Aspen Valley Land Trust

PROTECTING THE OPEN LANDS AND SPECIAL PLACES OF THE ROARING FORK AND MIDDLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEYS FOR WILDLIFE, AGRICULTURE, AND COMMUNITY FOREVER.

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION. ASPEN VALLEY LAND TRUST HAS CONSERVED OVER 46,000 ACRES SINCE 1967 INCLUDING KEY WILDLIFE HABITAT, FAMILY FARMS AND RANCHES, SCENIC OPEN LANDS, AND OVER 103 MILES OF LAND ALONG RIVERS AND STREAMS IN THE ROARING FORK AND COLORADO RIVER VALLEYS. AVLT ALSO OWNS OR PROTECTS 10 PUBLIC PARKS, 33 MILES OF PUBLIC TRAILS, AND THREE PROPERTIES USED FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION THAT CONNECT COMMUNITY TO CONSERVED LANDS ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO. IN 2022, AVLT BEGAN IMPLEMENTING THE GOALS OF ITS STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN: TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF CONSERVED LAND IN OUR REGION BY 2032. TOWARD THAT END, WE CONSERVED 658 ADDITIONAL ACRES IN 2022 THROUGH THREE PROJECTS THAT EXPAND EXISTING CONSERVED CORRIDORS IN THE CAPITOL CREEK DRAINAGE OF THE ROARING FORK VALLEY AND IN THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY SOUTH OF RIFLE. AVLT MAINTAINED ITS ACCREDITATION BY THE NATIONAL LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION AND CERTIFICATION BY THE STATE OF COLORADO TO HOLD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FOR WHICH TAX CREDITS ARE CLAIMED.

LAND STEWARDSHIP. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMITMENT TO CONSERVING HEALTHY LAND AND LANDSCAPES IN PERPETUITY, AVLT MONITORED AND UPHELD EACH OF ITS 263 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND 11 FEE OWNED PROPERTIES IN 2022, ENSURING THAT AGREEMENTS WERE HONORED AND THE LAND CARED FOR. IN ADDITION, WE WORKED WITH LANDOWNERS AND PARTNERS TO RESTORE AND IMPROVE IMPORTANT HABITAT ON CONSERVED LANDS AND TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY ON PUBLIC PARKS AND OPEN SPACES. WE PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVE LAND RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS AT COFFMAN RANCH, THE SILT RIVER PRESERVE, MARBLE CHILDREN'S PARK, THE CHAPIN WRIGHT MARBLE BASECAMP, AND SUPPORTED THE CRYSTAL RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT AT RIVERFRONT PARK IN CARBONDALE.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IN 2022, AVLT WORKED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SCHOOLS, AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS FROM THROUGHTOUT THE REGION TO INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO LAND AND ENSURE THAT ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WELCOMED AND ABLE TO CONNECT WITH CONSERVED LAND. THIS WAS DONE PRIMARILY THROUGH VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND BY HOSTING OUTDOOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMS. WE HOSTED PROGRAMS FOR 10 SCHOOLS AND A FEW NONPROFIT PARTNERS SERVING STUDENTS FROM PRESCHOOL TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AT TWO CONSERVED PROPERTIES OWNED AND MANAGED BY AVLT: THE CHAPIN WRIGHT MARBLE BASECAMP (A WILDERNESS OUTDOOR EDUCATION RETREAT), AND COFFMAN RANCH (WHICH WILL BECOME A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE CONSERVANCY ON A HISTORIC WORKING RANCH WITH RIPARIAN AND WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES). IN ADDITION, WE SUPPORTED DEVELOPMENT OF TRAILS, OUTDOOR EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PARTNER-LED PROGRAMS AT THE SILT RIVER PRESERVE, A COMMUNITY CONSERVANCY IN SILT, COLORADO THAT AVLT HELPS THE TOWN OF SILT MANAGE.