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Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy (SMLC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of natural land and agricultural open space in the 7-county (Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, Wayne) southeast Michigan region. Founded in 1988 by people who felt there should be a way for land owners to protect open spaces in Southeast Michigan, SMLC remains an organization driven by volunteers who care about land conservation and stewardship. To manage day-to-day operations, the Conservancy's 4-person staff coordinates the efforts of volunters who are central to the vitality and effectivness of the organization.
The Conservancy works to protect land in the following ways: SMLC can own land - usually through donations (property or financial) to the organization, SMLC can work with landowners to create conservation easements (also known as conservation agreements) to protect privately owned property,  and SMLC can assist local government agencies with their land protection projects. At times, when support is strong enough, the Conservancy can purchase land. The Conservancy maintains and cares for the land held in its trust through regular monitoring and stewardship projects, and we work to educate the community about the importance of land conservation in southeast Michigan. Again, volunteers are absolutely critical to the organization's ability to carry out these tasks. Through this work we conserve habitat for wildlife and preserve natural areas and places of scenic beauty for people to enjoy.
The Conservancy has many responsibilites as outlined in the SMLC Articles of Incorporation and Organizational Bylaws. Ultimately, the SMLC Board of Directors is charged with seeing that these responsibilites are tended to. Making plans and carrying out activities are delegated to Local Community Groups as well as four Standing Committees:
SMLC has one Local Division,
and one Local Committee,
The four SMLC Standing Committees are:
- Outreach & Education Committee
- Development Committee
- Land Protection Committee
- Stewardship Committee
Collectively, these groups carry out projects that advance the organization's goals and advise the Board of Directors, which oversees their activities and ensures they are acting within the mission and direction of the organization.
The Board of Directors is comprised of people from across southeast Michigan. Each is committed to land conservation and the sustainability of the Conservancy. Our Board of Directors ensures all SMLC expenditures and activities are compliant with SMLC Bylaws and non-profit law. The Board also passed a resolution to adopt the Land Trust Alliance's "Land Trust Standards and Practices" and strives to operate in a manner that ensures the long-term protection of land in southeast Michigan. As described above, the Board relies on community groups and four standing committees to advise them on organizational planning and management issues.
Rick Simek
University of Michigan-Dearborn
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President |
Bill Secrest
Henry Ford Community College
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Vice President & Superior Land Conservancy Representative
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Patricia Robertson
Ford Motor Company - Retired |
Treasurer & Development Committee Chair |
James T. Weiner
James T. Weiner, P.C. |
Secretary |
Richard Kent
Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission |
Land Protection Committee Chair |
Valerie Malaney
DaimlerChrysler Corp. |
Stewardship Committee Chair |
Roy T. Bell
Southfield Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals |
Director |
Helen Jeter
Banking Industry - Retired |
Director |
Peter Scott
Kettering University |
Director |
| Vacant Position |
Outreach & Education Committee Chair |
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SMLC Articles of Incorporation
The Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy is committed to fiscal responsibility. We strive to keep our operating costs low so that our resources can be used to preserve and care for land in Southeast Michigan. Please contact the SMLCoffice if you have questions about our financial accountability. A copy of our most recent IRS Form 990 is available here: SMLC 2006 Form 990 (PDF)
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