LAND CONSERVATION NEWS 2/17/12 Issue Number 188 You can still register for the 2012 Southeast Land Conservation Conference: Join more than 120 fellow land conservationists at the Conference to be held at Sea Palms on St. Simons Island on March 14-16. There will be a special evening session on Wednesday for Georgians and friends of Georgia. The assembly will include an update on legislation, a discussion of transferable tax credits and the roles that facilitators play in their transfer, and general discussion. A conference schedule, registration information, lodging and other details are available at www.lta.org/seconference “Qualified” organizations – renew your status by the end of April: Two of the state’s tax credit functions, reviewing monitoring reports and approving applications to be recognized as a “qualified” organization, have been transferred from GA DNR’ Wildlife Resources Division to the DNR Real Estate Office. The monitoring requests are due when requested by DNR. The application for renewal of your “qualified” organization status is due April 30; the form may be found at: www.glcp.ga.gov/taxcredit If you have questions, contact Tanisha Thomas, who can be reached at 404-656-2421 or tanisha.bostick@dnr.state.ga.us GWSTF Funds Available: The Georgia Wetlands and Streams Trust Fund currently holds funds for wetlands and streams preservation in selected Georgia watersheds. If you have a land conservation project in the Upper or Middle Chattahoochee, the Upper Tallapoosa or the Tennessee with significant wetlands or if you have a project in the Lower Savannah with significant streams, please contact Hans Neuhauser at 706-5467507 or hans@galandcc.com A new land trust for Cobb and neighboring counties? Bill Jones (Atlanta Promotional Products; 770-993-8939; bill@atlpromo.com ) is in the process of creating a new land trust for the Cobb, Cherokee and Paulding area of the state. The focus of the new organization will be the combining of the conservation of land with creative community ways to use the land. You can meet Bill at the Southeast Land Conservation Conference. Changes Carol Mayes, principal of Mayes/Wilson & Associates and frequent trainer of southeastern land trusts, passed away on Sunday afternoon, February 12. Her partner, Sara Wilson, provided these reminiscences: “Carol and I have been friends for more than twenty years, colleagues since the 1990's and business partners since 2001. She is the sister I never had as a child. I am shocked and deeply saddened by her sudden passing, but am grateful that she touched so many lives-human, plant, and animal-and that she used her time on 1 Earth to preserve the complex ecosystems of some of the world's most beautiful places. “At an early age while taking a rare family vacation to a North Carolina beach, Carol saw sea turtles emerging and as she said many times, "at that very moment I knew I wanted to work in conservation." Carol Harris Mayes lived her passion, "where the hiking boots meet the trail." She began working in the Loggerhead Turtle Conservation Program on Smith Island, NC while still a master's student in ecology, sometimes staying up all night to patrol the nesting beaches. She devoted her career to land and water conservation: raising millions of dollars for conservation, spearheading efforts to preserve important lands in North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Dominica, developing creative partnerships, and helping conservation organizations throughout the US save more land. Having grown up on agricultural lands that have been in her family since the 1700s, she was passionate about finding ways to make family farming economically sustainable, and helped start a farmers' market in Davidson, N.C., to connect farmers with local buyers. “Carol and I worked together recently on succession planning, and this will be a great help to me and our associates during the next few weeks. Carol is still a part of Mayes | Wilson in many ways: her work ethic, her determination, and her passion for conservation all live on in our firm. The Mayes | Wilson team will continue to help our clients build stronger organizations and preserve the special places in their own communities, and in so doing we carry on her work and honor her memory. “Carol celebrated her mother's 90th birthday this weekend and was surrounded by her family. At dinner, without warning, sickness or pain, she suddenly left this world. We will miss her. “Memorial contributions can be made to the Davidson Farmers' Market or the Davidson's Lands Conservancy and mailed c/o Davidson Lands Conservancy, PO Box 1952 Davidson, NC 28036. Send condolence cards to the family through the Milwaukee office 3323 N. Summit Avenue, Milwaukee WI 53211. Please post remembrances on the company Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayes-Wilson-AssociatesLLC/211133778942672?sk=wall I will treasure them and also share them with the family.” Dates February 27: Deadline for proposals to teach at Rally 2012. For details, go to: www.lta.org/rally March 1: The Georgia Land Conservation Council will meet in the usual location, the GSFIC Bid room, Trinity/Washington Building in Atlanta starting at 9:30 2 AM. The agenda includes presentations on the Georgia Land Conservation Program and Tax Credit Program annual reports, a legislative update, uses of the trust fund, and upcoming events. March 12: Registration opens for the Land Trust Alliance’s Third Symposium on Advanced Legal Topics in Land Conservation to be held in Charleston, SC, on June 11-12 (see below). March 14-16: 2012 Southeast Land Conservation Conference, St. Simons Island, GA. To register, go to: www.lta.org/seconference March 23: Red Clay Conference, University of Georgia School of Law, Athens. The 2012 Conference will address the balance between long-term sustainability of Georgia’s valuable ecosystems with Georgia’s present needs in a recovering economy. Professor Jim Salzman of Duke will give the keynote. One of the four moderated discussions will be on market-based conservation tools. Registration is $10 and includes lunch and refreshments. Six CLE credits are available for $30. For a schedule of events, go to: www.law.uga.edu/red-clay-conference April 30: Deadline for renewing your status as a “qualified” organization for Georgia’s tax credit program. See article on page 1. June 11-12: The Land Trust Alliance’s Third Symposium on Advanced Legal Topics in Land Conservation, Charleston, SC. Up to 11 CLE credits are available. For details, go to: www.lta.org/legal September 29-October 2: Rally 2012: The National Land Conservation Conference, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. For details, go to: www.lta.org/rally Land Conservation News is a periodic communication produced by the Georgia Land Conservation Center for land trust leaders and others who care about the future of open space in Georgia. To subscribe or to contribute news items, please contact Hans Neuhauser at the Georgia Land Conservation Center: 706546-7507 or hans@galandcc.com 3