Many residents of the Riceville valley area who support
the protection of the scenic rural character of the
area believe that voluntary actions taken by individual
land owners are an essential way to sustain the beauty
of this area. By voluntarily agreeing to limit
development without zoning, covenants or conservation
easements, these neighbors help assure that the area
will continue to sustain its quiet, unspoiled
ridgelines, beauty, clean streams, and wildlife
habitat. Creating a conservation land ethic within
their own families helps protect these lands over
generations.
An example is a medium sized tract recently sold to a
developer. Three-fourths of the property is wetlands,
so the new owner has sold the wetlands portion to the
property owner next door who will not develop that
portion of the land. These voluntary actions by sellers
and buyers contribute to sustaining the beauty of the
area.