land Trust, will give a nuts-and-bolts presentation on the use of conservation easements and the tax incentives associated with the donation of such easements. Attendees will leave with an in depth knowledge of the conservation easement process and with literature for future reference. CLE credit is available.

Land Talks, Greenspace Acquisition

Monday, January 22nd, 2007
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center Hall, 434 South Main Street, Madison, GA 30650
5:30 p.m. Social Time
6:00 p.m. Supper served, followed by presentations
7:00 p.m. Q&A
Speakers: Robert Barr (Carroll County Commission Chair), Denise Brinson (City of Suwanee Economic Development), and Curt Soper (GA Land Conservation Program)

The next few decades will witness a race between urban sprawl and large-scale preservation. Assess the ballot measures for conservation lately, and you’ll see that voter appetite for land conservation is strong nationwide.

Even locally, individuals and local elected officials are taking on the challenge of preserving greenspace. Just this November:
•Cobb County voters approved a $40 million bond referendum for land conservation.
•Paulding County voters approved a $17.2 million in bonds for park acquisition, protecting 7,080 acres.
•Morgan County voters approved $200,000 in SPLOST funds for greenspace in the City of Madison.

These metropolitan Atlanta counties are getting ahead of the game – purchasing land now that will be too expensive in a few years to buy, but that provides services which are even more expensive to replicate.

Greenspace protection provides enormous environmental and health benefits, stabilizes property values, enhances the appeal of communities for tourism and for positive growth and development, and improves quality of life for citizens through natural beauty and cultural and historic preservation. More and more jurisdictions are recognizing these benefits of conservation.

Approximately 150 people from five counties joined us to hear three leaders in greenspace preservation discuss their initiatives:
•Robert Barr, Chair Carroll County Board of Commissioners, will speak about Carroll County’s Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program that has protected water quality, scenic views, and working landscapes.
•Denise Brinson, City of Suwanee Economic Development Manager, will speak about the City of Suwanee’s parkland acquisition program and the creation of a new town square.
•Curt Soper, Director of the Georgia Land Conservation Program, will speak about Governor Perdue’s land conservation plan, the program’s goals, and selected approved projects.

Land Talks is presented by the Madison-Morgan Conservancy, Smart Growth Newton County, Friends of Walton County, and the Center for Community Preservation and Planning. Our objective is to provide a venue for the continued conversation about the future of this region of Georgia – a region rich in natural, cultural, and agricultural resources and one facing increasing pressure from rapidly expanding Metropolitan Atlanta.

Second Annual Membership Dinner
Saturday, November 11, 2006
6:00 pm
Southwest corner of Fairplay Road and Sandy Creek Road
Dan and Ginny Rather’s Barn
Members invited

Kelly Jordan of the Arabia Mountain Alliance told the story of a community’s successful journey toward a National Heritage Area Designation. Approximately 85 members joined together in the “party barn” for this presentation, good food, and good fun. We hope you will join us next year.

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)
June, 2006, three forums
6:00 pm
Hosted in Board Members’ Homes in Godfrey, Madison, and Rutledge
Free

In June of 2006 we held three TDR forums in Godfrey, Madison, and Rutledge, during which was discussed the pros and cons of Transfer of Development Rights for Morgan County. Each forum was free and the hosts provided delicious suppers.

Tri-County Land Talks
April 20, 2006
4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Monroe, GA
Free
Steve Nygren, Chattahoochee Hill Country, speaker

The Madison-Morgan Conservancy, Smart Growth Newton County, Friends of Walton, and The Center for Community Preservation and Planning joined together for a second Tri-County Land Talks to discuss Transfer of Development Rights (TDR). Steve Nygren of Chattahoochee Hills Country was our guest speaker and told the story of their success in South Fulton County. After the presentation, guests, which consisted of large landowners, public officials, county and municipal planning staff, and developers asked questions about TDR.

Membership Chili Dinner
November 14, 2005
6:00 p.m.
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center Hall
Free
Special Guest Rick Pruetz, nation’s expert in Transfer of Development Rights

Approximately 70 Conservancy members gathered together for a Membership Chili Dinner on Monday, November 14th, at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center Hall to celebrate conservation in Morgan County. Special guest, Rick Pruetz, the nation’s expert in Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), gave a presentation on TDR programs and how they might work in Morgan County. To learn more about TDR and/or Rick Pruetz, please visit www.beyondtakingsandgivings.com.

Members celebrated the accomplishments of the Conservancy over the last five years, including the creation of the Morgan County Greenprint and its adoption as part of the 2004 Morgan County Comprehensive Plan, co-sponsoring five conservation easements totaling 450 acres, the Conservancy’s involvement in county planning, and hosting 16 educational forums. It was a fun and joyous evening!

Second Conservation Easement Workshop
Thursday, October 27, 2005
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Burge Plantation, Mansfield, GA
Continuing Education Credit Available
$25 admission fee

The Madison-Morgan Conservancy, in cooperation with Smart Growth Newton County and the Georgia Land Trust, held the second Conservation Easement Workshop at Burge Plantation on Thursday, October 27th. Katherine Eddins, Executive Director of the Georgia Land Trust, gave a nuts-and-bolts presentation on the use of conservation easements and the tax incentives associated with such easements. In attendance were approximately 30 of Morgan County’s landowners, lawyers, and appraisers who were interested in learning more about this effective, private conservation tool.

Tri-County Land Talks
October 6, 2005
4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Burge Plantation
Free

On October 6, well over 100 of the largest landowners (owning more than 100 acres or more each) in Newton, Morgan, and Walton counties plus elected officials, developers, land planners, and representatives from growth management organizations gathered at Burge Plantation to talk about greenspace preservation and development options. Four organizations sponsored the event: Smart Growth Newton County, Friends of Walton, the Madison-Morgan Conservancy, and The Center for Community Preservation and Planning.

The purpose of the event was to talk about regional growth pressures and to showcase alternative development and conservation options and tools. The interests of the landowners varied. For example, some were interested in preserving farm or forest dear to them but were concerned about how to pay rising taxes. Some considered their land a financial investment for themselves and their children and wanted to develop and were curious to learn how they might do so while preserving and marketing greenspace as an amenity that is also crucial to the county’s long-term environmental health.

Randall Arendt, FRTPI
April 28, 2005
7:00 p.m.
Free
Morgan County High School Auditorium

Randall Arendt of Greener Prospects, Conservation by Design, joined us on Thursday, April 28th, at 7:00 pm at the Morgan County High School Auditorium for a presentation on manageable development plans and specifically addressed Morgan County’s zoning ordinances and development regulations as they apply to our future development.

Randall Arendt is the nation’s leading expert in conservation subdivsion design. To learn more about Mr. Arendt, please visit www.greenerprospects.com.

Greenprint Forum Series
August, 2004
Series of five forums
Free

In August of 2004, a series of five educational forums on Morgan County’s Greenprint were held in Bostwick, Buckhead, Godfrey/Pennington, Madison, and Rutledge. The forums were held in the homes of our members and included dinner and discussion. The Greenprint is a catalog of the natural, historic, and cultural resources of the county and contains goals and objectives related to the preservation of the quality of life and the many resources of the county. Morgan County is the first in Georgia to have a county-wide Greenprint and is the only county to have the Greenprint adopted as part of the Comprehensive Plan. The Greenprint forums served to educate the public about the document and its use as a planning tool, and to request further information regarding other resources in the county.

Tuesday, September 26, 2002 – The Value of Wildlife and Habitat Protection. Tavia McCuean of The Nature Conservancy presented information about wildlife and habitat protection.

Tuesday, October 23, 2001 – Governor Roy Barnes talked about Morgan County’s conservation issues and about his green space concept for the state.

Tuesday, September 25, 2001 – The Value of Conservation Easements – Panel discussion about the role of The Madison-Morgan Conservancy, Inc. as a Land Trust to hold conservation easements. Panel of speakers included: Katherine Eddins, Executive Director, Chattowah Open Land Trust; Laurie Fowler, Environmental Law Practicum Director & Public Service Outreach Director – UGA Institute of Ecology; Nanette Nelson, Office of Public Service and Outreach. Hans Neuhauser, Executive Director of the Georgia Land Trust Service Center in Athens was unable to attend.

Thursday, April 5, 2001 – Value of Farmland Protection – Panel Discussion including Jill Schwartz, Marketing Director for the American Farmland Trust and Wayne McGinnis, a Maryland Farmer and former Chair of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Board.

Tuesday, February 6, 2001 – Value of Green Space Planning and Acquisition – Panel Discussion including Rand Wentworth, Director of Trust for Public Land of Georgia and Chris Sawyer, National Chairman of Trust for Public Land.

Tuesday, October 3, 2000 – Value of Land Use Planning and Zoning – Panel Discussion including Susan Kidd, Vice President for Education for the Georgia Conservancy, Jim Frederick, Director of Community Redevelopment of the Georgia Office of Community Affairs and Ellen Keys, Director of Community Services, Jordan, Jones & Goulding (engineering and planning consultants for Madison and Morgan County).