Like everyone else, our coalition members have had to adjust to new ways of doing business during the highly unusual circumstances we’re in. Working remotely and modifying daily operations, from cutting checks to mailing newsletters, are a change from the norm. The discomfort of learning new technologies like Zoom has been a hurdle for some. Fears about the health and safety of families and staff members, and uncertainties about the financial future, have been – and continue to be – very real.

Yes, and… our members have also discovered some unique and exciting opportunities, and developed creative solutions they may never have imagined before. Let’s celebrate those successes and that optimism for the future. Here’s just a glimpse of what our land trusts have been up to.

Closing deals – and celebrating them.
Fisher’s Peak in Trinidad, Sweetwater Lake in Eagle Valley, Meadow Creek Wetlands in Frisco, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, and Greenland Ranch on the Front Range are a few examples of completed conservation projects. While in the making for a while, these are things to celebrate!

Making creative connections.
Virtual video tours of ranches and open spaces, hosted interviews with landowners, town hall meetings, community picnics, roundtable conversations, coffee chats and happy hours have filled the digital airwaves with meaningful connection and learning.

Raising funds.
Virtual breakfasts, live and silent auctions, raffles, beer and wine tastings, partnered events with local restaurants and businesses – and even a few socially distanced in-person events – are a few creative solutions our land trusts have experimented with as they reach to meet their financial goals.

Supporting communities.
Partnering with farmers to provide fresh food to community members in need, promoting small local businesses to help them stay afloat, creating paid stewardship programs for displaced workers, and making personal phone calls to check on the wellbeing of neighbors are just four ways our members have led efforts to support their communities.

Rethinking the future.
The pandemic has been anything but “downtime,” but it has given land trusts the space to think differently about their strategic plans, vision and mission, approaches to inclusion and diversity, approaches to conservation and stewardship, technologies for property monitoring, and programming. Some new and exciting opportunities are on the horizon!

We are proud of what our members have been able to accomplish. Their forward momentum and positive outlook during such uncertainty is not only a demonstration of the relevance and importance of conservation. It is also a beacon of hope for our state’s people, land, water and wildlife. More to come!

Curious to hear what your local land trust has been up to? Get in touch with your local land trust.