BLO "save the trees" conservation initiative
Donation protected
The Black Land Ownership conservation fund. (BLOCF)
The BLOCF aims to raise funds in order to purchase land for conservation purposes, ensuring that it cannot be developed and that the wildlife (flora and fauna) can exist unencumbered and protected in perpetuity. The BLOCF is dedicated to conservation, environmental protection, stewardship and preservation. Essentially, BLOCF works to promote the condition of the land's natural state rather than the exploitation that very often comes with land use.
Our goal is to raise $50,000 to go towards the purchase of various properties that are wetlands protected, wildlife refuges or conservation easements and cannot be turned into residential, industrial or major commercial endeavors.
The BLOCF purposefully shifts focus from having to extract resources from the land or "using" the land in a colonial sense to working with the land; recognizing the harmony and synergy between people & land and doing what is best for the land to remain natural and pristine for generations to come.
Often, when we discuss Black Land Ownership’s general mission with people, the first few questions tend to be—What kind of business will you run?, What kind of farm are you going to start? Or, how large of an artist collective are you going to create? From there, the discussion quickly moves towards the more colonial concept of—How will you exploit or use the land in a way that is monetarily beneficial to you, your donors and your investors? After a number of these conversations, we started to get frustrated with the idea of having to “use” land or “do” something with the land like it is a disposable object. This frustration sparked our interest in preservation and the question—How do we purchase land and ensure that it will continue to exist in its natural state, providing a home for various flora and fauna—unobstructed by human development? How do we make “use” of land that is not normally seen as economically viable due to easements, wetlands, isolation, distance from major hubs, topography or etc? How do we live and work with the land in a manner more aligned with indigenous and native practices? These questions and more led us to develop the BLOCF
For every hundred dollars that you donate, you save the equivalent. of 12.5 trees!
How is this related to Black Land Ownership’s Mission?
A number of our organizational interests at Black Land Ownership are oriented to farming, agriculture, education, sustainable development, and projects that involve use of the land in a way that's non-exploitative and considerate of the environmental impact. However, many of our projects still require buildings, septic systems, wells and a use of the property in a way that would augment its natural development. In our research we have realized that not only should we purchase lands for use (residential or commercial) but we should also learn how to use the power of ownership to protect and preserve nature and ensure future generation's access to natural environments. This led us down the path of how to work with easements, land trust groups and other forest management/ecological preservation and conservation groups. We would like to align with organizations that have experience in conservation and work to open that space up to more folks of African descent and build awareness and appreciation in the African American community.
What can we do with the Land if we can’t "use it"?
We will be able to walk the land, give nature tours, hike/camp, create a sculpture park, acclimate folks with the outdoors, learn about flora and fauna germane to New York State as well as foster interest in environmental justice and land stewardship. All of our programs will be available to people of all identities with a concentration on marginalized communities and folks of African descent.
Below are some ideas for activities at the conservation property.
- Sculpture park
We would like to create a sculpture park made with all organic materials—stone
and wood monoliths, microliths, sculptures that incorporate the sun, wind,
seasons, and natural processes that utilize gravity and inclines and work with
the forested areas of the property. This project will allow us to:
- Get to know the land and the resources it holds
- Promote creative endeavors that aim to sustain natural environments
- Connect with the community by offering and explorative experience in nature
- Support independent artists who may not get the chance to work in such a vast
and natural environment
- Hiking and Camping for folks who feel less protected in state parks or common
lands: There are numerous people who feel unsafe camping and hiking on public
lands due to the history of racial violence in rural areas. We want our land to be
a safe space for folks who would like to experience the great outdoors without
the threat of harassment, intimidation and overt racism.
ALL OF THE MONEY GOES SPECIFICALLY TO THIS FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE AND WILL NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER ENDEAVORS.
For more information, please check us out at http://blacklandownership.com
If you are interested in donating larger sums and would like the tax credit, please send me a personal note and we can arrange that.
The BLOCF aims to raise funds in order to purchase land for conservation purposes, ensuring that it cannot be developed and that the wildlife (flora and fauna) can exist unencumbered and protected in perpetuity. The BLOCF is dedicated to conservation, environmental protection, stewardship and preservation. Essentially, BLOCF works to promote the condition of the land's natural state rather than the exploitation that very often comes with land use.
Our goal is to raise $50,000 to go towards the purchase of various properties that are wetlands protected, wildlife refuges or conservation easements and cannot be turned into residential, industrial or major commercial endeavors.
The BLOCF purposefully shifts focus from having to extract resources from the land or "using" the land in a colonial sense to working with the land; recognizing the harmony and synergy between people & land and doing what is best for the land to remain natural and pristine for generations to come.
Often, when we discuss Black Land Ownership’s general mission with people, the first few questions tend to be—What kind of business will you run?, What kind of farm are you going to start? Or, how large of an artist collective are you going to create? From there, the discussion quickly moves towards the more colonial concept of—How will you exploit or use the land in a way that is monetarily beneficial to you, your donors and your investors? After a number of these conversations, we started to get frustrated with the idea of having to “use” land or “do” something with the land like it is a disposable object. This frustration sparked our interest in preservation and the question—How do we purchase land and ensure that it will continue to exist in its natural state, providing a home for various flora and fauna—unobstructed by human development? How do we make “use” of land that is not normally seen as economically viable due to easements, wetlands, isolation, distance from major hubs, topography or etc? How do we live and work with the land in a manner more aligned with indigenous and native practices? These questions and more led us to develop the BLOCF
For every hundred dollars that you donate, you save the equivalent. of 12.5 trees!
How is this related to Black Land Ownership’s Mission?
A number of our organizational interests at Black Land Ownership are oriented to farming, agriculture, education, sustainable development, and projects that involve use of the land in a way that's non-exploitative and considerate of the environmental impact. However, many of our projects still require buildings, septic systems, wells and a use of the property in a way that would augment its natural development. In our research we have realized that not only should we purchase lands for use (residential or commercial) but we should also learn how to use the power of ownership to protect and preserve nature and ensure future generation's access to natural environments. This led us down the path of how to work with easements, land trust groups and other forest management/ecological preservation and conservation groups. We would like to align with organizations that have experience in conservation and work to open that space up to more folks of African descent and build awareness and appreciation in the African American community.
What can we do with the Land if we can’t "use it"?
We will be able to walk the land, give nature tours, hike/camp, create a sculpture park, acclimate folks with the outdoors, learn about flora and fauna germane to New York State as well as foster interest in environmental justice and land stewardship. All of our programs will be available to people of all identities with a concentration on marginalized communities and folks of African descent.
Below are some ideas for activities at the conservation property.
- Sculpture park
We would like to create a sculpture park made with all organic materials—stone
and wood monoliths, microliths, sculptures that incorporate the sun, wind,
seasons, and natural processes that utilize gravity and inclines and work with
the forested areas of the property. This project will allow us to:
- Get to know the land and the resources it holds
- Promote creative endeavors that aim to sustain natural environments
- Connect with the community by offering and explorative experience in nature
- Support independent artists who may not get the chance to work in such a vast
and natural environment
- Hiking and Camping for folks who feel less protected in state parks or common
lands: There are numerous people who feel unsafe camping and hiking on public
lands due to the history of racial violence in rural areas. We want our land to be
a safe space for folks who would like to experience the great outdoors without
the threat of harassment, intimidation and overt racism.
ALL OF THE MONEY GOES SPECIFICALLY TO THIS FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE AND WILL NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER ENDEAVORS.
For more information, please check us out at http://blacklandownership.com
If you are interested in donating larger sums and would like the tax credit, please send me a personal note and we can arrange that.
Organizer
Christoph Carr
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
