Santa Fe Conservation Trust

SEE PART III LINE 1

LAND PROGRAM - SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1993, SFCT HAS PROTECTED OVER 44,000 ACRES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO, IN RIO ARRIBA, SAN MIGUEL, SANTA FE, AND TAOS COUNTIES, WORKING WITH LANDOWNERS TO CREATE VOLUNTARY LAND PROTECTION AGREEMENTS USING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, AS WELL AS PURCHASING FEE TITLE LAND WITH HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT PERMANENTLY PROTECT PRIVATE LAND, ENSURING IT REMAINS PRISTINE AND BEAUTIFUL FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WHICH BENEFITS THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. SFCT WORKS WITH LANDOWNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR POSTERITY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

TRAILS PROGRAM - SFCT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THE DALE BALL TRAILS, ATALAYA TRAIL, SANTA FE RAIL TRAIL, THE SPUR TRAIL, LA TIERRA TRAILS, LA PIEDRA TRAIL AND--WITH THE COMMONWEAL CONSERVANCY--THE GALISTEO BASIN PRESERVE TRAILS. SFCT TRAILS PROGRAM WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SANTA FE, SFCT'S VOLUNTEER GROUP, THE TRAILS ALLIANCE OF SANTA FE, AND OTHER ENTITIES TO COORDINATE TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION, ORGANIZE VOLUNTEER TRAIL WORK, IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE TRAIL LINKAGES, PROMOTE THE TRAILS, AND PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH TRAIL INFORMATION AND ACCESS THROUGH EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS. SFCT'S PASSPORT TO TRAILS PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED FIELD TRIPS TO OVER 3,000 FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS IN SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO INTRODUCE THEM TO SANTA FE'S TRAIL SYSTEM. THE GRAND UNIFIED SANTA FE TRAIL ORGANIZATION (GUSTO) INITIATIVE AIMS TOCREATE AN INTERCONNECTED SYSTEM OF NATURAL SURFACE TRAILS THAT ALLOWS NON-MOTORIZED USERS TO TRAVEL IN A LOOP AROUND THE GREATER SANTA FE AREA, AS WELL AS BETWEEN THE CITY CENTER AND THE PERIPHERY.

COMMUNITY CONSERVATION - BECAUSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE PERMANENT AND RUN WITH THE LAND, SFCT MUST MONITOR AND ENFORCE ITS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FOREVER. THIS DUTY OF PERPETUAL CARE PRESENTS UNIQUE CHALLENGES TO LAND TRUSTS EVERYWHERE. SFCT MUST HAVE BROAD COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO ENSURE ITS LONGEVITY AND VIABILITY. SFCT IS WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF "COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS" THAT HELP SFCT BROADEN AND DIVERSIFY ITS CONSTITUENCY. SFCT PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE EVERYONE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES THAT WILL HELP THEM BECOME PASSIONATE DEFENDERS OF NATURE AND OF CONSERVATION. SFCT'S LEGACY OF TRAILS WORK IS THE NATURAL WAY TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. AS SUCH, SFCT OFFERS PROGRAMS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO NATURE AND SANTA FE'S TRAIL RESOURCES. SINCE 2014, SFCT HAS INTRODUCED 4,000 SOUTH SIDE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO SANTA FE'S TRAIL SYSTEM (PASSPORT TO TRAILS). IN 2018, SFCT STARTED AN IN-TOWN WALKING PROGRAM (VAMONOS: SANTA FE WALKS) FOR THOSE WHOSE ACCESS TO NATURE IS MORE CHALLENGING: THE ELDERLY, INFIRM, TRANSPORTATION LIMITED, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, OR TO THOSE AFRAID TO WALK ALONE. THROUGH 2022, SFCT HAD 1,740 PEOPLE WALK ON THESE TRAILS, RANGING IN AGE FROM 98 TO 2 YEARS OLD. BY WORKING TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR NATURE IN EVERYONE AND GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THE FOOTHILL TRAILS AND URBAN TRAILS, SFCT WORKS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH, BUILD COMMUNITY ON THE TRAILS AND CREATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATIONISTS WHILE PROMOTING ACCESS TO THE LIFE-ENHANCINGQUALITIES OF THE OUTDOORS. STARTING IN 2021, SFCT BEGAN WORKING ON A SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM - THE PROMOTION OF WALKING AND BICYCLING TO SCHOOL - THROUGH A FEDERALLY-FUNDED CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF SANTA FE.