| Michael Scisco, February 2026
Conservation Planning for Developers: Building Value While Protecting Land
For decades, the development industry has faced a paradox: how to meet demand for housing, commercial, and mixed-use projects while addressing growing public concern about sprawl, water quality, climate change, and loss of open space.
| Christine Pickens, February 2026
Why Boiling Spring Wilderness Conservation is a Win for North Carolina
If you’ve driven through Brunswick County lately, you’ve seen the rapid hum of progress everywhere because it is the fastest growing county in North Carolina. New rooftops are appearing where there used to be treelines, and the quiet countr...
| Michael Scisco, November 2025
More Conservation. Less Overhead.
When you give to conservation, you don’t just write a check—you choose where your values and your dollars go. You choose whether to fund glossy head-offices and heavy admin costs, or whether you direct your generosity to on-the-ground work:...
| Christine Pickens, October 2025
Why Restored & Enhanced Land Deserves Strongest Conservation Efforts
When people think about land conservation, they often imagine protecting pristine forests, untouched wetlands, or sweeping open spaces. These places are undeniably valuable, and traditional land trust efforts have safeguarded countless acre...
| 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...
| Mandi Taylor, April 2025
The Importance of Stewardship in Conservation
When you hear about land and resource conservation, the focus is often on the big moments: a large parcel of land being protected in perpetuity, a forest is spared from development, or a critical habitat is preserved for wildlife. But what ...
| Christine Pickens, March 2025
A Season of Change: Our 2024 Annual Report
We are proud to present our 2024 Annual Report which highlights our work to restore and conserve land and water across the country. This year, we expanded our work to new states with exciting projects that protect vulnerable species, preser...
| Mandi Taylor, November 2024
Nurtured by Nature: Why Outdoor Recreation Matters
While the benefits of being outdoors–such as soaking up vitamin D, boosting your mood, and getting more exercise–has always been emphasized, the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the need for recreational activities and social interacti...
| 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...
| Mandi Taylor, September 2024
First Days at Unique Places to Save
My first day in the field as a Conservation Specialist took me to Jigsaw, a 21.54-acre conservation easement property immediately adjacent to a working farm. This property is a mix of mature forested stream buffer and restored in-stream hab...
| Mandi Taylor, September 2024
Mandi Taylor | Conservation Specialist
Hi everyone! My name is Mandi and I am thrilled to be part of the Unique Places to Save team, and continue to help advance our ongoing conservation and restoration efforts. I bring experience in public health, project management, and commun...