Unearthing Your Legacy

Written By Alicia Heyburn

Land isn’t just property. It is place, memory, and meaning. It’s where generations gather, where stories take root, where time slows just enough for us to remember what matters.

Yet without clarity and intention, even the most cherished place can drift off course. Families change, priorities shift, opportunities arise—and without guidance, decisions are often made reactively rather than thoughtfully.

This is why legacy begins not with paperwork, policies, or planning tools, but with purpose. Your “why.”

Legacy Is the Bridge Between What Matters Now and What Endures Later

A legacy isn’t simply what we leave behind—it’s the values and traditions we choose to pass forward. When land is part of that legacy, the responsibility grows deeper.

Land holds:

  • Stories and shared history

  • Ecological and scenic value

  • Community and family identity

  • Stewardship responsibility and opportunity

Your land has shaped your life. The question is: How do you wish it to shape the lives that come after yours?

Start With Your “Why”

Legacy planning begins with knowing yourself—and your place.

Ask:

  • What do I love most about this land?

  • What experiences do I want future generations to have here?

  • What do I hope this place contributes—to family, community, or the natural world?

  • Which values do I want this land to reflect and protect?

This isn’t technical work—it’s heart work. A legacy is not measured only in acres or assets, but in values, meaning, purpose, and possibility.

Alicia Heyburn