County Life Marshall Vol. 1 Issue 3 | Page 5

Matt Mulliniks and his wife, Allison, enjoy a sunny Easter day with their children, Joseph and Annabelle. Redefining Legacy Fern Greenbank Community Storyteller Matt Mulliniks started thinking years ago about the legacy he and his wife wanted to leave for their children and the planet. He’s a young man. His wife is young. His children are young. They’re all in good health. But he’s philosophical and passionate about minimizing his footprint while maximizing his impact on the planet. “I don’t want to just leave them property,” said Mulliniks. “I want to leave them with options.” Mulliniks has found a way to do just that. His children will inherit a lot of beautiful farmland some day in and around Talley Station, but they can’t develop the property. Ever. They can sell it, but it can’t be developed. By anyone. So, what options do they have? Trees. The children can harvest trees and plant trees. Lots of them. Their dad placed about 75 acres of farmland in a Land Trust that protects it from development. Then, he took advantage of the financial incentive programs available through the Natural Resource Conservation Service, which resulted in the planting of approximately 8,000 hardwood trees on about 20 acres. Like some people who contribute to a retirement plan for 30 plus years, Mulliniks has invested in trees, with a little help from federal programs. In 30-40 years, those trees will be worth a lot of money and his farms will be intact. 3 3