Pandemic

Though we had all hoped to gather in person in Cleveland for Rally 2021, the decision to meet virtually again this year was the right one for the health and safety of our community. Moreover, last year’s first virtual Rally was such a success — with the largest number of attendees in Rally history — that we knew we could offer a compelling experience again. As Land Trust Alliance board Chair Jamey French said in his welcome speech, “The essence of Rally — comradery, education and celebration — is something that we can still enjoy in this virtual format.”

The closure of farmers markets around Madison, Wisconsin, last spring left some Hmong growers at a disadvantage. As markets moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, growers were left behind if they weren’t proficient in technology or didn’t speak English as a primary language.

The pandemic dramatically changed how we interact with the world. When many arts organizations cancelled their 2020 seasons, Philadelphia contemporary ballet company BalletX found a creative way to make the world its stage. BalletX brought dance into nature through a partnership with Pennsylvania’s accredited Natural Lands.

In many ways, the pandemic laid bare the critical connection between conservation and community access to local food. Americans around the country experienced a disruption in grocery and food supplies. Fortunately, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey was already ahead of the curve in making fresh food available to community members in need.

“Rally is an enormous gift in these dire times,” said Carolyn Edelmann, community relations associate of the accredited D&R Greenway Land Trust in New Jersey. “Rally gives us hours, even days, of cooperation with courageous, devoted, original people who care about the health of our planet and devote their lives to its well-being. In other words, Rally delivers hope, as well as practical steps to realize our personal and professional missions!”

Since COVID-19 hit, trails and other open spaces have seen significant spikes in visitors as more people itch to get out of the house and head to the hills. It's great to see people enjoying our beautiful, natural outdoors! Unfortunately, the extra traffic is taking a heavy toll on our trails — in Colorado and elsewhere.

In rapidly developing Eagle County, Colorado, the Land & Rivers Fund helps to protect rivers and open spaces. In partnership with Eagle River Watershed Council, the accredited Eagle Valley Land Trust launched the program, which is supported by local businesses and their customers, who make voluntary donations with purchases.

As stay-at-home orders were issued in March and April and social distancing became the norm, people all over the United States discovered or rediscovered local hiking trails, green spaces and the calming power of nature. Parking areas at trailheads near my home in Massachusetts overflowed with cars; those areas where parking lots were closed saw vehicles squeezed all along the road.

The accredited Land Trust of North Alabama partnered with Downtown Huntsville, Inc. and Downtown Charitable Fund to provide temporary employment to service industry workers from downtown Huntsville businesses who had been displaced due to the economic fallout of COVID-19.

Across the past couple weeks, we’ve celebrated the beautiful spaces that land trusts are saving in our #MyHappyPlace campaign on social media. We had 12 land trusts take over our Instagram account for the occasion and share some amazing photos and compelling stories that highlight their great work.