PUC's first forest manager, Peter Lecourt, explains how the college made a deal to "have its cake and eat it too" — a payment of $7.1 million to keep its forest undeveloped and continue to use it as an outdoor classroom across departments.
This is a wonderful deal! I serve on the Land Conservation Board for the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. We have about 50 natural areas comprising 36,000 acres. We use the conservation easement tool all the time as a means of leaving ownership in private hands, but for restricted uses only, while conserving the land in its present form in perpetuity.
Congratulations, PUC! Fantastic outcome to a long-running issue.
How you have to get President Trump to recreate the CCC and have them rake it.
Perhaps another SDA property at the “12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD.” could be placed into better use under the Wildlife Conservation Board and draw some monies for outreach ministries?
So glad that this has happened! The PUC forest is such a beautiful area and is truly unique. Some of us remember (unfortunately) sliding on the yellow Banana Slugs and seeing the “Diogenes Lanterns” strewn about.
Perhaps to late for that denuded property to be “conserved”…
As a former PUC student who thoroughly enjoyed hiking in the forest, this such an amazing outcome. Preservation of a natural resource, environmental and climate benefit, money for the University, active educational programs for students, and more.
Honestly, this is the best news story I’ve read in a long time - Bravo!
Congratulations to PUC for being forward thinking! There is clear published scientific evidence on the health benefits of reflective time spent in nature-- lower blood pressure, increased immunity, faster healing, improved cognitive and motor learning (in children), increased creativity, and improved concentration. Countries such as Japan and Finland have used forest immersion for all kinds of health and educational benefits for decades. Perhaps your local healthcare community can even start writing prescriptions for Outdoor Rx in the forest?
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