Nina Gregg and Doug Gamble understand the impact an individual’s decisions and actions can have on an entire ecosystem, and on other people’s lives and livelihoods. Doug served on the Board of Alternatives for Blount County (ABC), the precursor organization of Foothills Land Conservancy, and has stayed involved with zoning issues concerning Blount County over the years. Nina’s professional background is in nonprofit consulting for organizations throughout the country.

This awareness and commitment have shaped the decisions they’ve made about their own land preservation. “Our lives and work have always been about much more than us,” Nina says. She had woods and a creek in her New Jersey neighborhood growing up, which made for fun exploration when she was younger and a lot of good memories she reflects on today. Doug’s father and uncle were the first generation in their family who didn’t farm but bought a farm in Friendsville in the mid-1950s anyway. This exposure informed his appreciation of agriculture and the natural world.

It makes sense that the property they’ve conserved is a combination of open fields, woodlands, pasture, and hayfields. This mixture of mature woodland, pastures and the edges between, and ample water from springs and a creek creates good habitat for wildlife and birds.

There are also people to consider. Both Doug and Nina know that a new generation of farmers are finding it hard to make a living doing what they love. They’ve also experienced the amount of farmland diminishing in Blount County over the years, while development continues to increase. Conservation easements protect land from development, but they also require an individual or family to own land – a type of large purchase becoming more challenging and expensive for many people. Nina and Doug’s easement allows for the sale of a few subdivided sites, which could help future owners maintain the purchase of the entire acreage.

Their decisions now are positively impacting and directly connected to the ecosystems and livelihoods of so many who will follow them. It is, indeed, about so much more than themselves.