BIG GREEN : Inside the Nature Conservancy Nonprofit Land Bank Amasses Billions

Washington Post ^ | May 4, 2003 | By David B. Ottaway and Joe Stephens

[Ethan_Allen]

BIG GREEN : Inside the Nature Conservancy Nonprofit Land Bank Amasses Billions Charity Builds Assets on Corporate Partnerships

___ The Nature Conservancy ___ SPECIAL REPORT

Documents on the organization's transformation from a grassroots group to a corporate juggernaut.

Read Today's Documents:Internal Conservancy ReportConservancy Letter to The PostFocus Group ResearchConservancy Opinion SurveyGraphic: Expanding CompanyGraphic: Corporate Friends

_____More Stories_____

• How a Bid to Save a Species Came to Grief (The Washington Post, May 5, 2003) • On Eastern Shore, For-Profit 'Flagship' Hits Shoals (The Washington Post, May 5, 2003) • The Beef About the Brand (The Washington Post, May 5, 2003) • $420,000 a Year and No-Strings Fund (The Washington Post, May 4, 2003) • Image Is a Sensitive Issue (The Washington Post, May 4, 2003)

By David B. Ottaway and Joe Stephens Washington Post Staff Writers Sunday, May 4, 2003; Page A01

First of three articles

"The Arlington-based Nature Conservancy has blossomed into the world's richest environmental group, amassing $3 billion in assets by pledging to save precious places. Known for its advertisements decorated with forests, streams and the soothing voice of actor Paul Newman, the 52-year-old charity preserves millions of acres across the nation.

Yet the Conservancy has logged forests, engineered a $64 million deal paving the way for opulent houses on fragile grasslands and drilled for natural gas under the last breeding ground of an endangered bird species...." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9888-2003May3.html

Cover page for all articles is here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/specials/natureconservancy/

[Ethan_Allen]

This is a 3-part series on the Nature Conservancy started on Sunday, May 4. The second article is published today......http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13933-2003May4.html Big Green: When Conservation and Business Fail to Mix How a Bid to Save a Species Came to Grief

Read Today's Documents:- Graphic: Texas Preserve- Texas City Preserve Report- Deposition on Texas City- Steven J. McCormick'sStaff Memo on Texas City- Virginia Coast Reserve Audit- Ford Foundation Report onthe Virginia Coast Reserve- Conservancy Assessment ofthe Virginia Coast Reserve

By Joe Stephens and David B. Ottaway Washington Post Staff Writers Monday, May 5, 2003; Page A01

Second of three articles (Should probably have its own thread?)

I thought some of you might want to save for future reference.

[Ethan_Allen]

FYI


TODAY'S ARTICLE - HOW A BID TO SAVE A SPECIES CAME TO GRIEF
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13933-2003May4.html

Cover page for all articles is here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/specials/natureconservancy/

[thucydides]

Nature Conservancy has been relatively better than most environmental organizations, because they have focused on raising funds and getting donations of property which they then maintain as nature preserves for the benefit of the public. This contrasts with others like Greenpeace, where every dollar raised goes into propaganda and politics. However, NC has sometimes been attacked for commercializing properties. It is hard to determine whether this was a justified disposal of less - environmentally significant properties in order to support more significant ones. Of course, the wackos are absolutists, and can't stand the idea that there would ever be any commercial use of any property anywhere.

[The_Reader_David]

So, I see the environmentalism-as-an-excuse-for-socialism crowd has decided to attack the one environmental group really worthy of the support of conservatives: the one which uses private property rights as a means for environmental protection, rather than using environmental protection as an excuse to abolish or attenuate property rights.

I am happy to say my wife and I are members of the Nature Conservancy, and very happy with the work they are doing.

[Bigg Red]

I am happy to say my wife and I are members of the Nature Conservancy,

They had us fooled for quite a while also, but, some months ago, another FReeper linked me to very interesting info about this group that changed my mind. Sorry, I can't link you, but check back to this thread later, and you will probably get some info from someone who knows.

[Ethan_Allen]

Be sure to see this page and box headed with a picture of a leaf. One of the documents enclosed in the box gives names of its corporate donors:

"$420,000 a Year and No-Strings Fund
Conservancy Underreported President's Pay and Perks of Office" Also "The nonprofit gave President Steven J. McCormick a $1.55 million loan for [a] new house in a McLean subdivision." .... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9890-2003May3.html

[Ethan_Allen]

From a note I have hanging on my wall (from a major project I was working on over a year ago; the article was old then; note that their assets were one billion dollars in 1994): "TNC is the largest environmental organization in the United States, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with 1994 assets of just over one billion dollars, WHILE EXPENDING $76,046,000 for this purpose..." http://www.prfamerica.org/NYsNaturalHeritageProgram.html

In other words, they make huge profits at the expense of the taxpayers. Meanwhile the land is now ripe for transferring to the United Nations and the international bankers, and is being declared roadless, wilderness, and OFF-LIMITS TO AMERICANS. ( You could see the Revealing Story of the Rancher and the National Debt for an explanation of how that works at http://www.ashevilletribune.com/hage1.htm - hope the link works)


If you want to get an education on how all these groups work together to separate the American people from their land and transfer it to the United Nations and the international bankers, see this site (www.prfamerica.org or citizenreviewonline.org or landrights.org for starters). Meantime, I just took a cursory look at this (I have the newspaper), and I think it would be well worth your time to read it. I'm amazed this is showing up in the Washington Post.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Ethan_Allen]

Property Rights Foundation of America on Land Trusts:
http://www.prfamerica.org/LandTrustsIndex.html

The ultimate goal (before being handed over to the global plantation owners):
See http://www.wildlandsprojectrevealed.org

[Ethan_Allen]

Quote in comment 7 SHOULD have read:

"...TNC is the largest environmental organization in the United States, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with 1994 assets of just over one billion dollars. In 1994, TNC received $237,779,000 FROM SALES OF LAND TO GOVERNMENT, while expending $76,046,000 for this purpose...."

I knew it didn't look right. Sorry.

Remember they are tax-exempt:

"....
I must, however, credit the brave and courageous Norman Dodd, now deceased, for first exposing the conspirators’ goal of merging Russia and America. In 1952, Congress set up a “Select Committee to Investigate Tax Exempt Foundations.” Chief investigator and director was Mr. Norman Dodd of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In pursuing his investigation, Mr. Dodd was invited to privately meet with Mr. Rowan Gaither, president of the Ford Foundation, a premier leftist organization active in funding Communist-oriented causes and strongly supported by liberals in Congress and the media.
During this visit, Ford’s Mr. Gaither voluntarily made a stunning admission. He stated, “Mr. Dodd, we operate here at the Ford Foundation under directives which emanate from the White House…We operate and control our grant-making policies…as follows: We shall use our grant-making power so as to alter life in the United States that it can be comfortably merged with the Soviet Union.” ...."

I can't give you the source; I'd be banned

[oldironsides]

The Conservancy buying land around here was thought to be a local group with good intentions. Some are now indicating that they are not local but a world wide agency buying up land at a rapid rate.

[supercat]

TNC also finds it amazingly convenient when the government acts to make people's land worthless so they can buy it for pennies on the dollar.

[Dark Wing]

fyi

[farmfriend]

rights/farms/environment ping.

If you want on or off this list, just let me know.

The real solution, Natural Process.

[cibco]

TNC is a tool for "Agenda 21". I used to donate until I read about the way they operated. Sorry I don't have any links. My education came from printed articles in the early 90's.

[Wordsmith]

bump for later

[tubebender]

TNC also finds it amazingly convenient when the government acts to make people's land worthless so they can buy it for pennies on the dollar.

Bingo...We have a winner.

[sauropod]

Thank you. I will use this as a resource.

I saw an article in last Thursday's section of the Metro section of the Wash. Times that remarked that the People's Republic of Maryland is No. 1 in eminent domain takings. Oh joy!

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

This organization uses your money to buy property and keep you off it. How? They demonstrate that they are conducting ESA work or habitat restoration & they receive federal grants to manage and buy the land. They keep the land, you helped pay for it, and now you never have access to it again.

There are several areas in south central Oregon that experienced this - Williamson, Sycan & others. It Is pure BS and this watermelon group can go straight to hades.

[cibco]

Watermelon is right!