familys

In Sandy Springs, Peggy Miles helped protect her familys woodland; after her death, her estate transferred two acres to complete Lost Corner Preserve

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Heritage Sandy Springs Park, Sandy Springs Georgia (Wikimedia Commons)

A serene area of woodland in Sandy Springs, Georgia, has become a lasting source of enjoyment for the community through the efforts of one woman who sought to preserve her lifetime home. Margaret “Peggy” Miles was born and raised at the 24-acre family farm where the mature trees and natural habitats were untouched. Rather than … Read more

In 2025, an AI data center plan put a Kentucky familys farmland in developers sights; a mother and daughter refused $26 million and kept their land

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A Kentucky family turned down $26 million rather than sell their farm to a data center. (AI-generated/ChatGPT)

Would you turn down $26 million? A mother and daughter in Kentucky did. According to a WXIX/Gray News report, a company wanted their farmland for a data center, and they said no. The decision comes as AI demand continues to grow. The 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory … Read more

In 1834, the O’Connor family’s Texas ranching legacy began; 191 years later, an $8.863 million deal protected 6,409 acres of coastal prairie while keeping it a working cattle ranch

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In 1834, the O'Connor family's Texas ranching legacy began; 191 years later, an $8.863 million deal protected 6,409 acres of coastal prairie while keeping it a working cattle ranch

O’Connor ranching legacy began in 1834; 6,409 acres of Texas prairie protected 191 years later (Image Credit: Kenny Braun) A Texas ranching legacy that began in 1834 is now tied to one of the state’s major private-land conservation efforts. An $8.863 million conservation easement has permanently protected approximately 6,409 acres of the historic T.M. O’Connor … Read more

A Massachusetts farm stayed under one family’s care for a century and was cultivated for more than 200 years; a 2025 conservation purchase protected over 120 acres of farmland and forest for the future

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A Massachusetts farm stayed under one family's care for a century and was cultivated for more than 200 years; a 2025 conservation purchase protected over 120 acres of farmland and forest for the future

More than 120 acres of historic farmland and nearby woodland in Essex, Massachusetts, have been permanently protected from commercial housing development after a major conservation deal was completed in early 2025. According to project details published by the Essex County Greenbelt Association, the regional land trust worked with local town leaders and state environmental agencies … Read more

An Ohio farmer watched gullies repeatedly cut through his family’s 700-acre farm and decided to change how he worked the land; decades later, the family operation has grown to 8,000 acres while becoming a conservation showcase

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An Ohio farmer watched gullies repeatedly cut through his family's 700-acre farm and decided to change how he worked the land; decades later, the family operation has grown to 8,000 acres while becoming a conservation showcase

The Kellogg story is also one of persistence. He began farming at 14 after his father left agriculture to care for his ill wife. By his senior year of high school, Bill was managing 700 acres, much of it through relationships with older farmers in the community. For Bill Kellogg, conservation did not begin with … Read more

In 1873, Rutherford B. Hayes began buying a 7-acre Lake Erie island that became his family’s summer retreat; after listing for $5 million, the undeveloped island is now asking $3.8 million

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In 1873, Rutherford B. Hayes began buying a 7-acre Lake Erie island that became his family's summer retreat; after listing for $5 million, the undeveloped island is now asking $3.8 million

A private seven-acre island in Lake Erie once owned by former US President Rutherford B. Hayes has had a major price cut. The asking price for the property has dropped to $3.8 million from its original $5 million listing price. Mouse Island is located about 1,500 feet off the coast of the Catawba Island peninsula … Read more

In 1974, the National Park Service bought the Stewart family’s 890-acre California ranch; they negotiated the right to remain and continued ranching there until 2021

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In 1974, the National Park Service bought the Stewart family's 890-acre California ranch; they negotiated the right to remain and continued ranching there until 2021

Photo credit: Canva (Representative image) When the federal government stepped in to buy the Stewart family’s 890-acre ranch in 1974, most people assumed a century of family cattle operations had reached its end. The acquisition was part of a major initiative to build out California’s Point Reyes National Seashore, setting up an obvious conflict between … Read more

In 1962, New Jersey took a family’s seaside property through eminent domain for a new park; they challenged the price and were awarded $350,000

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In 1962, New Jersey took a family's seaside property through eminent domain for a new park; they challenged the price and were awarded $350,000

Photos courtesy NPS/Gateway NRA A collection of vintage postcards donated to the National Park Service has given historians a detailed look at life along the New Jersey coast in the early 20th century.In a series of oral history interviews conducted by National Park Service historians Tom Hoffman and Elaine Harmon, retired Lieutenant Colonel John Joseph … Read more