How The Nature Conservancy Is Advancing Sustainable Farming

An author, speaker, and philosopher, Kurt Lutgert graduated from Duke University with double majors in religion and philosophy. A philanthropist, Kurt Lutgert supports organizations such as The Nature Conservancy.

The Nature Conservancy is fighting to save the earth from catastrophic climate change. It is pursuing a three-pronged approach to doing that: fixing agriculture, stopping overfishing, and promoting clean energy use.

With regards to fixing agriculture, The Nature Conservancy has a goal to lead the world’s farmers toward producing more food on less land using fewer resources. Today, agriculture is the leading cause of land conversion which increases deforestation. It also consumes up to 70 percent of the world’s freshwater supply while encouraging fertilizer use that pollutes rivers. As the world’s population increases, nutrition needs could dangerously compromise the earth’s natural habitats.

The Nature Conservancy is advancing a better model of farming that produces food in areas it is more likely to thrive using less land and water. The organization is using satellite imagery to analyze vast land areas and then collaborating with soy farmers and cattle ranchers to identify places where they can expand without wrecking the environment. This is especially crucial in areas such as Brazil’s Cerrado region where 50 percent of all-natural habitats have been converted for agriculture.

The Nature Conservancy’s Blue Bonds for Conservation Initiative

Red plastic cup by the ocean Image: unsplash.com

In addition to his role as an author and speaker on the topic of spiritual development, Kurt Lutgert has overseen real estate development in Florida since 1997 in his role as vice president of The Lutgert Companies. Outside of his professional pursuits, Kurt Lutgert has volunteered with several nonprofits and donates regularly to The Nature Conservancy (TNC), among others organizations.

Boasting more than a million members and a group of more than 400 scientists, TNC has protected over 119 million acres of land since 1951, and is now working to protect 1.5 million square miles of ocean by 2024. The nonprofit conservation group is hoping to achieve this through its Blue Bonds for Ocean Conservation initiative, which it outlined at a TED event in Vancouver in April.

The Blue Bonds for Conservation initiative was chosen from among more than 1,500 others submitted through The Audacious Project. As of April, the initiative had received $23 million of the $40 million it requires to generate a $1.6 billion sustainable revenue stream for marine conservation.

The goal of Blue Bonds for Conservation is to partner with island or coastal nations. As long as these countries agree to protect at least 30 percent of the ocean areas near their shores, TNC will assist in efforts to restructure their sovereign debt. It will also help pollution reduction efforts and improve fisheries management. Savings from debt restructuring activities will then be used to establish a trust fund from which further conservation actions can be funded. The Blue Bonds initiative has already proven successful in the Seychelles, and TNC hopes to bring it to as many as 20 countries by 2024.

The Nature Conservancy to Safeguard Another 1,600-Plus Mountain Acres

The Nature Conservancy
Image: nature.org

Since 1997, Kurt Lutgert has served as vice president of The Lutgert Companies, a real estate developer based in Naples, Florida. Outside of his professional life, Kurt Lutgert supports a number of charities and advocacy organizations, including The Nature Conservancy.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recently reached an agreement to help ensure the protection of more than 1,600 acres of mountain and forest property in New Jersey’s Kittatinny Ridge, a crucial migration pathway for many different types of wildlife. TNC finalized a partnership with the Duncannon Borough Council last September, when the council voted to grant the organization a conservation easement for the areas. Through its Working Woodlands program, TNC will work to preserve the forest ecosystem in the Kittatinny Ridge and develop a sustainability plan that will ensure its availability as a haven for animals for decades to come.

The agreement is yet another step in TNC’s efforts to preserve mountain lands. In 2017, the organization created the Cove Mountain Preserve in Pennsylvania for similar conservation efforts.

The Nature Conservancy’s Young Volunteers

Nature Conservancy
Image: nature.org

Real estate developer Kurt Lutgert is also an author and speaker who champions the concept of whole light wellness, which presents a method of unlocking joy and progress. In addition to his professional spiritual work, Kurt Lutgert volunteers with a number of charities, including the Nature Conservancy, a multinational organization devoted to conserving natural areas and increasing awareness of environmental concerns.

Active in over 72 countries, the nonprofit began small, with only a handful of ecologists, in 1951. Today, the Nature Conservancy has thousands of volunteers, both professional and simply concerned individuals, and offers a range of programs for all interested parties, including separate programs for young people. The non-profit’s youth programs allow students, even as young as five or six, to get involved with the Nature Conservancy, and become aware of environmental concerns in today’s world.

The organization offers three separate programs, depending on what interests each individual. One branch is educational and helps students learn the intricacies of nature and the science behind its inner workings. The second branch is volunteer-based and gives students the opportunity to take action by planting trees, cleaning beaches, or even going on group hikes. Finally, the third branch concerns older students and provides internships for young people interested in pursuing a career with the organization or regarding the environment. To learn more about each program, visit nature.org.