"Equestrian Land Conservation Resource has located their organization's national headquarters at the Kentucky Horse Park. This is the only national organization that advances the conservation of land for horse-related activities. Economic, cultural, demographic and political forces have converted 13 million acres of rural land into subdivision, mall, workplaces, roads, parking lots and resorts since 2000.
According to Dr. Carolyn Orr, acting director, " the impending loss of open land for horse activities had reached crisis proportions. The urgency of ELCR's mission cannot be overstated. There is no other organization that has helped more people work more effectively to ensure continued access to equestrian-friendly land. Now, ELRC will work 'hand in hoof' with the more than 30 other national and regional equine organizations headquartered at the National Horse Center to raise the awareness of the land crisis among horse and landowners everywhere.
"The economic impact of the 1.9 million horse owners is over $112 billion, according to a study by the American Horse Council," Orr continued. "The move to the Kentucky Horse Park will enable ELCR to leverage resources with horse breed and industry associations to maximize the conservation of open land. The time has come for horse, landowners and land trusts to work together to ensure available land for future generations."
Equestrian Land Conservation Resource is a resource for horse people, towns, land trusts, and elected officials nationwide — a clearinghouse of information on such topics as getting organized, securing land trusts and rights of way. It is a network that puts people in touch with those of similar need or experience, partnering with environmental and other interest groups and providing other information to secure land for horse activities.
"When someone calls the office," said Georgiana McCabe, president of ELCR, "they usually feel they are the only one with a particular problem because they have not had the advantage of networking with activists from other parts of the country. At ELCR, if we don't have the answer to a question, we usually know someone who does. We work on land issues every day and have a broad network of contacts and information. Because of ELCR, horse people have become more successful in resolving local issues such as those caused by development pressures, trail closures, and in creating new areas to show and ride their horses."
When asked what is a "land issue," McCabe explained, "It's a very broad term that covers everything from access to a public area, zoning for horse properties, trail riding, show facilities, conservation easements and the like." ELCR is much more than an organization; it is an amalgam of committed people who are making a difference in the entire horse world by working for access and conservation of riding, showing and horse-keeping land.
Board of directors member Jim Miller of Springfield, Va., calls ELCR "first and foremost, a service organization." He said the need is growing rapidly for ELRC to respond effectively to the specific requests for information and technical assistance of equestrians. "These requests now number in the thousands each year," he noted. "Providing these essential services is important because they lead to on-the-ground action and strengthen our national network supporting land conservation and access for equestrian use."
In addition to all the networking that takes place within the equestrian community, ELCR promotes the vital connection between horse landowners and land conservation in general. Voluntary conservation agreements known as "conservation easements" are an important tool for land conservation. When landowners donate voluntary conservation agreements to a land conservation organization or land trust, they protect resources important to the public by permanently giving up future development rights, but retain ownership and management of the land. A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a conservation organization or government agency that attaches to the land's title and permanently limits a property's uses in order to protect its conservation values.
Horses are treasured throughout the world, but here in Kentucky we have a special affinity for horses and pride ourselves on being the "Horse Capital of the World." We truly applaud the Equine Land Conservation Resource board of directors for selecting the Kentucky Horse Park to house their headquarters.
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