The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati (SC) has announced a gift of 73 acres of the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve to the Western Wildlife Corridor (WWC), a nonprofit nature conservancy land trust focused on the west side of Cincinnati.

The gift is the largest ever to WWC, which works to protect, restore, and preserve natural habitat and provide education to foster connections with nature. Bender Mountain Nature Preserve is the biggest area WWC manages. With this donation, the organization is responsible for more than 130 acres within the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve, which represents nearly a third of the roughly 400 acres of the Ohio River Valley that WWC manages.

“The Sisters of Charity are delighted that Western Wildlife Corridor has accepted this gift and agreed to ensure that this special property will remain undeveloped and available for people and wildlife to enjoy into the future,” said Sr. Joanne Burrows, a member of the SC leadership team. “Their generosity ensures that a valuable wildlife throughway from the Mill Creek to the Indiana border remains unimpeded. The gift flows from the Sisters of Charity mission to care for all creation and reflects our ongoing commitment to live into the challenges articulated by Pope Francis in Laudato Si. Western Wildlife Corridor has been a wonderful neighbor, and we are confident that they will love and protect the land as we have.” 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/tomofbluesprings)