The San Isabel Land Protection Trust’s service area encompasses 2.0 million acres including the Wet Mountain Valley and surrounding San Isabel Region of south-central Colorado. Approximately two thirds of our region remains unprotected from a variety of threats including aging ownership, agricultural abandonment, population growth and competing water and resource interests. Since 1995, we have worked with private landowners protecting nearly 34,000 acres of productive working land, scenic open space and important wildlife habitat. A non-political and non-profit 501(c)3 corporation, we believe in preserving our rural community’s quality of life and its natural and historical heritage, while supporting responsible development. Our office is located in beautiful Westcliffe Colorado.
Our Mission
San Isabel Land Protection Trust protects ranch, farm and forest lands, wildlife habitat, scenic views for public enjoyment, and historic resources.
News
2009 was another busy year for San Isabel. In early summer, we took our 100th conservation easement- going on to finish the year with 109. This gave us a total of over 34,000 acres of important ranch, farm and forest land, wildlife habitat and scenic open space protected throughout Custer, Fremont, Huerfano and Pueblo Counties.
During the year, we also gained accreditation status from the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. This seal lets the public know that we have undergone an extensive review of our organization and its policies and meet national standards for excellence. We are among only a handful of land trusts to have obtained this distinction. Following this, we applied for and received certification from the state of Colorado which is necessary for us to continue to take conservation easements.
2009 also brought new staff to us to replace Brian Riley and Kevin League. Katherine Ripley-Williams came on board as Executive Director late in the year and Ben Lenth moved right in to his work as Land Protection Specialist in late summer.
Our efforts to assist private landowners protect their land in 2010 have already begun. If you own land in our service area and would like to explore the possibility of permanently protecting your property, please contact us by e-mail or call 719-783-3018.
