La Plata Open Space Conservancy

THE ORGANIZATIONS PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE IS TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, LANDS IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT AGRICULTURAL, WILDLIFE, OPEN SPACE, RECREATIONAL, AND/OR HISTORICAL/ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES.

LAND PROTECTION AND STEWARDSHIP: SINCE INCORCORPATING IN 1992, LPOSC, INCLUDING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OR LAND MANAGEMENT ENTITITES, HAS ACCEPTED DONATIONS OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS PROTECTING IN EXCESS OF 20,498 ACRES OF LAND WITH SUPERIOR CONSERVATION VALUES ACROSS SIX COUNTIES IN SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO. AFTER DIVESTING OVER THE YEARS CERTAIN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO GEOGRAPHICALLY BETTER-POSITIONED ORGANIZATIONS, LPSOC NOW HOLDS, BY ONE COUNTING METHOD, 183 EASEMENTS COMPRISING 20,546 ACRES. AS A CERTIFIED CONSERVATION EASEMENT HOLDER, LPOSC IS LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO MONITOR LAND USE AND ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS ON EACH PROPERTY ON WHICH IT HOLDS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSERVED LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES ARE BEING USED IN COMPLIANCE WITH EASEMENT RESTRICTIONS. MONITORING HELPS LPOSC TO ESTABLISH AND/OR MAINTAIN VALUABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OWNERS OF CONSERVED LAND, AND FURTHER HELPS TO FOSTER LPOSCS IMAGE IN THE COMMINITY AS A TRUSTED LAND STEWARD. DURING 2021, LPOSC FURTHERED ITS WORK WITH COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE AND THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO SECURE WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS AT KEY HIGHWAY INTERFACES IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE CONSTRUCTION WILDLIFE CROSSING BRIDGES. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WORK WITH NUMEROUS PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO SECURE PROTECTION OF OTHER VALUABLE OPEN SPACE AND AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE REGION.

OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT: THE CONSERVANCYS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS KEY TO CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE LANDS WE PROTECT. DURING 2021, LPOSC CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS REGARDING ITS ROLE IN ACCEPTING DONATIONS OF QUALIFIED CONSERVATION IN INTERESTS AND THE BENEFIT ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE INTERESTS PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, LPOSC CONTINUED INVOLVING FORT LEWIS COLLEGE INTERNS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS IN THE MONITORING PROGRAM AND IN STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS INVOLVING HABITAT RESTORATION, FUTHER CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY TO THE LANDSCAPES LPOSC PROTECTS. LPOSC COUNTS AS STRONG, CLOSE SUPPORTERS, 500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BUSINESSES, AND HAS A SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING OF OVER 1,000 INDIVIDUALS. THESE INTEREST GROUPS ARE ROUTINELY APPRISED OF THE WORK LPOSC UNDERTAKES, AND THE PERCEIVED BENEFIT SUCH WORK PROVIDES. IN TURN, GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM THESE INTEREST GROUPS ENABLES LPOSC TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION TO PROTECT VALUABLE LANDS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.