>> Dana: MY PARENTS MOVED TO MINNESOTA IN 1973.

AND BACK THEN, ALMOST UNBELIEFABLELY, YOU COULD BUY A FARM HOUSE ON 18.5 ACRES OF LAND FOR JUST $38,000.

MY BROTHER AND I GREW UP IN ONE OF THESE VERY FARM HOUSES.

AND OVER THE YEARS, MY DAD, A WILDLIFE MANAGER WHO LOVES THE OUTDOORS, HE PURCHASED A HANDFUL OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.

TODAY, MY BROTHER AND I HAVE CHILDREN OF OUR OWN, BUT WE STILL LIVE NEARBY AND AS A RESULT, MY FAMILY HAS THIS PIECE OF LAND, ABOUT 85 ACRES, THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR COLLECTIVE IDENTITY.

THREE GENERATIONS AND COUNTING.

THE DETAIL THAT MAKES OUR STORY SOMEWHAT UNIQUE IS THE LAND IS ONLY ONE MILE FROM LAKE MINNETONKA.

IT'S A LAKE THAT, IF YOU'RE NOT FROM MINNETONKA, IS INFAMOUS FOR ITS OVERSIZED HOMES AND EVEN MORE OVERSIZED BOATS.

IN SHORT, THE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE IS INTENSE.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF MY LIFETIME, MANY OF THE OPEN SPACES IN THE AREA HAVE GONE FROM THIS ... TO THIS -- NOW, I DO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAPPENS.

BUT FOR MY FAMILY, WITH ITS ONGOING CONNECTION TO THIS PARTICULAR PLACE, THIS WAS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M MAKING A VIDEO, NOT SO MUCH FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT FOR MY CHILDREN.

BECAUSE I'M HOPING THAT SOMEDAY, THEY'LL WANT O UNDERSTAND WHY WE MADE THE CHOICE WE MADE.

AND HERE IT IS.

AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ON MY PARENTS' SCREENED PORCH, WE DECIDED TO PROTECT OUR PROPERTY WITH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.

OR MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE FOUND A PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE STATE AND MANAGED BY THE MINNESOTA LAND TRUST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY, THAT OFFERS CASH PAYMENTS IN EXCHANGE FOR DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.

THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE OPEN SPACES, AND FOR US, SUPPORTING WILDLIFE AND ENHANCING HABITAT WAS THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IT ALSO HELPED THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO SELL THE LAND COMPLETELY.

WE STILL OWN THE PROPERTY, JUST AS WE DID BEFORE, WE ONLY SURRENDERED OUR ABILITY TO FARM OR DEVELOP IT.

AND THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL STAY WITH THE LAND EVEN IF WE DO SELL IT.

AS THE LAND TRUST PUTS IT, OUR PROPERTY IS NOW PROTECTED FOREVER.

SO?

WHY DID WE DO IT?

WELL, IT WASN'T BECAUSE WE THOUGHT OUR INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS WOULD SAVE THE PLANET.

BUT IT DID ALLOW US TO EXPRESS OUR VALUES IN A TANGIBLE WAY, AND MAYBE, IF WE'RE UCKY, IT WILL GIVE OUR PART OF THE WORLD A SLIGHT NUDGE IN A DIRECTION WE FIND MORE SENSIBLE.

YOU SEE, MY CHILDREN, THIS LAND WILL NOT BE OURS FOREVER.

BUT WE DID, IN OUR TIME, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP IT NATURAL.