Working with CLF: One Family’s Story

In 2016, CLF had the pleasure of working with Lynette Pittsford to place a conservation easement on her property.  The 206-acres of picturesque land located in Coryell County, Texas, is now protected in perpetuity.  Her vision was to preserve the land as open space and to protect the land for future generations.  Lynette decided to work with the Compatible Lands Foundation to help her achieve those goals.

Her land was also very important to nearby Fort Cavazos, one of the U.S. military installations participating in the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program.  Through REPI, installations partner with CLF to use easements to create open space “buffers” in installation boundary areas. These buffers preserve open space and natural resources and help to ensure that military training and readiness can continue without interruption, while minimizing disturbance to adjacent landowners. The program is entirely voluntary, and landowners near Fort Cavazos have been extremely supportive.

The Pittsford Family story is a great example of a win-win that can be achieved through REPI.  By working with CLF, the Pittsford family was able to preserve the land and receive compensation for establishing an easement on their property.  And Fort Cavazos added to its buffer and is able to continue military training activities.

The clearest indicator that Lynette’s goal of preserving her land for future generations has been achieved appears on a warm summer day, in the form of her grandchildren fishing on the family land.  When asked about the family’s decision to place the land in easement, one of them said, “I think it is good because it will stay just like when my great-great grandparents had it many years ago. And we will be able to enjoy the natural land for a long, long time.”

And while family members enjoy their property, just across the highway Fort Cavazos will continue to train soldiers and maintain military readiness in order to protect our country.

If you are interested in learning more about CLF and/or the REPI program, please contact Dan Chapin, Director of Military Partnerships (dchapin@compatiblelands.org).