PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Again this year, the mood among area landowners is one of uncertainty. Development of residential, commercial, municipal, hospitality and gas production facilities has slowed. Matching the pause in development, the rate of conservation easement donation is slower than it was in the busy years of 2000-2008. The loss of agricultural open space has also slowed, as farm incomes rise (relatively) and farmers’ and ranchers’ alternative plans are put on hold. The focus of the La Plata Open Space Board has shifted from primarily responding to a steady stream of donors. We have solidified our operations with accreditation, policy development, and fiscal adjustment to leaner times in the not-for-profit sector. We continue to strategically complete new conservation easement projects, and we are also improving and consolidating some older conservation easements. Our ability to permanently protect the open space assets we have is accomplished and secure, and we have started to grow a new endowment fund to help sustain our organization in the future.

This year, instead of our usual educational offerings featuring highly technical, how-to-do-it seminars, we decided to shift gears and show people why we conserve land, and how important this work is to our community. We recently offered three field trips for the public to explore eased lands with exceptional wildlife values. The turnout was good, and we reached a completely different group of people. We are planning additional field trips to showcase conserved agricultural lands, as well as a program exploring the many ways that land conservation benefits local business and our overall economy.

The future development of LPOSC depends on finding and creating new connections. Our membership needs to include more young people, to energize our organization in the long run. Each year brings new opportunities for cooperation with businesses, nonprofits, and agencies with complementary missions.

The immediate task we have as a Board is selecting and training a successor to our founding Executive Director, Katharine Roser. Kathy has elected to retire from her exceptional career in land conservation. Her work has been patient, thorough and confidential. She has attracted easement donors and supporters with her enthusiasm and integrity. Land conservation locally, in Colorado, and nationally bears the marks of her professionalism. Our spirits have been lifted by her skills in many areas, and her passion for saving our landscape.

We owe Kathy a great deal – with your help, her legacy will continue to grow. Thank you.

Jerry Zink, President
2011

WHO WE ARE

LPOSC Board & Staff (L-R: Nancy Agro, Cary Carron, Travis Brown, Brian Kimmel, Jerry Zink, Katharine Roser. Missing from photo: Nancy Berry, Tom Compton, Bob Miller, Eilene Lyon)

Board Members and Officers
Jerry Zink, President (Farmer, Businessman)
Bob Miller, Vice President/Secretary (Attorney)
Jonathan Abshagen (Investment Manager)
Nancy Berry, Vice President/Treasurer (US Forest Service Recreation Specialist)
Travis Brown (Professional Cyclist, Product Developer)
Cary Carron (Colorado Division of Wildlife District Wildlife Manager)
Ted Compton (Technology Director)
Brian Kimmel (Land Use Consultant)

Ex Officio Advisors:
Brad Tafoya (CPA)
Nancy Agro (Attorney)
Tom Compton (Rancher, Educator)
Katharine Roser (Conservation Professional)

Staff:
Scott Perez, Executive Director
Eilene Lyon, Stewardship Director

WHAT WE DO

LPOSC works alone, and in partnership with other private and public entities, to protect farms and ranches, natural wildlife habitat, scenic views, watersheds, historical/archaeological sites, and parks. LPOSC has saved thousands of acres of land in Southwest Colorado that would otherwise have been lost forever.

The Conservancy’s most common method of land protection is the conservation easement, where a landowner gives up (donates or sells) certain property rights to the land trust in order to protect specific resources. All of LPOSC’s conservation easements have been donated, and most have resulted in significant tax benefits for the donors.

"When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."
Aldo Leopold