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 CONSERVATION
AWARD
Transcript of Mrs. Mackay-Smith’s speech in New York January 26, 2007
It is an honor to accept this award on behalf of the Blue
Ridge Hunt, one of America’s earliest established hunts... still following
hounds over the land hunted by Lord Fairfax and his young employee, George
Washington!
I would like to recognize the efforts of Laurie Volk Johnston, Matthew Klein
and our own Norm Fine who addressed the daunting task of putting the “entry”
together. Thanks to them for many hours of work.
There are two thoughts I would like to throw out to you: The first is that
any hunting country is basically a recreation area for the hunt members. I
can think of very few sports which are so totally dependent on the largesse
of so many, to provide sport for so few, and very few sports which require
such an area not wholly owned and operated by the people who participate in
it. This is indeed a unique situation, and requires many strategies to
maintain the open space necessary for ongoing sport.
My husband, Matthew, and I came back to Virginia from Unionville,
Pennsylvania, having lived and hunted there for 25 years. In the year just
before we left, one of the major landowners in Chester County put most of
their land on the market. After much consternation, Frolic Weymouth and a
group of his friends and neighbors formed the Brandywine Conservancy, and
bought the entire offering, which they then resold with development
restrictions on the parcels.
The country around White Post, Virginia was in much the same condition when
we came back in 1982 as Unionville had been in 1960, when we moved there. I
was acutely aware that, where land use is concerned, nothing is sacred when
profits are on offer, and that something more permanent would have to be
instituted to keep the land open and sparsely developed.
This brings me to my second thought, how to preserve the recreation area
that our sport requires, without having to rely on simply buying it all,
piece by piece, and keeping it in friendly ownership.
Here is the hard part, because immersing ourselves in local politics is not
what most of us are inclined to do. However, every hunt should try to have
members on as many Boards, Commissions, Authorities and committees as
possible. It goes without saying that land-use policies and implementation
are crucial to keeping open space, especially in areas under development
pressure, and the place to influence these is obviously at the policy-making
level. Allies come in many different guises, farmers, small and large game
hunters, tree growers, nature lovers, birders, wildflower associations.. All
of these can make a very influential bloc for political actions affecting
land use.
Having said this, I must emphasize that all land-use policies should support
the permanent conservation of open space. We have seen time and again that
even the best planning and zoning regulations are subject to change,
depending on changing demographics and the elected representatives in
charge. Planning and zoning can cut down on some nasty surprises in the
short term, but only permanent conservation easements, donated or bought,
publicly or privately purchased, and held by the state or a Land trust, will
keep these farms and forests open into the distant future.
I thank you again for honoring us with this award, and hope to see many of
you out with hounds in our country in March, celebrating your 100th
anniversary in the best way possible.
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