[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2548-E2549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE 80TH BIRTHDAY OF PHYLLIS FABER

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                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 12, 2007

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with great pleasure to honor a 
visionary, writer,

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scholar, and advocate for the environment on the occasion of her 80th 
birthday. Phyllis Faber's lifetime work to protect agricultural land 
has not only preserved the beauty of Marin County, but provided an 
inspiration to other communities to do the same.
  More than 35 years ago, in the late 1970s, development plans 
threatened the beautiful countryside and historic agricultural nature 
of West Marin. Two women, Phyllis and dairy farmer Ellen Straus, were 
particularly concerned about preserving the county's farming. While out 
walking one day, they explored the question of how to protect the land 
so farmers and ranchers could afford to maintain their operations. The 
two women reasoned that if development potential were eliminated, the 
land could more easily retain its agricultural designation. In 1980, 
Phyllis and Ellen, with support from local officials and the Trust for 
Public Land, founded the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, MALT, the first 
land trust in the United States to focus solely on the preservation of 
farmland.
  Since then, MALT has protected nearly 40,000 acres of land on 59 
family farms and ranches. It has also served as a model for communities 
across the country, illustrating how to permanently protect 
agricultural land through the purchase of agricultural conservation 
easements.
  Over the past 27 years, MALT's conservation easement program has 
protected about one-third of the agricultural farmland in West Marin, 
but Phyllis's wish is that in her lifetime MALT will have protected at 
least one-half of the available agricultural farmland and working 
farms--and not only protect them from development but ensure their 
continued operations.

  ``We are blessed that ranchers and farmers in this area want to stay 
in agriculture,'' she says. ``Without their commitment to farming, our 
landscape in West Marin would be quite different.''
  Phyllis's passion for preserving farm and ranch land is matched by 
her passion for wildflowers. A teacher, editor, and writer as well as 
an environmentalist, Phyllis has edited Fremontia, the Journal of the 
California Native Plant Society, and has written eight books about 
wildflowers.
  These have not been Phyllis's only accomplishments, however. She also 
helped found Marin Discoveries and the Environmental Forum of Marin. 
For the past 3 years, she has chaired the board of the Buck Institute 
for Age Research, and of course she continues to serve on the board of 
MALT.
  But for those who live in West Marin, those who visit there, and 
those who enjoy the delicious products that come from there, Phyllis 
will always be remembered for her commitment to the preservation of 
agriculture--not just for this generation, but for those to come.
  Madam Speaker, Phyllis Faber's advocacy for the agricultural nature 
of Marin County has left an enduring legacy on the history as well as 
the landscape of the county and of communities throughout the Nation. 
Because of this and because of her continued commitment to agriculture 
and the environment, I am proud to honor her on her 80th birthday.

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