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2002-2002 Year in Review Dear Members and Friends: The past year was bittersweet for Marin Agricultural Land Trust. Last November we lost Ellen Straus, and in July Ellen’s husband Bill passed away. It is impossible to overstate the importance of Ellen and Bill to MALT, in every phase of its life. From the initial vision that a private organization could play a meaningful role in the preservation of agriculture in Marin County, to the extraordinary success MALT has achieved over its first 23 years, Ellen’s tireless efforts, her unflagging optimism, and her ability to project enthusiasm and commitment to others were essential constants in MALT’s growth. To perpetuate Ellen’s vision, we have renamed the fund through which we do all of our conservation easement projects the Ellen Straus Farmland Preservation Fund. We will miss Ellen and Bill deeply, but their vision will continue to inspire us for years to come. On the sweet side, every conservation easement project is a milestone, and this year we completed two, bringing the total of farmland permanently protected for agriculture to more than 33,000 acres. The acquisition of an easement on the 377-acre Zimmerman Ranch in Marshall overlooking Tomales Bay made possible the transfer of the property to the next generation. MALT also purchased an easement on the 208-acre Leiss Ranch close to Petaluma and the Marin-Sonoma County line, permanently protecting it from subdivision and non-agricultural development. Both reflect our continuing progress in protecting Marin’s agricultural landscape, and the enduring commitment of these families to their land and farming heritage. While agriculture here, as elsewhere, faces challenges from rising land values and the globalization of production and markets, a truly exciting trend is the diversification taking place on local farms and ranches. From organic row crops to grass-fed beef to value-added products like farmstead cheese, MALT has encouraged this trend by co-sponsoring with UC Cooperative Extension and Marin Organic a series of well-attended workshops for producers interested in learning about farming and marketing options. MALT has long understood the importance of public support not only to its agricultural land conservation purpose, but also to the future of agriculture itself. Seven years ago we created education and public relations departments. We initiated a small offering of hikes, tours, and special events to let the public sample products of Marin’s farms and ranches and to get to know the owners and producers. This year we completed a strategic plan for education which acknowledged its importance to the future of agriculture in Marin and set goals to increase our capacity for connecting land and people. We also prepared our first marketing plan to highlight in a broader geographic area MALT’s support of the tradition and the future of Marin agriculture. A highlight of this effort is a series of credits about MALT airing on KQED-FM and completely underwritten by a generous donor. We now have before us more opportunities to preserve land than
at any time in our history, and the greatest challenge we have ever
faced to obtain the funding necessary to complete these projects.
We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our members and donors,
whose support sustains and encourages us. We are confident that
with your continued partnership we will be able to preserve the
agricultural lands that are such an important part of the heart
and soul of this place that is so dear to all of us. Thank you, Chris Kelly Robert Berner The Year in Review is currently
in PDF format, which you will need the Acrobat Reader® to view.
If you already have the Reader, click here
to download the Year in Review PDF.
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