To the Editor:

Two recent news events have me thinking about what it means to provide permanence and stability in this ever-changing world. The plan by the Berkshire Art Museum to sell works that have been a part of its “permanent” collection, and the plan by the current administration to significantly reduce the size of Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments makes one wonder if there is anything that we can hold onto as permanent.

There is. We need to look no further than our local land trusts.

As a business owner in Troy, and a long-time board member of the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, I see the good work that local land trusts are doing on both sides of the Hudson River to preserve land in perpetuity.

With over 90 land trusts in New York State, the mission of such groups is to provide the permanence and stewardship to keep local landscapes, farmland, and special outdoor places left just as we have known them, for us, our children, and our children’s children.

I know firsthand how MHLC is helping our Capital Region with over 5,000 acres of preserved land.  It is reassuring to know that this permanence will be provided regardless of who is in power.

Of course, it takes resources to provide this stability. I encourage everyone during this time of giving to consider supporting a local land trust. Knowing that we can make a difference is empowering, and our actions today can affect the lives of generations to come.   

Dan Lewis

Delmar