History

Incorporated as Georgia’s first countywide conservancy in 2000, the Madison-Morgan Conservancy has grown into an effective and influential organization, serving both locally and statewide as a resource for protecting natural, agricultural, and historic resources, promoting the region’s local agricultural industry, and preserving the quality of life and sense of place found in Morgan County.

As a high school student in Atlanta with deep family roots in Morgan County, Katie Vason was challenged by her teacher to “do something” about a place she loved.  Thankfully she chose Morgan County and asked her dad, Wayne, to help her organize a local conservancy.  A board of eight local citizens was formed, articles of incorporation and bylaws written, and they were off to the races, organizing educational forums as their first step in understanding the complex land use issues involved in conservation and sustainable development.

Today the Conservancy’s unique holistic approach to conservation includes collaboration with land trusts, local governments, and other partners to:

1) provide education, advocacy, and technical assistance

2) protect critical resources, and

3) grow the local food system.  

See our Strategic Plan 2021-2025 to learn more.

To date, this work has resulted in the permanent protection of over 6,000+ acres through the donation of conservation easements by private landowners; a Junior Conservancy; an Endangered Properties Revolving Fund; 60+ educational forums; Georgia’s first countywide Greenprint (2004, revised 2017); “FARMeander,” Georgia’s first agritourism farm trail (2011); grass roots inspiration of Farmview Market as a regional food hub; restoration of numerous historic structures; and an effective working relationship with local governments.

Misson

The mission of the Madison-Morgan Conservancy is to provide public education on conservation matters and to protect and enhance the heritage and quality of life of the residents of Morgan County, by preserving historic sites, greenspace, farmland, and timberland.

Accomplishments

The Conservancy has accomplished its work by building strong partnerships, educating the public and local decision-makers, identifying and documenting threatened resources, and utilizing innovative tools to protect those resources.  We do not work in isolation, but rather work collaboratively, with local and statewide non-profit organizations, government agencies, and individual stakeholders.  The result:

 Protecting Land:

• Conservation Easements – Over 6,000 acres protected through voluntarily donated conservation easements by private landowners in Morgan County (more acreage protected in surrounding counties)
• Establishment of the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund in Morgan County (the second largest of its kind in the state) for the protection of openspace as well as historic structures.

Land Use:

• TDR – Helped draft a transferable development rights (TDR) ordinance for the City of Madison, which was adopted in May 2014 and has resulted in permanent protection of 33 acres and the development of a LEED certified residential complex.
• Development Review Committee reviewed nine development plans since 2006, reporting to the Morgan County Planning Commission on the pros and cons of each development plan.
• Development Review Committee was instrumental in securing four unanimous votes (County and Regional Commission) for disapproval of an application for a regional landfill within 1.5 miles of the City of Madison

Promoting Agriculture:

• Created and published FARMeander: GA’s first “farm trail” a map-based tour guide to local farms in and around Morgan County
• Regional Food Hub: Led an effort to bring a regional food hub to Morgan County.
• Farm To School: Helped launch a Farm to School program in Morgan County School System.
• Listed the Bryans, Broach, and Williams Family Farms GA’s Centennial Farm Register.

Community Education:

• Hosted 60+ educational forums since 2001, including the longest-running annual   Conservation Easement Workshop in the state and four Greenprint Rambles
• Greenprints: in 2004 initiated the creation and adoption of the Morgan County Greenprint, in 2009 assisted in drafting the City of Madison Greenprint, and in 2017 completed an update of Morgan County’s Greenprint.
• Launched the Junior Conservancy in 2017: high school students serving on a mock board of directors, designing and executing their own conservation-related programming.

Historic Preservation:

• Fairplay School – The historic school was purchased in June 2022, through the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund. Built in 1897, the building operated as a school serving the Fairplay community until 1938. After Morgan County consolidated the rural schools, the Board of Education sold the Fairplay School to the Knight Family in 1953.  The Knights lived in the building for 70 years until they sold it to the Conservancy in August 2022.  The Conservancy stabilized the building, listed it with Madison Realty, and sold it to a preservation buyer subject to a preservation agreement and deed restriction.
• The Seedhouse – Constructed in c. 1899, the Revolving Fund purchased the blighted historic cotton seed warehouse in the heart of downtown Madison on October 30^th2020.  Known most recently as Helen’s Beauty Shop, the building had been vacant for 10 years.  The Revolving Fund rehabilitated the building into an EarthCraft Gold commercial space, replacing blight with an energy efficient office space.  The Revolving Fund will own and lease the property to the Conservancy for five years and then sell it to recoup its investment, replenishing the fund.
• Foster-Thomason-Miller House – As the first project of the Endangered Properties Revolving Fund, the Conservancy purchased the 1883 FTM House in May 2018, stabilized the structure, permanently protected it with a conservation easement, listed it for sale with Lewis and Redwine Real Estate Group, and sold it to a conservation buyer who agreed to rehab the structure to a certain standard within a certain timeframe.
• Sugar Creek Baptist Church – From 2015-2016, the Conservancy saved the c.1915 Sugar Creek Church from demolition.  Conservancy staff and advisors assisted the church in assessing the alternatives to demolition of the 100 year old sanctuary with assistance from Curtis Whitsel of Whitsel Construction.  After months of negotiation with the church, a new owner was found to move and rehabilitate the structure within a mile of its original site on the same road.  The building continues to be used as a chapel and event facility.
• Nolan House – On behalf of the landowner, the Conservancy staff prepared the nomination for the c.1905 Nolan House to the National Register of Historic Places. The house was listed in February 2015.
• Malcom House – From 2014-2015 the Conservancy, assisted the landowner in rehabilitating the c.1906 historic homestead at Malcom’s Crossroads (provided advice on materials conservation methods, labor, tax credits, etc.).
• Wallace Grove School c.1901 – In 2012, partnered with Wallace Grove Baptist Church in the restoration of Morgan County’s last in situ African American school from the turn of the century.
• 399 Jefferson Street c.1890 –  In 2010 partnered with Morgan County Landmarks in the preservation of a Victorian Era cottage in downtown Madison. The cottage was purchased by the GA Trust for Historic Preservation through their Revolving Fund and sold with a façade easement to a preservation-minded buyer.