A Message from the President ·
MAKE NO LITTLE PLANS
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” Daniel Burnham, Architect and Director of Works of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, said this and meant it. He, with the help of multitudes, was able to build the White City and create an environment in which the Ferris Wheel, Cracker Jacks, Shredded Wheat, and Pabst Blue Ribbon were invented and introduced to the world for the first time. And they did this all in less than three years. These were not little plans!
Planning the Greenprint Ramble is not as elaborate a task as planning the World’s Fair, but for this conservancy, it seems almost insurmountable. Recording the stories of long time residents, discovering the history of agriculture in the county, researching the unique architectural history of both the cities and the county along the proposed route, learning the politics of days gone by… and that’s just for the bus tour. The supper requires finding producers in Morgan County of meats, vegetables, dairy, and eggs; asking them to grow food and to raise livestock for a supper scheduled months away; organizing the collection and cooking of that fresh and nutritious local food; and hosting 200 of you at one of Morgan County’s most important historic sites… I’m tired just writing about it! For once, fundraising is the least of our worries, although that too is a key part of the Ramble planning.
The task is worth our every effort. The supper is a “culinary delight” made wholly of Morgan County food and supports and markets our local farmers, and the experience of getting out into Morgan County, hearing the stories of those who shaped our land and built our cities, gives us an appreciation for the place we live. We are rich with natural, agricultural, and historic resources—resources which should be used wisely and for the benefit of current and future generations. But how do we insure that wise use of our resources? Not with little plans.
We have a solid foundation of planning here in Morgan County: we have adopted the state’s first county-wide Greenprint, completed a Cost of Community Services Study, and conducted an American Farmland Trust Study. We understand our baseline of resources and costs of development. The only thing we don’t know is what the future holds.
Let’s be prepared for that future. Let’s educate ourselves on all the options for responsible planning, land conservation, and sustainable development. The bulldozers are quieted, and it is time to plan for the day they restart their engines.
The Conservancy has great plans for the next year. We will activate our Transfer of Development Rights Committee, hold the Bicentennial Ramble, and in March of 2010 celebrate our 10th anniversary! Plan to be with us—renew your membership or join for the first time. Support our mission of providing education and sustaining our quality of life and of protecting greenspace, farmland, timberland, and historic sites. Join us in supporting our agricultural industry by choosing to eat local food. All these things will make us healthier and happier and protect our built and natural environments for future generations—no little plans indeed.
Sincerely,
Mary McCauley
President
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