Conservation or Profit?

 Many religious communities own extensive acres of land for beauty, conservation, and perhaps gardening. As communities age and have fewer members, they are undoubtedly concerned about future uses of their land. If they sell it to have more financial resources for their members, it is likely to be used for commercial purposes and encroach upon their buildings. 

Some women's communities are choosing to put part of their land in the hands of a land conservancy agency. The agency agrees to preserve the land when the sisters can no longer care for it themselves. This allows the religious community to ensure that their land will continue to provide beauty and be cared for in perpetuity even if the sisters have to close their doors. 

This is a striking example of choosing conservation over economic gain. They evidently feel that it is more important to keep the land intact than to sell it for real estate. This is taking into consideration future generations who will have oases of beauty amid the urban sprawl that may infringe upon their borders.

I am sure this decision took many hours of planning and negotiation among differing views in these women's communities  Not everyone would immediately see the wisdom and value of such a decision. The fears of diminishing income and future expenses to care for their elderly no doubt had to be overcome. It is a credit to their leadership and concern for their legacy that these strong women were able to trust that God would bless their concern for the earth. (See "An estate plan for the Earth" in Global Sisters Report.)