| Sam Warnock, April 2025
A River Under Fire: The Cuyahoga River's Comeback
Few rivers tell the story of environmental neglect and redemption quite like the Cuyahoga. Once a dumping ground for industrial waste, this Ohio river was so polluted that it caught on fire repeatedly before the passage of the Clean Water A...
| Sam Warnock, April 2025
How Dam Removals Sustain & Enhance Natural Capital - Part Two
In the first part of our series, we explored the historical significance of dams and the myriad benefits they have provided over the centuries, from hydroelectric power to flood control. We also highlighted the serious environmental drawbac...
| Sam Warnock, April 2025
How Dam Removals Sustain & Enhance Natural Capital - Part One
While dams provide significant benefits, such as reliable water sources and energy with relatively low maintenance costs, these advantages often come at a cost to the environment. Dams can disrupt ecosystems, alter river flows, and generall...
| Sam Warnock, December 2024
Building Natural Capital Through Conservation Easements: A Lasting Legacy
At Unique Places to Save, we work with landowners and communities to conserve land and aquatic resources with ecological, cultural, and economic value. One of the primary tools we use to achieve this is the conservation easement. A conserva...
| Sam Warnock, October 2024
Recent Examples of Sustainable Conservation in Real Estate Development
Today, environmental stewardship is increasingly regarded as a social responsibility. In response, many land developers are recognizing the importance of balancing economic growth with the preservation of natural ecosystems and are embracin...
| Sam Warnock, October 2024
Natural Capital and Its Value to the Economy
When you think of capital, you probably think of money or investments. But at its core, capital is anything that: Stores or confers value Generates benefits Grows in value over time We’re all familiar with financial capital—the money and re...
| Sam Warnock, August 2024
How to Value Ecosystem Services
Economics is all about determining how to best use our limited resources, and assigning a value to these can help us understand how scarce these resources are. When we value ecosystem services and biodiversity, we show what we're willing to...
| Sam Warnock, June 2024
What are Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem services (ES) is a buzzword that often appears when discussing ways to protect the environment. Although the term has been around since the 1980s, there’s a lot of confusion behind what it conveys. We’ll discuss ES’s meaning and h...
| Sam Warnock, April 2024
Securing the Food Supply by Preserving Local Farmland
Many global challenges include climate change, population growth, and economic instability. However, the preservation of local farmland emerges as a linchpin in the quest for sustainability and resilience.
| Sam Warnock, March 2024
How Healthy Trees Can Boost Property Values & Reduce Costs
In the realm of real estate, a green landscape can significantly enhance the value of a property. Beyond mere aesthetics, trees play a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscape of residential and commercial areas.
| Sam Warnock, February 2024
A History of Land Trusts in North Carolina
North Carolina, with its diverse landscapes ranging from the Appalachian Mountains in the west to the coastal plains in the east, has an incredible range of unique places worth saving. Despite the modern form of land conservation being rela...
| Sam Warnock, February 2024
Capturing the Beauty of Rivers: An Introductory Guide for Photographers
Rivers, ever-changing and full of life, open a world of opportunities for new and experienced photographers alike. Each day brings a new scene, a different mood, and a story waiting to be told. In this short guide, we'll dive into practical...
| Sam Warnock, February 2024
Waterfowl Hunting & Healthy Rivers: Sustaining a Tradition for All Ages
Waterfowl hunting, often embraced as a heritage sport, transcends mere recreation, especially in the context of environmental conservation. At the heart of this activity lies the health of our river ecosystems, which are crucial for sustain...