| In early 2010, The Land Conservancy was deeply saddened by the passing of Dean Morgridge, a generous conservation supporter and community member. The story below explains how Dean’s legacy will continue forever in the lush grass, sprawling oaks and wildlife that thrives on the very lands he helped conserve here in San Luis Obispo |
When we saw that they were thinking of developing the land along the south side of Buckley Road, we were determined to help The Land Conservancy add it to the City's Greenbelt instead
We love driving in that area, seeing it change through the seasons. We were afraid to lose it. We had imagined it becoming part of a trail all around San Luis Obispo, where families could take their kids and dogs and be able to experience nature without having to travel too far.
We believe in leading by example. By donating to The Land Conservancy, we've become part of the effort to preserve those natural areas for families now and in the future.
Our love of nature started early. Dean went to the University of Wisconsin with Frank Lloyd Wright, and that's where his interest started, with Wright's concept of blending homes into their natural surroundings. That started his interest in preserving native plants and conserving nature.
Patty's love of the outdoors came from her grandfather. He homesteaded in Wyoming, and she spent summers there on the family's sheep ranch. It was totally different from what Dean grew up with, but she really grew to love it and to appreciate the rural life.
In our first 23 years of marriage, we moved 17 times. Whether renting or buying, we always tried to landscape our homes in their natural settings. It's amazing what you can do using just native flora and getting a sense of the local habitat. In Houston, we had over 200 species of native plants on three-quarters of an acre. They called us the "Johnny Appleseeds of Texas."
Here, we take our grandchildren on the Bob Jones Trail to Avila Beach. They can run ahead a bit, disappear for a while, then run back and rejoin the group. They get a few moments of time to explore nature on their own, like we did when we were kids. At our home, Dean sits outside in the evenings and watches the sunset light up the sky over the Irish Hills. It's a daily affirmation of the beauty of the natural world.
Somewhere in your life you have to be exposed to nature in a way that touches you. Kids don't always get that exposure. The beauty of this place is so much that you want to preserve it so that more people, more children, can form those associations.
So we decided to do whatever it takes to preserve local land. And for us, that means supporting the Land Conservancy. The money that we donate to them stays here, protecting the land we love for the people we love. It's one powerful way we invest in the future of our community.
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