Crested Butte Land Trust

THE MISSION OF THE CRESTED BUTTE LAND TRUST IS TO FOREVER PROTECT AND STEWARD OPEN LANDS FOR VISTAS, RECREATION, WILDLIFE AND RANCHING, THUS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PRESERVATION OF GUNNISON COUNTYS UNIQUE HERITAGE AND QUALITY OF LIFE

PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE AND ACQUISITION OF LAND AND EASEMENTS: THE LAND TRUST EXECUTED TWO NEW ACQUISITION PROJECTS, THE FIRST BEING A FEE ACQUISITION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON A 59 ACRE PARCEL OF LAND KNOWN AS KIKEL LOT 3 ON SMITH HILL, ADJACENT TO PREVIOUSLY CONSERVED LAND AND CONTAINING A PORTION OF THE LUPINE TRAIL, THE PARADISE DIVIDE VIEW CORRIDOR AND HISTORIC CATTLE GRAZING. KIKEL LOT 3 IS NOW OWNED BY THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE WITH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT HELD BY THE CRESTED BUTTE LAND TRUST. THE SECOND WAS THE FEE ACQUISITION OF THE 5 ACRE PIONEER MILLSITE LOCATED NEAR KEBLER PASS ROAD. THE THIRD WAS THE INITIATION AND NEGOTIATION OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON MT EMMONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, MT EMMONS MINING COMPANY, AS A COMPONENT OF A FEDERAL LAND EXCHANGE, CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND MINERAL EXTINGUISHMENT PROJECT THAT WILL FOREVER PROTECT THE MT EMMONS PROPERTY FROM MINING AND WILL ALLOW PUBLIC ACCESS TO A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.

STAFF MONITORED AND MAINTAINED 62 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND FEE TITLE PROPERTIES TOTALING MORE THAN 5,254 ACRES. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS LAND STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES. NOTABLE AMONGST THE ANNUAL LAND STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS WAS THE ACTIVATION OF A STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE TO ASSIST THE LAND TRUST WITH FUTURE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S RECENTLY ACQUIRED LONG LAKE PARCEL. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS BEGAN WITH THE DESIGN OF A NEW TRAIL AT LONG LAKE IN ADDITION TO IMPROVED PUBLIC MESSAGING AND SIGNAGE. FURTHERMORE, THE LAND TRUST ALONG WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS SUCH AS THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE, HIRED AND MANAGED ONE FULL TIME "CONSERVATION RANGER" TO MONITOR THE IMPACTS OF RECREATION AND PROVIDED EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC ON CONSERVED LANDS IN THE SLATE RIVER VALLEY.

THE LAND TRUST CONTINUED ITS SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORTS WITH THE SECOND YEAR OF "FIELD TRIP" SERIES OF OUTINGS ON CONSERVED LANDS NEAR CRESTED BUTTE. THE FIELD TRIPS WERE FREE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND. EXISTING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS SUCH AS STORYWALK AND LETTERBOXING CONTINUED AS FREE TO THE PUBLIC AMENITIES ON CONSERVED LANDS IN ADDITION TO YOUTH EDUCATION AT THE CRESTED BUTTE LIBRARY.