In the mid-1980’s, John and Elizabeth Ohly teamed up with the Commonwealth Land Concept, Inc. (CLC), a company that offers alternative land development projects, to protect their 170-acre farm that had been in the family for more than two centuries. The preservation plan allowed for some development while preserving most of the acreage as open space. The plan determined the farm to be subdivided into one 78-acre wildlife sanctuary along with five 15 to 22-acre building lots with conservation easements preventing further subdivision and providing for agricultural uses. The wildlife sanctuary was donated to the Trust, along with the conservation easements. Thus, 150 acres of the 170-acre farm was permanently protected. In 2001 and again in 2005, additional Congleton acreage came under Trust management, bringing the total to 348 acres. The Trust has carried out field management efforts by planting native warm season grass as wildlife cover and mowing old fields to reduce invasive species. Unique wetland ecosystems provide habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered plants and animals.