Eugene weekly., March 10, 2011, Page 13, Image 13

digs
EW’ S HOME & GARDEN ISSUE
FARMS
NOT
LAWNS
thing for us, but we think it’s important to recognize the value
of agricultural land and its status as a Century Farm,” he says.
About four years passed between Bangs’ decision that
he wanted an easement and the drying of the ink on the
contract. “I’ve worked really closely with McKenzie River
Trust, and McKenzie River Trust has been a good outfi t to
Defense against divisions
work with,” Bangs says.
Bangs’ satisfaction with MRT and the easement
in your own back 40 BY SHANNON FINNELL
comes partly from the time they took to work out all the
details of the plan. Some ideas that MRT proposed, like
allowing wetlands to reclaim some of the land, didn’t sit
Twelve wooded acres are protected from any signifi cant
well with Bangs, who sees them as purposeless space
deforestation, but the provisions in the easement allow for
on the farm. Bangs and MRT discussed it, and wetlands
fi rewood gathering and harvesting wood for small projects.
weren’t included in the fi nal plan. Preserving the farm as
The largest portion of the easement, about 62 acres, will
an agricultural property was Bangs’ focus, but he likes the
be used for agriculture, and two areas with houses are to
idea of helping out the many animals that thrive on the
remain
residential.
omes and gardens (and farms) aren’t just about
property as well. “We have an abundance of
Bangs
and
MRT
agreed
on
development
building and expanding. They also play a role in
‘We have an
wildlife,” Bangs says, “and I think we owe
restrictions, conservation plans and some rules
preserving the environment and the way of life
them a place to live, too.”
for limiting pesticides, though Bangs says that
of the family farm.
abundance of
Animals thrive in the area surrounding
he won’t have to make any adjustments to the
When Larry Bangs thought of his century-old family
wildlife and I
the Bangs’ Farm, which sits on Fern Ridge
way he runs his farm now to comply with the
farm and what might become of it in the future, he didn’t
think we owe
Reservoir. “It’s a dramatically altered landscape
terms of the easement. “They retain a fair bit
like what he envisioned. “I look around us and I see a lot of
of latitude,” Ryan Ruggiero, land protection
the small farms turning into housing developments,” Bangs
them a place to and an artifi cially created body of water, but it
should be borne in mind that it is now a very
manager with MRT, says, “as long as they’re
says. “Our place has been in the family for 107 years now,
live, too.’
important body of water,” Ruggiero says. The
doing it in a way that doesn’t compromise or
and I just couldn’t bear to see it turn into houses.”
— LARRY BANGS
farm is located on the Pacifi c Flyway, a vital
destroy the area.”
Without a family member likely to take up the plow,
route for migrating birds. Other wildlife such as elk, fox and
Although MRT has a few other conservation easements
Bangs looked in a different direction to ensure that the 82-
acorn woodpeckers also live in the area.
in the area, Ruggiero notes that the Bangs property is the fi rst
acre property would be used for farming for generations
As the Bangs family continues to farm their land,
farm they’ve worked with in this part of the Willamette Valley
to come. Eventually he settled on a partnership with
Ruggiero says he’s looking forward to being “a
— and as a part of the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s
McKenzie River Trust. Bangs donated a conservation
partner to them and a resource.” He appreciates
Century Farm Program, which honors farms more than 100
easement on his farm along the Fern Ridge Reservoir. It
how important it was for Larry Bangs to see
years old, it’s a historical partnership, too. Ruggiero says
is still owned by the Bangs family, but it’s protected from
the farm preserved not only as a tribute to
that working on the Bangs Farm conservation
future development and dedicated to farming and nature
conservation and the history of the
easement emphasized to MRT that
simultaneously.
area, but also for his family.
farms can play an important role in
“It was a tremendous gift,”
conservation. “That’s a new
Ruggiero says, “and I hope
he felt a sense of relief
and that his ancestors
would have been
proud to see it
preserved.” ew
TRASK BEDORTHA
H
PAULA AND LARRY BANGS ON THEIR FARM
Your Natural Resource in Real Estate
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EUGENE WEEKLY MARCH 10, 2011 13