A good steward knows no bounds.
Bob Linderman, owner of the aptly named 65th Street Farm Conservation Easement, fits that mold.
Take one walk with him and the love he has for his land is undeniable.
What’s more, Bob sees himself as a protector of the dirt road that his property is accessible from, whether that means advocating for it to become a natural beauty road, or dealing with roadside dumping.
When asked why he cares so much, Bob says simply, “We’re not here for very long – so while we are here, we might as well do something for the future.”
He lives these words in his local community of South Haven, mentoring youth through his local church and Boy Scout troop, and most recently, by generously donating a conservation easement on his property with Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy.
By protecting his land through Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, Bob now has the peace of mind that comes with knowing that his property will be protected from development forever, no matter who owns it in the future.
So it should come as no surprise that, when asked about when he decided to conserve his land, Bob states the obvious,
“I wanted to protect it from the start.”
Bob’s generosity adds his 49 acres of beech-maple woods and hemlock-filled ravines to over 300 acres of high-quality habitat that Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy has already protected within a three-mile vicinity. Now called the 65th Street Farm Conservation Easement, protection of the Van Buren County property marks Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy’s 97th conservation easement.
Thank you, Bob!
Story: Bruce Howe
Field photos: Amelia Hansen
Photo of Bruce Howe & Bob Linderman at the closing: Peter Ter Louw
Are you (or someone you know) curious about land protection options? Call Bruce Howe, SWMLC Land Protection Specialist, or Emily Wilke, SWMLC Conservation Projects Manager, for a confidential conversation at 269-324-1600. For general information about land protection options for landowners, check the pages under the dropdown menu item Protect Your Land.
