Celebrate Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Day!

Donor-Advised Fund Day or DAF Day is October 10th: Six Rivers board member, Robert Ignasiak, is a Certified Public Accountant and has shared his knowledge on DAF’s in this article. If you would like to know more about leaving a charitable donation from your DAF, please contact Ashley Everhart at aeverhart@sixriversrlc.org.

Celebrate DAF Day 2024: Make a Lasting Impact on Land Conservation with Your Donor Advised Fund

By Robert Ignasiak, Board Trustee

As we approach DAF Day on October 10, 2024, we invite you to consider how your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) can make a meaningful difference in preserving the landscapes we cherish. DAF’s have become an increasingly popular way to give back, offering a flexible and tax-efficient method of charitable giving while ensuring that vital causes, like land conservation, continue to thrive.

What Is a Donor Advised Fund?

A Donor Advised Fund is a charitable giving vehicle that allows you to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and recommend grants from the fund over time to your favorite nonprofits, including land conservancies like ours. It’s a powerful tool for donors who want to maximize their impact without the complexities of managing a private foundation.

Why Choose a DAF for Land Conservation?

Land conservation is a long-term effort, requiring sustained funding to acquire, restore, and protect natural areas. Your contributions can support:

• Protecting Natural Habitats: Help us preserve critical habitats for wildlife and plant species by funding land acquisition and conservation easements.

• Restoration Projects: Your grant can go towards restoring degraded lands, ensuring they remain healthy and vibrant ecosystems for generations to come.

• Public Access to Nature: With your support, we can maintain trails, parks, and open spaces that offer everyone the chance to connect with nature.

By recommending a grant to Six Rivers Land Conservancy from your DAF, you are helping safeguard the future of our landscapes, ensuring that they remain protected for both wildlife and people.

How to Recommend a Grant from Your DAF

Recommending a grant from your DAF is simple:

1. Contact your DAF provider: This could be a financial institution, community foundation, or other sponsoring organization.

2. Provide our organization’s details: You’ll need to share Six Rivers Land Conservancy’s name, address, and tax identification number, which are available on our website.

3. Specify your grant amount: You can choose to make a one-time contribution or schedule recurring grants to provide ongoing support.

Why Now? DAF Day 2024

DAF Day is the perfect time to consider using your Donor Advised Fund to make a difference. Land conservation is at a critical juncture, and your support can help protect vital landscapes, mitigate climate change, and preserve biodiversity.

By making a grant recommendation on or before October 10, you’ll be joining thousands of other DAF donors in celebrating the power of philanthropy and helping to ensure that the places we love are protected for future generations.

Join Us on DAF Day 2024

On this DAF Day, your contributions can help us achieve our mission of preserving land for future generations. If you’re unsure how to start, our team is happy to guide you through the process of giving through your DAF. Let’s work together to protect the places that make our community special.

Learn more about how you can support Six Rivers Land Conservancy by visiting sixriversrlc.org.

Hit the Trails for Trails Week!

It’s Trails Week: Six Rivers board member, Andrea Lafontaine, is the Executive Director for Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance, a non-profit that serves as the voice for non-motorized trail users and has very generously agreed to share some of her knowledge and experience in this brief article.  If you would like to become a member of Six Rivers or make a donation, please contact Ashley Everhart, aeverhart@sixriversrlc.org.

For more information on Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance visit: https://michigantrails.org/

Six Rivers Land Conservancy & Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance: Celebrating Trails Week

By Andrea LaFontaine, Board Trustee

Michigan, a state renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and natural beauty, boasts a vast network of non-motorized trails that offer opportunities for outdoor recreation, exploration, and connection with nature. The Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance (MTGA) plays a vital role in promoting, protecting, and enhancing these valuable resources. This week we are joining forces with Six Rivers Land Conservancy to celebrate Trails Week in Michigan. September 21-28, we will delve into the significance of non-motorized trails and the importance of conservation efforts to preserve our state's natural heritage.

A Natural Connection

Non-motorized trails serve as gateways to Michigan's diverse ecosystems, providing opportunities for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities. Whether you're traversing a serene forest path, exploring a scenic shoreline, or venturing into a bustling urban greenway, these trails offer a chance to immerse yourself in nature's beauty. From the towering pines of the Upper Peninsula to the rolling hills of the Lower Peninsula, Michigan's trails showcase the state's natural diversity and provide a sense of tranquility and connection to the land.

Conservation: A Critical Component

Preserving Michigan's trails and greenways is essential for maintaining the health of our ecosystems and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our outdoor recreation opportunities. Conservation efforts play a crucial role in protecting wildlife habitats, safeguarding water quality, and mitigating the impacts of climate change. By supporting land conservation initiatives and promoting responsible trail use, we can help to preserve Michigan's natural beauty for generations to come.

How You Can Support Trails and Land Conservation

There are many ways to contribute to the conservation of land and preservation of Michigan's trails and greenways. Consider becoming a member of Six Rivers Land Conservancy or MTGA or make a donation to support their efforts. Volunteer your time to participate in stewardship days or community engagement sessions. And most importantly, be a responsible trail user by following Leave No Trace principles and respecting the natural environment. By taking these steps, we can all play a part in ensuring that our beloved open spaces and local trails remain vibrant and accessible for future generations to enjoy.

Giving to the Future

It’s “Make-a-Will” month: Six Rivers Executive Director, Chris Bunch, shares a personal story about how the power of planned giving impacts the nature near you. If you would like to know more about leaving a legacy to Six Rivers through your will, trust, or estate plan, please contact Ashley Everhart, aeverhart@sixriversrlc.org.

Giving to the Future

By Chris Bunch, Executive Director

**Click on the name of the bird to hear the call**

On a late summer afternoon, we were on a hike on a preserve, bordered by farmland and residential neighborhoods, much of it also former farmland but with a substantial woodlot.  The hike was led by one of our volunteers.  An avid birder and well known naturalist, she kept us enthralled with her knowledge of the habitats and all the different wildlife we encountered.  

Off in the distance, somewhere on the preserve, I heard an ethereal call that stopped me in my tracks, completely stunned.  I thought it was a hermit thrush, which I had only ever heard in the deep recesses of remote forests—never in the much more urbanized region of southeast Michigan.  Ruth Glass, our guide, corrected me and noted it was a wood thrush.  Still rare, but not completely uncommon in this region. The call is very similar to a hermit thrush.  She told us this kind of habitat—a forest, with its leaf litter, food sources and nesting habitat, is critical to the wood thrush—they are not backyard feeder birds.  Our work was ensuring this fellow creature had a home.

Ruth passed away unexpectedly a couple of years ago.  We were truly shocked and saddened to hear of her passing.  This story of the wood thrush is a cherished memory and tremendous legacy.  It will carry on for generations because she also made an extraordinary gift through her estate.  That gift is helping us to ensure the wood thrush will have a place to sing in the future, and that mere mortals like me will be treated to their other-worldly song if we take the time to seek and to listen.

Our work—land conservation—is all about the future.  For people, wildlife, wetlands, forests and fields, rivers, lakes and streams, the planet.  Our members, donors, supporters and investors all share our vision of sustaining the character and quality of the natural world we inhabit for generations to come.  Legacy gifts—through an estate, by will, trust or memorial gifts are all an important part of the resources necessary to translate those values into lasting, tangible outcomes for the wood thrush, the people, and all the other denizens of our region.

We are extraordinarily grateful to be the recipient of these gifts.  They result in lands that are permanently protected and habitats that are restored, improved and enhanced.  Whenever I hear a wood thrush or a hermit thrush now, I think of Ruth and her extraordinary gifts to conservation, both during her life as guide and interpreter of nature’s bounty and through her legacy gift that ensures these natural wonders will remain for generations to come.

Celebrate Make-A-Will Month

It’s “Make-a-Will” month: Six Rivers board member, Andy Zale, is a financial planning professional and has very generously agreed to share some of his knowledge and experience in this brief article.  If you would like to know more about leaving a gift to Six Rivers through your will, trust or estate plan, please contact Ashley Everhart, aeverhart@sixriversrlc.org.

The Vital Connection: Wills and Environmental Conservation

By Andy Zale, Board Trustee

When we think about leaving a legacy, our minds often drift to the tangible—homes, businesses, or financial assets. But there is a profound connection between estate planning and the preservation of our planet's future, a connection that's illuminated when we consider the work of conservation.

Why Making a Final Will Matters

Creating a final will is a critical step in ensuring that your wishes are honored after you’re gone. Without a will, the distribution of your estate is governed by the laws of your state, which might not align with your personal values or goals. A will allows you to specify who receives what, from your cherished family heirlooms to your financial assets. It is a tool for shaping your legacy and making a positive impact in areas that matter most to you.

The Power of Planned Giving

One impactful way to channel your values through your will is by including charitable donations. Many people don’t realize that their estate can support causes they care about long after they’ve passed. Environmental conservation non-profits, like Six Rivers Land Conservancy, which work tirelessly to protect our planet's ecosystems, wildlife, and natural resources, often rely on such contributions to continue their essential work. 

By making a planned gift through your will you can leave your legacy on the land, contributing to:

1. Preservation of Natural Habitats: Non-profits often focus on protecting endangered species and restoring critical habitats. Your support can ensure that these efforts continue, benefiting future generations.

2. Slowing Development and Suburban Sprawl: Besides the obvious benefit of preserving natural habitats, preserving land has the added benefit of curbing suburban sprawl.  By protecting land now, we are making a green belt for both people and animals for years to come.  Your bequest can play an enduring part in these efforts.

3. Education and Advocacy: Environmental organizations often engage in education and advocacy to promote sustainable practices. Your legacy can help fund programs that raise awareness and drive meaningful change.

Crafting a Will with Impact

To create a will that reflects your values and supports causes you care about, follow these steps:

1. Define Your Goals: Think about the causes that resonate with you. Is it wildlife conservation,  sustainable agriculture, or something more? Identifying your priorities will guide your choices.

2. Consult with Professionals: Work with an estate planner or attorney who can help you structure your will in a way that maximizes its impact and ensures it aligns with legal requirements.

3. Research Organizations: Investigate environmental non-profits to find those whose missions align with your values. Ensure they are reputable and efficient in their use of resources.

4. Specify Your Bequest: Decide whether you want to leave a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or residual assets after other bequests have been fulfilled. Clearly state these in your will to avoid any ambiguity.

5. Review and Update: Life changes, and so may your priorities. Periodically review your will to ensure it still reflects your current wishes and values.

Leaving a Legacy of Stewardship

By including environmental conservation non-profits in your final will, you’re not just distributing assets; you’re investing in the future health of our planet. This act of stewardship ensures that your commitment to environmental sustainability endures beyond your lifetime. It’s a meaningful way to contribute to the well-being of our world and leave a legacy that aligns with your values.

In essence, making a final will isn’t merely about managing your estate—it’s about shaping a legacy that reflects what you cherish. By supporting environmental causes through your will, you help to safeguard our planet’s future, demonstrating a commitment to both present and future generations. In this way, your final will becomes a powerful tool for continuing the vital work of environmental conservation long after you're gone.

For more information about the ways you can leave a lasting impact on Six Rivers Land Conservancy by making a Legacy/Planned Gift visit the link below.

https://www.sixriversrlc.org/legacy-giving

Andy Zale