Trust Our Land: Walking the land with EVLT

By Bergen Tjossem

As summer burst through a particularly wet spring this week, we’re eager to explore the trails and open spaces opening up along with it. These protected lands and trails didn’t get here by accident – they’ve been over a century in the making. 

Conservation has come a long way since the days of Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir, though. It turns out that simply acquiring large swaths of land (the conservation of yore) isn’t enough to protect wildlife given the changing climate and growing human footprint. It doesn’t protect other conservation values well either, nor does it maximize community benefit. What’s changed in conservation since 1903 is a shift towards a new approach focused on people and community. 

Contemporary conservation problems, like wildlife declines, aren’t rooted in ecological issues; they’re social issues. Therefore, solutions live within us and our community. 

The Eagle Valley Land Trust (EVLT) began focusing on a community-centered approach to land conservation and stewardship nearly a decade ago. As the needs of our human and animal communities evolve, EVLT continues to design new strategies to help our community meet the growing challenges through land conservation and stewardship. 

Sometimes, the answer is by saving more land – a key parcel for wildlife migration, a lake that symbolizes a sense of place, or a park that inspires gatherings and spending time outdoors. To date, Land Trusts across the country have permanently protected 61,072,596 acres – an area the size of Michigan. 3,456,478 of those acres have been protected in Colorado by its 23 land trusts including EVLT, an area nearly the size of Connecticut. 

In other instances, serving the community through land conservation looks like hosting programs and events to encourage participation, access to, and stewardship of our shared outdoor spaces. 

Community Conservation across the Country

The Community Conservation approach is growing. Across the country, land trusts are finding creative new ways to protect more land and natural resources, while responding to the shifting needs of the humans and animals that inhabit those lands. Since 2019, interest and participation in outdoor recreation has grown exponentially, with 7.1 million more outdoor participants in 2020 than in 2019. Since an increasing number of people are spending time outdoors, the Community Conservation approach aims to meet the growing demand for outdoor recreation while balancing the needs of wildlife. 

The Land Trust Alliance emphasizes Community Conservation as a linchpin in current and enduring land conservation projects; if land conservation efforts today are going to continue to benefit communities in the future, understanding and meeting the needs of diverse constituencies is critical. For conservation efforts to be genuinely effective then, we must listen to diverse partners and orient projects to meet community needs. 

Connecting with Community

Through the Community Land Connection Series/Serie de Conexión a la Tierra, EVLT facilitates nature-based experiences by providing free programs on conserved properties, such as hikes, horseback rides, snowshoe outings, and volunteer restoration opportunities.

Community members don’t just benefit from CLC programs, however. EVLT’s staff, board members, and advocates relish the opportunity to walk the land and listen to attendees; to engage in real conversations about community issues and conservation, and the opportunities and challenges presented by their nexus. This ongoing dialogue is the foundation of EVLT’s vision for the future and our full suite of conservation strategies.

Free Community Programs

Over the last few years, EVLT and partners have piloted a variety of innovative programs to engage new audiences in captivating topics. 

For example, Darryl Slim and EVLT are hosting a program, “Walking in the beauty way,” at the Eagle River Preserve on June 26th. Darryl walks through the world in an ancient and traditional manner as taught and role modeled through generations of his Navajo/Dine ancestors, and specifically through his grandparents. He often describes “walking in the beauty way” — viewing the plants, birds, insects, animals, sky, earth, and all beings as intimately connected to each other and the Sacred. It is a common experience for those who walk, play or listen with Darryl to learn not only about the science of the environment in which we are exploring, but also the underlying Spiritual presence that he sees the world through. Learn more and register at www.evlt.org/events.

Eagle Valley Land Trust, Town of Avon, and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are also leading a popular hike on the West Avon Preserve Open Space on June 27th to admire the rare Harrington’s Penstemon and learn about its peculiar growing habits and conservation implications.

EVLT’s Community Conservation calendar is full of other hikes and restoration projects on the conserved property around the County. They’re filling up quickly, though, so take a look and reserve your spot at www.evlt.org.

As our community’s needs have evolved, so too has EVLT’s conservation work. Community conservation is how EVLT works to connect people to the land to amplify our conservation impact. It isn’t a departure from conserving land, the core of EVLT’s work for over 42 years; Community Conservation is an expansion that amplifies the community benefits of conserved land and aims to increase the rate of local land conservation.

Conserved land is for everyone. By better understanding how the values and needs of our community change, our vision and plan for land conservation that touches everyone, two legs or four; pre-school or retired; first generation or fifth, can evolve.

Bergen Tjossem is the Eagle Valley Land Trust’s Deputy Director and can be reached at bergen@evlt.org. To learn more about EVLT’s conservation work around Eagle County, as well as its free community conservation program offerings, visit www.evlt.org.