Creating a Buzz
A Conversation with Jeff Strate
Hiking tour of Birch Island Woods, July 3, 2004.
Photo by Jeff Strate
Jeff Strate and his family live in Eden Prairie, a mile from Birch Island Woods. He led the movement to save 32 acres of the woods and is now co-leading a campaign to acquire another four acres of adjacent land that would be folded into a city conservation area.
Inspiration and involvement in protecting Birch Island Woods
attention before the
land is gone.”
After a decade on the East Coast, Jeff, a television producer, returned to Minnesota in 1992. He became alarmed by the rapid loss of farmland, wetlands, and woods to the booming Twin Cities housing market. Jeff was concerned about the proliferation of new subdivisions that disregard the character of the land and ignore the promise of sustainable neighborhoods. He did not want this type of development to swallow up the entire Twin Cities. In response, Jeff became engaged in open space initiatives in southern Eden Prairie along the Minnesota River bluffs, and soon took on leadership roles. Later, his volunteer work as a board member the Minnesota Land Trust enabled him to help landowners throughout the west metro to protect their properties. The closest "saved" land that Jeff successfully campaigned for is just three blocks away from his home — an eleven-acre tax-forfeit parcel that had been slated for auction for development, but is now part of a protected city conservation area.
Jeff's Tactics for Land Preservation
- Identify what's worth saving
Jeff learned early on from trial and error that success depends on attitude, persistence, good information, and volunteers with a variety of skills. If possible, it is important to engage one's community before a valued piece of open space is put up for sale.
He emphasizes the importance of identifying the green corridors and other valuable properties in need of protection even if they are not for sale.
Jeff suggests, "I would tell people to take a drive or bicycle ride with park and trail maps. Mark down the location and addresses of open spaces that you think should remain undeveloped. These could be golf courses, orchards, and wood lots." Then inquire and approach the landowners about preserving their property as a natural landscape.
- Do your research
"Land use activists," Jeff stresses, "need to do their research." He pursued Birch Island Woods, and other properties, by learning how the local government worked. Ask the city and county who owns the property you want to protect and what zoning restrictions apply.
"But," he adds, "don't let zoning restrictions stop you." With enough citizen pressure, the policy makers can change the zoning restrictions to favor open space designation!
- Raise money
Jeff names money as the omnipresent factor in preserving land. He believes in ballot referendums to fund open space and cites as examples two recent ballot victories in Eden Prairie (which he was an important part of) and Woodbury. This not only raises the money necessary to purchase the land, but it proves to local decision-makers that the public wants designated public open space.
- Create the "buzz"!
Creating a "buzz" about the particular land you wish to preserve is one of the most important aspects of getting public support for your project. For starters, Jeff suggests giving the area a catchy and meaningful name, such as "Birch Island Woods."
Then, hold events that get people to the property so they can appreciate it and have a reason to support your cause. Birch Island Woods has plant sales, buckthorn pulls, Halloween activities, and other events that bring people to the property.
Then, and Jeff stresses the importance of this, make sure the local media covers these events. Jeff sends press releases to the local papers and articles and photos about the events in order to get exposure and garner support.
And, invite local government representatives to the events, or give them a personal tour of the land.
Jeff gave the mayor and various city council members individual tours of Birch Island Woods and made his case for protecting it during the tour. If people feel a connection to the land, they will want to protect it.
- Be persistent
Jeff's final piece of advice is to be loud, full of energy, and persistent to get people's attention before the land is gone!
Jeff Strate
Photo by Jody Russell.
Visit the website www.fbiw.org for more information on Birch Island Woods and the media coverage Jeff Strate and the Friends of Birch Island Woods have received.