Join the Northwoods Land Trust for their Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour event at the Three Lakes Center for the Arts on June 27 at 6 pm. Nine captivating films have been selected and packed into a two-hour program to highlight issues in our global environment that relate to forests, fresh water, recreation, climate change, environmental justice, and community. One of the feature films – Breaking Trail – is based in Wisconsin. The second feature film – The Beautiful Undammed – is based in Washington State. The other independent films are based in California, Ohio, Utah, Italy, and Cameroon.
The Three Lakes Center for the Arts is a nonprofit venue with character and charm. Enjoy snacks and adult beverages from their concessions while you film fest with the Northwoods Land Trust. A short social will follow the films, with complimentary beer from Rhinelander Brewing Company.
Based in Eagle River, Wisconsin, the Northwoods Land Trust (NWLT) was incorporated in 2001 with an original service area of Vilas, Oneida, and Forest Counties. Their Land Stewardship Fund for annual monitoring and legal defense of conservation properties was created shortly thereafter. Between 2003 to 2004, the first two conservation easements are donated in Vilas County and 100 protected acres of land and one mile of shoreline is reached. The service area is expanded to include Florence, Iron, and Price Counties.
By 2010, 5,000 protected acres of land and 28 miles of shoreline are reached, a total of 50 conservation easements and land donations are completed with area families, and their service area is expanded to include the northern portion of Langlade County. By 2015, 10,000 protected acres of land and 51 miles of shoreline is reached and NWLT is awarded national Land Trust Accreditation. Today, the Northwoods Land Trust boasts 15,000 protected acres of land with 82 miles of shoreline. These lands include private conservation easements, as well as conservation areas that NWLT owns and manages that are open to the public year-round. Every year more land is placed under permanent conservation to leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
The Northwoods Land Trust permanently conserves natural shorelands, woodlands and other natural resources to benefit present and future generations in Vilas, Oneida, Forest, Florence, Iron, Price and Langlade Counties.
Their Old-Growth Forest Initiative identifies and protects old-growth forest habitat in the northwoods of Wisconsin in partnership with landowners and other organizations. The goals of the Initiative include providing educational materials to encourage private landowners to manage for old-growth forest habitats and protect some of these last remaining relics.
Their Shoreland Protection Initiative aims to permanently conserve extensive stretches of natural shoreline on lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams to leave a lasting legacy. Their priority is to help concerned landowners conserve sizable properties, especially those on water, to collectively protect Wisconsin’s world-class natural resources before they become degraded and polluted.
Finally, the Northwoods Land Trust’s Climate Conservation Solutions Initiative aims to accelerate the pace of conservation in northern Wisconsin through raising awareness and support of natural solutions to our changing climate. Natural climate solutions include conservation and restoration of forests, wetlands, grasslands and shorelands.
Carrie Rasmussen, Philanthropy Director for the Northwoods Land Trust, says, “Holding an On Tour event in our rural, forested, and clean water region of northern Wisconsin helps our land trust showcase how critical it is to protect the natural resources that we have. Many communities are not as fortunate as we are. Protecting what we have (forests, lakes, rivers, aquifers, wildlife) is critical, before they are negatively impacted or just disappear. We also aim to showcase how land conservation is a form of climate action and inspire people to be a part of our mission, which is long-lasting and forward thinking. Protect more land now for our collective future.”
“My favorite part of organizing our On Tour event is bringing together our members, and local businesses and organizations that share our values,” Rasmussen continues. “We selected four partners based on their love of the outdoors, nature, and our community. And our event is not a fundraiser, it’s an awareness raiser, so by focusing on the positive messaging, impactful experience, and network building, we feel we can go home at the end of the night knowing we’ve expanded the horizon for a more hopeful future for the northwoods of Wisconsin.”
