Edward Jones Donates Lead Gift On Katy Land Trust

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May 06, 2010, 05:06 ET

ST. LOUIS, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Ted Jones, son of Edward Jones' founder, was as well known for his love of Missouri farmlands as he was for his commitment to bringing financial services to individual investors. The passion and generosity of Ted and his wife, Pat, fueled the creation of the Katy Trail, a 225-mile biking and hiking trail that sits on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. As Missouri celebrates the 20th anniversary of the official opening of the Katy Trail State Park on May 8, Edward Jones honors their legacy by committing $150,000 over a five-year period toward the newly formed Katy Land Trust.

"The Land Trust will protect the private farmlands and forests near the Katy Trail – land that Ted cared about very much," said Jim Weddle, Edward Jones managing partner. "We are thrilled to fund this trust in his honor to help preserve the beauty of our great state for future generations."

Land trusts, which are gaining popularity as one of the fastest-growing and most successful conservation movements in American history, are community-based nonprofit conservation organizations. They are voluntary, and in the case of a conservation easement, the owner of the land retains the property, the right to sell it and leave it to their heirs, unless they choose to donate the land to the land trust. Landowners essentially agree in a legal document not to develop the land past certain boundaries decided between the trust and the landowner.

"Ted and Pat's legacy is coming full circle since the first farm to join the Katy Land Trust is owned by two retired Edward Jones partners who worked with Ted and are friends with Pat, Connie and Dan Burkhardt," Weddle said.

Fifteen years ago the Burkhardts bought a 220-acre farm north of the Katy Trail near Marthasville. "We want to protect this farmland from development and decided that putting our farm in the land trust would be a tribute to Ted and all that he has done to give hikers and cyclists an opportunity to enjoy Missouri's countryside," Dan Burkhardt said. "Edward Jones' support of the Katy Land Trust today reflects Ted's generosity 20 years ago when his vision and early funding gave us the gift of the Katy Trail."

The Katy Trail is the longest developed rail-to-trail conversion project in the nation and in 2009, became only the second inductee into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C. The trail is one of the most loved state parks in Missouri.

SOURCE Edward Jones