Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation Apologizes for Poor Land Management

“An Apology and Response”
Letter to the Editor, By Stephen Crampton
The Martha’s Vineyard Times, May 29, 2008

To the Editor:

The following is an open letter we at Sheriff's Meadow are asking the local newspapers to publish, in light of the removal of trees and bushes from two properties that are under the stewardship of the Foundation. Sod was removed, or "strip-mined," using one paper's choice of words, from another Island property that is not owned or controlled by us. Unfortunately, the decision to feature the photograph highlighting the sod removal on the front page has made that image the photographic poster child of the story. ...

Let me also address one other matter that has been the topic of some discussions. We did not know where the trees and bushes removed from our properties were headed. Because they ended up on the property of a family with known means, some have implied that there had to have been a quid pro quo involved for Sheriff's Meadow, regarding this particular transaction. While the landowner has made unrelated donations to the Foundation in the past, nothing could be further from the truth. ...

Stephen Crampton
President
Sheriff's Meadow Foundation ©

Read the full letter to the editor in The Martha’s Vineyard Times.

Note: The aforementioned “family with known means” is the family of billionaire Dirk Ziff. In light of the controversy, we note that, according to the GuideStar database, the Dirk E. Ziff Foundation made the following donations to Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation: $5,000 in 2000, $15,000 in 2001, $15,000 in 2002, $10,000 in 2003, and $5,000 in 2004. The donations were acknowledged in Sheriff’s Meadow’s annual reports, which are posted online for public review.

Related articles:

•  “Sheriff's Meadow Thumped Over Land Management Actions,”
     The Martha’s Vineyard Times, May 29, 2008

•  "Sheriff’s Meadow Halts All Native Plant Removal On
     Foundation Property,”
     Vineyard Gazette, May 23, 2008

•  “Native Plant Stripping Violates State Law,”
     Vineyard Gazette, May 16, 2008