STRATEGIC PLAN / 2022 2027
Our Mission:
Black Swamp Conservancy will take direct action to permanently preserve and improve northwest Ohio’s natural habitats and family farms for the benefit of future generations. By protecting our valuable land and water resources, we will support healthy communities with strong, sustainable economies. Our work will ensure that the diverse habitats of our region will be protected for generations; and that our children and their children will forever be able to enjoy this special place.
The mission of Black Swamp Conservancy is to preserve and enhance natural habitats and family farms in northwest Ohio for the benefit of current and future generations.
Our Vision:
Strategic Priorities to Achieve Our Vision:
• Ensure every protected property is monitored annual at minimum.
• Engage legal counsel / Terra Firma as appropriate on any easement violations or significant threats.
• Expand agricultural easement monitoring protocols to include the comprehensive evaluation of resource concerns and BMPs. Train all monitors to evaluate and report. Dedicate staff time to review specific resource concern reports and follow up with landowners / managers to discuss funding programs and partners who can provide technical expertise.
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MANAGEMENTAGRICULTURALPROTECTIONSINCLUDINGLANDS,WATERSHEDANDBEST
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EFFECTIVELY STEWARD OUR PROTECTED Properties
• Ensure timely and appropriate follow up of any issues identified during monitoring visit.
• Support landowner / public BMP workshops as outlined in Education section.
Continue to provide and improve the Conservancy’s stewardship of conservation lands including monitoring and defense of conservation easement properties and management of owned lands. Expand our role in advising and encouraging best management practices on private lands.
MANAGEMENTTHOUGHTFULENCOURAGE OF PRIVATE PRACTICES.
• Develop processes and protocols for ecological monitoring of remnant habitats including bioblitz events and engagement of subject area experts.
• Ensure preserve management plans are established pursuant to Conservancy policy and updated regularly.
PROVIDE MANAGEMENTECOLOGICALSOUNDOF
• Update Conservancy policy to account for new management tasks related to recently restored lands and publicly accessible lands. Eg. Regular monitoring of water conveyance paths, areas of potential sedimentation, and littering / trespass concerns.
MAINTAIN CONSERVATIONDEFENDINGMONITORINGEXCELLENCESTANDARDSHIGHOFINANDOUR EASEMENTS.
• Develop process for prioritization of preserve management needs / activities to guide monthly / annual fieldwork plans.
• Support expansion of volunteerism in land stewardship as outlined in Education section.
OUR OWNED LANDS.
• Strategize funding mechanisms for long-term property management including the ongoing costs of field crew, management equipment and PPE.
• Develop a comprehensive informational packet of BMP practices and related funding programs to be given to each farmland owner during annual monitoring visits.
• Increase
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PROTECT THE BEST OF WHAT’S
PRIORITIZE OHIO’S REMNANT NATURAL AREAS SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FARMS. Update the Conservancy’s natural areas conservation plan identifying highest quality unprotected remnant habitats. protection of sustainable farms. criteria for defining sustainable farming. protective CE terms for sustainable farming. funding mechanisms to support our farmland preservation goals. new public / NGO landowner partnership opportunities to advance conservation through take-out model. new / expanded management arrangements with public / NGO partners. outreach to private landowners of conservation easement options. long-term ownership of lands we can appropriately steward in those areas where a take-out partner does not exist, can elevate marketing and financial sustainability efforts. above.
• Consider
FINEST
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PROTECT APPROPRIATE LANDS IN THE APPROPRIATE WAYS. • Identify
STRIVE FOR OFPROGRAMSANDOFAPPROPRIATEANBALANCENATURALHABITATAGRICULTURALLANDINTHECONTEXTPROJECTBENEFITSAND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. • Incorporated
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or Conservancy ownership
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• Pursue
• Advance
THE PROTECTION OF NORTHWEST
○ Develop
Protect our region’s finest remaining natural habitats and agricultural lands, while balancing the need to conserve both working landscapes and natural lands. Provide a toolbox for private landowners that allows them a full suite of options to conserve appropriate lands in appropriate ways.
○ Develop
EXECUTE ENHANCEWILDLIFEEXPANDPROTECTIONTHATRESTORATIONECOLOGICALPROJECTSPROVIDEWATERSHEDBENEFITS,SIGNIFICANTHABITATSANDREGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCY. •
Target and restore ecological function on marginal agricultural lands that can provide significant benefits to wildlife habitat and water quality, including stream rehabilitations, floodplains and historical wetlands. Develop GIS modeling to identify lands that can provide “biggest bang for our buck” in identified benefits. Continue to take advantage of available public financing programs to expand habitat and increase regional ecosystem service benefits.
RESTORE WHAT’S BEEN
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AID RESTORATION EFFORTS OF PARTNER ENTITIES. • Leverage our success stories to encourage others to pursue ecological restoration efforts public entities, NGOs and private landowners. • Provide fee-for-service project management / training to other entities as appropriate. • Continue executing restoration / take-out projects as appropriate.
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INSPIRE MORE PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT Conservation
CREATE A STRATEGY FOR ENGAGING UNDERSERVED AND URBAN YOUTH IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION.
• Cultivate local pride by telling the story about how precious our land really is.
• Develop an educational initiative to serve urban youth, focusing on quality not quantity.
• Conduct experiential programming (Eg. Nature walks, paddles, etc.) regularly.
GROW EDUCATION REACH OF LAND SPECIFIC ISSUES INCLUDING WATERSHED PROTECTION & BMPS.
• Focus offerings on Homestead property and Otsego project.
• Develop comprehensive educational programs, aligned with Ohio’s curriculum standards, which we can offer to local schools.
• Partner with local experts to offer special programing relevant to conservation in our region (Eg. Native gardens, beekeeping, etc.).
• Focus on advocacy of State Issues & Funding over Federal matters.
Inspire more people to care about conservation in northwest Ohio, both through Conservancy-led programming and strategic partnerships. Foster deep connections to our landscape / natural resources and empower people to participate in improving the health of our local environment.
FOSTER A CONNECTIONDEEPWITH PEOPLE AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY INTERACT WITH OUR LANDSCAPE.
• Whenever practical, utilize Conservancy lands and waters for programming / connecting people to the outdoors.
• Elevate Nehls and Homestead properties as key ambassador lands.
• Host workshops on Conservancy lands to demonstrate on-farm conservation projects highlighting both our restoration work and landowner stories.
DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE AND,CLUBS,INCLUDINGEDUCATIONENVIRONMENTALONGOINGEFFORTSCONSERVATIONFFAPROGRAMSWHEREAPPROPRIATE,
• Explore opportunities to add value to existing programs serving urban youth.
POLITICALLYREMAIN AGNOSTIC.
• Continue our close relationship with LTA and COLT to maximize our voice in the larger land trust community. Direct advocacy efforts through these affiliations where possible and appropriate.
LIVING LABORATORIES.
• Prioritize quality land protection projects that partner with local school districts to create outdoor spaces for educational use.
EMPLOY OUR PROTECTED LANDS AS ORGANIZATIONAL AMBASSADORS.
• Develop protocols requiring those who seek hunting permission on Conservancy lands to volunteer on those properties throughout the year.
• Increase press coverage of Conservancy activities and events.
Increase brand recognition and organizational engagement through thoughtful and measureable marketing efforts. Clearly and consistently, communicate organizational values and accomplishments through a variety of messaging channels.
• Research successful marketing tactics employed by other land trusts that can be implemented locally to raise the Conservancy’s profile.
BUILD VOLUNTEERGREATER ENGAGEMENT.
• Ensure meaningful volunteer opportunities are conducted regularly and communicated to constituents, the public and service groups.
• Redirect portions of current marketing retainer agreement that can be more efficiently / cost effectively accomplished in-house.
• Update the Conservancy’s outreach calendar and ensure regular implementation of marketing communications.
• Develop a system to ensure volunteer recognition and appreciation.
SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE MARKETING EFFORTS AS A MECHANISM TO EXPAND AUDIENCES AND INCREASE PHILANTHROPY.
• Develop strategies to cultivate new volunteers.
ELEVATE OUR MISSION AND Our Work
• Explore opportunities to increase organic and guerilla marketing efforts.
• Consider land protection opportunities to develop ambassador properties in key locations, including those close to the Toledo Metro area and tourism locations.
• Develop co-branding standards for properties we gift to partner entities or help them to acquire.
• Encourage public / program use of owned properties to the greatest extent possible without harming ecological resources or creating undue management burdens. Develop recreation structures / facilities as appropriate.
• Develop strategies to facilitate / increase peer-to-peer fundraising. Encourage supporter engagement in Conservancy programming, to better connect donors to our work. Develop special programming opportunities for major donors and prospects. Ensure regular contact / updates to all donors through marketing efforts and other non-ask activities.
• Explore
PURSUE large foundations with interest in Great Lakes / water quality issues. strategies for communicating relevant accomplishments and future goals with aforementioned foundations and key decision makers within. the lasting benefits that direct action restoration work on the landscape can achieve in meeting water quality goals as opposed to BMPs and advocacy investments. opportunities to develop symbiotic fundraising partnerships.
• Regularly
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• Hire
INCREASE BOARD MEMBER ENGAGEMENT IN THE FUNDRAISING. SET REALISTIC GOALS FOR ALL PORTIONS OF THE FUNDRAISING CYCLE AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES. Designate a Board member to act as a liaison between ED & Development staff and individual Trustees in setting and tracking personal fundraising goals. Develop a Donor Plan and assign each Trustee with donor relationship(s) within that plan. Host regular in-house sessions with Trustees for prospect mining. engage Trustees in each portion of the fundraising cycle. potential board memberships with donors and community contacts.
• Highlight
INCREASE FUNDRAISING CAPACITY ON STAFF . a staff member focused on fund development.
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RELATIONSHIPSFUNDINGWITH LARGE FOUNDATIONS THAT FOCUS ON GREAT LAKES ISSUES WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN “OUT OF REACH”. • Identify
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DEVELOP FUNDRAISINGSYMBIOTIC PARTNERSHIPS. • Explore
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GROW FOCUS ON PLANNED GIVING. Develop strategies for marketing planned giving to current supporters. relationships with estate planners and financial advisors . opportunities to participate in and/or co-host CLEs for estate attorneys. Develop informational materials for distribution to estate planners and financial advisors to share with their clients.
Continue to grow the Conservancy’s financial resources by increasing our constituency and building deeper relationships with donors. Invest deeper on longrange strategies including planned giving and relationships with major foundations.
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○ https://developmentforconservation.com/2022/making-donor-plans/ •
RAISE ENGAGEMENT OF CURRENT SUPPORTERS.
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ENSURE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES NEEDED For Success
• Grow