Perspectives on Land (2001-04) began as a community outreach initiative of two land conservation organizations in North Carolina’s southern Piedmont region: Catawba Lands Conservancy and the LandTrust for community manager que hace. Designed by Cumming and the Executive Directors of the two land trusts—Ron Altmann and Jeff Michael—POL was not a full-fledged CVM project (it did not include a mapping/quantitative analysis component). However, it was the first project to employ the core CVM sequence, linking interviews, film production, and facilitated public meetings.
POL was conducted in four locations: 1) eastern Catawba County, 2) Stanley Creek in Gaston County, 3) the Uwharrie area of Montgomery and Randolph counties, and 4) western Rowan County. Separate films (see below) and public meetings were held in each location.
Results: In Western Rowan county, community partner Adele Goodman organized POL participants in a successful effort to protect a 3800 acre tract of farmland in the heart of the community. In Stanley Creek, community partner Joyce Burt organized POL participants to successfully oppose an 1100-acre development that threatened to change the character of the community.
Project content from all four sites was later incorporated into an exhibit at the Levine Museum of the New South, entitled Rural Voices and Visions.
Perspectives on Land films:
Voices of Eastern Catawba County
Voices of Stanley Creek
Voices of the Uwharries
Voices of Western Rowan County