Landowner Stories

A Protected Place for Our "Furry Friends"

Twenty-two acres in the Pike County region are now protected by a conservation easement thanks to the gracious donation of Mrs. Susan Bradley Hartney, who inherited the land from her father, D. Cameron Bradley (1916-1979).

Mr. Bradley was employed by the Beard family, the owners of the property prior to Susan’s family. Susan described her father as an animal lover who was sought after for such things as animal identification and lectures. On one occasion while living in Iowa, Mr. Bradley even donated a Python named Dewey to the local zoo. Susan made her gracious donation as a means to keep a home for our "furry friends." Donating the land helped her assist in keeping a piece of land wild and natural for local wildlife.

Susan is a former resident of the area who is currently living in the Florida Keys with her husband. After searching the internet and locating the Conservancy on the web, she decided to donate this piece of land in memory of her father.

Subsequent to our receiving the donation Susan granted us permission to build a small home on the corner of the grounds which we were allowed to then sell. The donation not only helped protect land for generations to come but also helped us here. Because of Susan’s generosity we can acquire more land in the future that can also stay unspoiled and help to provide habitats for wildlife.

A plaque was mounted on the property in memory of D. Cameron Bradley.