La Plata Open Space Conservancy

Land protection and stewardship: Since incorporating in 1992, LPOSC has accepted donations of conservation easements permanently protecting in excess of 24,435 acres of land with superior conservation values across six counties in southwestern Colorado. LPOSC accepted three new conservation easement donations in 2023, resulting in the protection of nearly 248 acres of farmland, forestland, and areas with significant cultural resources. After transferring certain conservation easements to geographically better-positioned organizations over the years, LPSOC now holds, by one counting method, 175 easements comprising in excess of 21,075 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 the terms of the conservation easement. Monitoring helps LPOSC to establish and/or maintain valuable relationships with owners of conserved land, and further helps to foster LPOSCs image in the community as a trusted land steward. This is in addition to work the organization does with numerous private landowners to secure protection of other valuable open spaces, wildlife habitat, recreational areas, and agricultural land in the region. Community engagement and education: LPOSCs community-centric conservation programming is key to connecting people to the lands we protect. In 2022, LPOSC provided educational presentations to community members and professionals working in real-estate or related sectors to communicate the important role our organization plays preserving the high quality of life in our region and now and in the future. In addition, LPOSC continued involving Fort Lewis College interns and community volunteers in the monitoring program and in stewardship programs involving habitat restoration, further connecting our community to the landscapes LPOSC protects. LPOSC also partnered with mission-aligned nonprofits to provide youth education programming on privately conserved lands to increase access to nature for youth in our community. In addition, LPOSC launched a land access project focused on new and young farmers with partners in the region. LPOSC counts as strong, close supporters, 1,000 community members and businesses, and has a social media following of over 1,000 individuals. These supporters are routinely comprised of the work LPOSC undertakes, and the perceived benefit such work provides. In turn, generous support from these individuals and businesses enables LPOSC to achieve its mission to protect valuable lands for generations to come.