Trust Our Land: Gratitude for Land and Community

It’s been two and a half years since I packed my bags, loaded up my car, and strapped my trusty rescue pup, Buddy, into the backseat. We were leaving the sweltering heat of Phoenix for my dream job in the Rocky Mountains, a place I had never visited but had heard was quite nice.

The final leg of our journey had us winding through the sheer cliffs of Glenwood Canyon, the impossibly blue Colorado River rushing below us. “This is where we live now!” I exclaimed to Buddy, who was staring bug-eyed out of the window. I felt a strong urge to pinch myself but didn’t dare take my hand off of the steering wheel.

I spent the next day — my first one on the job with Eagle Valley Land Trust — at West Avon Preserve, searching for a rare, endemic wildflower with botany extraordinaires Lynn Albers and Nanette Kuich. The following day, I was riding on the back of a side-by-side in Burns, chatting about conservation values with a ranching family while drinking in views of the Flat Tops. On my third day, I was scrambling along the bank of the Eagle River in Minturn, pointing out pollinators to a boisterous group of YouthPower365 summer camp students.

I warned myself not to get accustomed to such an exhilarating pace. Surely not every day would be like this. But I soon came to realize that when you live in a place as special as the Eagle Valley, every day holds the possibility of adventure.

In my role with Eagle Valley Land Trust, I coordinate programs to connect people with the land in unique, engaging ways. From forest bathing and horseback riding at Sweetwater Lake to birding and picnicking at Brush Creek Valley Ranch and Open Space, our community programming schedule is jam packed year round. Eagle Valley Land Trust has permanently protected over 14,000 acres of lush valleys, majestic forests, and sparkling waterways, so there’s no shortage of beautiful locations to visit and experience the captivating pull of the land.

I’ve also discovered that there’s no shortage of incredible individuals and organizations to collaborate with on community programs. This year, I had the privilege of teaming up with 20 different community partners to bring folks of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities out on conserved lands. I often tell people that my job is to ensure a smooth outing, but my program partners are the ones who make the real magic happen. And in this season of thanksgiving, I’d be utterly remiss if I didn’t express my deep gratitude to the following:

AJ Brink Outfitters, The Charter at Beaver Creek, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Eagle County Healthy Aging, Eagle County Historical Society, Eagle County Open Space, Eagle County School District, Epic Mountain Express, Exploremos, Homestead Court Club, Jane West, Jerry Fedrizzi, Lynn Albers, Mike Santambrogio, Piney Valley Ranches Trust, Small Champions, Todd Winslow Pierce, the Town of Avon, Walking Mountains Science Center, YouthPower365.

Ensuring that everyone in our community experiences the benefits of land conservation is a massive undertaking; the small team at Eagle Valley Land Trust couldn’t do it alone. Thank you to our phenomenal community partners for making this work possible.

A few months ago, Buddy and I once again found ourselves driving through Glenwood Canyon. As we entered Eagle County, the verdant slopes of permanently protected Bair Ranch rising before us, I felt a warm glow spread through me. It was the same rapturous awe that I had experienced when we first arrived here, but with a deeper layer of something much more personal: a sense of belonging. The Eagle Valley is our home now, and what a precious home it is.

To be part of this land and this community, and to share in our collective commitment to championing them both — that’s what I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving.

Keri Inouye is the Community Engagement Manager with Eagle Valley Land Trust. She coordinates EVLT’s community conservation programs. To learn more about EVLT’s mission and work, please visit evlt.org