A beautiful spring afternoon, and even a bit of unexpected sunshine, welcomed more than 125 guests to the opening celebration of the new Lindy Roosenburg Preserve north of Athens near Chauncey. Lindy’s family and friends and many, many community members joined the Conservancy for the April 30 event officially opening our newest nature preserve.
The exceptional 71-acre property showcases mature forests and an abundance of wildflowers and wildlife. The land was purchased last year in memory of Selinde Roosenburg, a local young woman and aspiring wildland firefighter, through a fund generously established by her family.
Guests were shuttled to the preserve from a nearby parking lot, and walked down a short (and only slightly muddy) trail to the gathering spot near a peaceful, tree-lined pond. There, they were treated to traditional folk music by fiddler Mark Barsamian and mandolinist Zeke Hutchison. The program included moving remarks from board president Donna Goodman, and Selinde’s mother Kate Kelley, both of whom thanked the community for the many donations that were added to the memorial fund. Capping off the program was a lighthearted ribbon-cutting, with Lindy’s brother and friends doing the honors, armed with machetes and a small chainsaw. Groups of attendees then set off to enjoy guided hikes along the mile-and-a-half network of trails through the forested land.
The Selinde Roosenburg Memorial Fund is housed at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO), and continues to seek donations for future land preservation in the Athens County area. FAO is a regional community foundation serving the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. For more information or to make a gift, visit athensconservancy.org/donate.