Conservation Easement signed for East Moraine Community Forest
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
JOSEPH – (Information from the Wallowa Land Trust) On January 26, the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners officially signed a conservation easement for the East Moraine Community Forest. The signing of this document officially restricts any future commercial, residential or sub-division development of the community forest. In celebration of the conservation effort, Executive Director for the Wallowa Land Trust Kathleen Ackley released the following letter:
At 1:30 in the afternoon, our staff walked over to Wallowa Title Company with our board chair, Benjamin Curry. Waiting for us was Susan Roberts, John Hillock and Todd Nash – our three Wallowa County Commissioners. I couldn’t stop smiling as Todd, Susan, John and Benjamin all signed the conservation easement on the East Moraine Community Forest – the final deed restriction on the Community Forest to extinguish all future commercial and residential development and sub-division. The whole thing took less than 8 minutes. This was after more than a decade of work. After everyone had signed and their signatures notarized, it was done. We looked at each other a bit dazed, not sure what to think. “I suppose we should celebrate?” quipped Benjamin. Yes, well, probably. But at that point, I mostly just wanted a nap.
Permanent protection of the Wallowa Lake Moraines has been a constant driver of our land trust since our inception. Conserving this magnificent landscape has infused everything we do – from our strategic planning to our outreach to our fundraising. The Wallowa Lake Moraines Partnership was already formed and underway when I joined the team back in 2013. I can count on my hands the number of days I have not thought about the moraines over the past 9+ years. And now, after thousands of hours spent talking, planning, researching, collaborating, negotiating, compromising and fundraising, we now have more than 80% of the East Moraine protected. The accomplishment is HUGE. It took all of us.
