The 2017 Annual Fall Appeal

October 18, 2017

Dear Supporter,

The facts about water make you think: human beings are about 70% water. And so is our home; the earth’s surface is about 70% water.

Only air is as important to us as water, and if there’s anything we all have in common, it is our love of water. We build cities by it, we recreate in and on it, we photograph and paint it, and we even decorate our public spaces with it.

For the Conservation Law Center, this has been the year of water. Water has always been in our portfolio of work, of course. But this year, matters involving water headed the list.

That may be because the water we need most of all doesn’t cover 70% of the earth’s surface.  Freshwater is, in fact, really scarce. Way less than a per cent of the water we have is fresh water…and that water, despite our love for it, isn’t in good shape.

We did a special report on the waters of our home state. You can review it at www.conservationlawceter.org/water.  Our conclusions, in short? We have a lot of work to do to conserve this most vital of resources.

More water-related work: we are waiting for an Indiana Supreme Court decision on a case in which we argued for protection of the Lake Michigan shore. The Great Lakes alone hold about 20% of the world’s fresh surface water, and those waters need continued attention if they are going to be as clean and healthy as they should be.

To mention just one more water project, we helped a couple of clients purchase protective conservation easements on river bottomlands, The easements will help keep silt and agricultural chemical run-off out of the rivers—and ultimately help eliminate the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.

Water conservation challenges are big challenges. And CLC is working on them while we maintain our efforts to help our clients protect forest, preserve endangered species, and conserve land.

You have heard this before from me, but it bears repeating, because it is true, and because it is easy to forget. Your support really matters to us. We can do what we do—protect fresh waters, provide high quality counsel to conservation organizations, and train the next generation of conservation lawyers only because you make it possible.

Two generous long term supporters have made a total of $70,000 available to match your contribution to us. So every dollar you give becomes two dollars of support for the Conservation Law Center.

Please contribute this year. It matters. And we will do great things with the resources you provide!

Sincerely,

W. William Weeks

P.S. This year, more than ever, CLC’s work, and the work of our clients, is needed. The results we achieve this year will be felt for generations to come.

Hello, World!