Land Trusts Success Stories: Southwestern Region

Dennis Moroney

Arizona Open Land Trust partners to protect ‘Western way of life’
by Tina Deines

Accelerated development in southern Arizona threatens to stifle the Western way of life, especially ranching, but some landowners are fighting back. Dennis and Deborah Moroney have taken a stand with the permanent protection of 960 acres of their 22,000-acre working ranch.

The couple, which partnered with the Arizona Open Land Trust to conserve a portion of the 47 Ranch, said that this was just the beginning of many future conservation easements. Dennis Moroney said “The placing of the easement on the land will make it easier to hand it down to our children, who have expressed an interest in ranching one day.” More (posted 4/16/08)

Strategic Planning a Boon for an Oklahoma Land Trust
by Rachel Cleaves

A.J. Ryder in front of his ranch protected by a conservation easement, next to Fort Sill Army Base Photo by Andre Chenault, courtesy Land Legacy

OKLAHOMA - One of only a handful of land trusts in Oklahoma, Land Legacy has filled an important role since its inception in 2003. In 2002, the Oklahoma office of The Trust for Public Land (TPL) was struggling to find partners because there were few organizations or agencies actively acquiring land in the state.  In order to solve this problem, the Oklahoma office of TPL spun-off into Land Legacy in 2003, with a mission to conserve and enhance urban and rural landscapes. 

During its first two years, Land Legacy accepted most projects that were offered to it with a loose focus on agricultural soil conservation and urban green spaces.  But as property prices increased, the organization decided to identify priorities to increase its effectiveness.  It contacted Steve Bonner of the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) for assistance.  Now the land trust is blazing toward success with a new strategic plan.

The mission of RTCA, a subsidiary of the National Park Service, is to provide technical assistance to non-profit organizations and local governments in order to conserve rivers, preserve open space, or develop trails and greenways. RTCA also provides assistance in strategic planning.  “We received tremendous help from Steve.  He guided us through the entire strategic planning process,” says Robert Gregory, Land Legacy’s executive director. 

Photo of Anticline Bluff on Spavinaw Creek, by J.D. Strong, courtesy of Land Legacy.

According to Bonner, “Assistance from a third-party helps organizations to step back and gain perspective about their strengths and weaknesses.”  Bonner helped Land Legacy to identify needs around the state, choose areas of focus, and identify staffing and operational needs.  Gregory explains, “We had to prioritize areas where we could really make a difference, not only where there was a conservation need.  Now we are focusing our resources by identifying properties that are important to conserve and then knocking on landowners’ doors.  We have fewer projects and acres, but we have more meaningful results.” 

Through quarterly half-day meetings over one year, the staff, board of directors and other partners chose five priorities for Land Legacy:

• creating urban parks and trails in the Tulsa area,

• preserving prime agricultural land near cities (the Fort Sill Private Lands Initiative),

• reusing former contaminated properties in cities, and

• protecting the Spavinaw Creek watershed.

The importance of these priorities is clear. Agricultural experts have rated soils in parts of Oklahoma as among the very best for agriculture on the planet.  Yet land development currently covers 17,000 acres of this precious soil and 17,000 acres of other agricultural soils each year. Meanwhile, the cities of Oklahoma lack green spaces; Tulsa did not have a single park in its downtown area in 2003.  Spavinaw Creek provides the drinking water for Tulsa, but a growing poultry farm industry is degrading water quality.

Land Legacy’s priorities reinforce each other.  For example, building parks and creating jobs in Tulsa will increase its livability which may decrease development pressure on prime agricultural lands.  And by creating a conservation buffer between Spavinaw Creek and poultry farms through easements, the land trust will be creating a win-win for agriculture and natural resources.

Land Legacy has already had an impact on the greater community, playing a major role in establishing two new downtown parks in Tulsa, and working with Oklahoma City to acquire lands for job centers downtown, improving the economy and reducing the need for sprawl. It is also active in creating an open space buffer of 20,000 acres around Fort Sill army base through easements. 

Resource for strategic planning in the conservation arena:
 
Steve Bonner, NPS Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, (210) 387-8628, steve_bonner@nps.gov.

(posted 9/5/06)

Conservation Easements Preserve a Way of Life in Colorado by Mary Ellen Kelly View of Mt. Sopris from the Nieslanik Ranch Photo courtesy Aspen Valley Land Trust COLORADO - Drive down White Hill Road in Carbondale, CO, and look east. You’ll be treated to a beautiful vista, reminiscent of the Old West and uninterrupted by the signs of development that have become common in this part of the state. Stretching before you is Carbondale’s East Mesa – 3,000 acres of working ranchland and wildlife habitat that connect to the public lands at the base of snow-topped Mount Sopris. Read more... (posted 3/23/06)

Pines and Prairies Land Trust Honored for Excellence

View of Colorado River Refuge area from the Red Bluffs TEXAS - The Pines and Prairies Land Trust (PPLT) recently received the 2005 Texas Land Trust Council Excellence Award, which recognizes conservation organizations who demonstrate not just a commitment to the natural, cultural, and historic resources in Texas, but who constantly strive to improve their standards and practices in the protection of these resources. Founded in February 2001, PPLT is already quite accomplished for such a young organization. Executive Director Tom Dureka attributes some of PPLT’s success to creative strategizing, as occurred in their recent acquisition of 60 acres alongside 1.5 miles of the Colorado River, just two miles form sprawling Bastrop, Texas. This strip of land suffered decades of illegal dumping, wood harvest and off road vehicle use, but its location and setting in an uninhabited stretch of river give it great potential as a natural area park. Read more... (posted 6/15/05)

Arizona Open Land Trust Saves Historic Arivaca Ranch

Photo courtesy Dale Faulkner Land Company, by Randy Prentice ARIZONA - The Arizona Open Land Trust’s most recent land protection project contains a broad spectrum of cultural, historical and biological resources, including a working cattle ranch, over a dozen archaeological and historic sites, a ghost town, and at least 140 species of wildlife and two endangered species. The Rancho Seco and Santa Lucia Ranch property is located near the town of Arivaca, in Pima County, AZ. It is bordered by the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and Cerro Colorado Mountains. Last May voters in Pima County approved the bond funds which were used to purchase the property and conservation easements. “A purchase such as this illustrates the 2004 Conservation Bond Program at work,” said executive director of Arizona Open Land Trust Diana Freshwater in a press release. “There is a clear citizen mandate for the county to follow.” Read more... (posted 6/6/05) Grant benefits the Black-Capped Vireo Warbler in Texas
TEXAS - A federal land acquisition grant of $239,000 was awarded to the Bexar Land Trust, a member of the Land Trust Alliance, to purchase property in Kendall County, Texas.  The grant will enable the Trust to partner with government agencies, nonprofit agencies, and a private landowner to protect 150 acres, adjacent to the Peterson Ranch, through a conservation easement.  Bob Peterson, an ex-computer executive, has been transforming his 500-acre ranch from a dense forest of shin oaks into a mixture of open grasslands, shrubby vegetation, and small stands of trees to attract golden-cheeked warblers and endangered black-capped vireo warblers.  Mr. Peterson cashed in stock options at Dell Computers to buy this property in Kendall County five years ago, and is now playing bird calls on portable stereos to welcome the birds.	The Peterson Ranch. Photo courtesy of the Bexar Land Trust
His property is part of the “Safe Harbor” program developed by Environmental Defense and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to encourage private landowners to voluntarily restore and maintain habitat for endangered species without fear of incurring additional regulatory restrictions.  The additional 150 acres will expand the conservation opportunities and allow for a greater variety of management techniques, such as prescribed burns, to be employed.  The acquisition will be used as a showcase to encourage conservation on private lands by providing a demonstration of proper management techniques and compatible land uses. (posted 1/9/04) (Article written by Land Trust Alliance Intern, Kathleen Wiley)

Swaner Nature Preserve Acquires The Historic Wallin Farm

UTAH - Swaner Nature Preserve in Park City, Utah, has literally been pieced together much like a giant puzzle. A vital piece to that puzzle has just been added: The Wallin Farm. This historic piece of land was recently acquired by the Swaner Nature Preserve as a part of their 10-year history of land preservation efforts in Summit County.

“It is our hope that the Wallin Farm will serve as an integral part of the community. The property will round out the Swaner Nature Preserve’s overall master plan to provide access to our environment, to educate about our natural resources, and to preserve and restore open space” said Larry Bywater, administrative director of the Swaner Nature Preserve.

The 107-acre historic Wallin Farm was built in 1900 with 13 outbuildings (including milk barn, calf run, calf shelter, implements shed, and rabbit pen) built between 1948 and 1964. The Wallin family purchased this farm in the 1930’s and operated it as a dairy farm. A recent rehabilitation has restored the orginal house, repaired the barn and razed a number of older buildings. Preserved as a part of the integral history of Park City, the Wallin Farm will continue to serve the community. (posted 11/20/03)

Photo by David Whitten

Utah Open Lands Saves Southern Utah Treasure: One of North America's most Treasured Rock Climbing Areas Protected UTAH - After two years of hard work, Utah Open Lands' campaign which drew national attention, succeeded in protecting the traditional campground and access to Castleton Tower from a potential subdivision. In the last week of June, Utah Open Lands raised the final dollar of the $640,000 price tag necessary to protect one of Utah's most cherished areas from private development: Castleton Tower. A contract negotiated by the organizations in January 2001 provided Utah Open Lands an 18 month window to raise the money and purchase the land from the state agency. A National Geographic Adventure special about the threat to the area aired in May 2003, and the campaign was featured in the September 2003 Geophica section of National Geographic. (posted 11/26/03)

Honoring The Quintessential "Western Woman"

COLORADO - Southwest Land Alliance, which works to protect the Upper San Juan Basin in southwestern by using conservation easements, has created the Betty Feazel Open Space Fund to honor the memory of one of its founders. The fund will be used directly for the preservation of open space, wildlife habitat and agricultural lands, primarily to assist landowners who donate conservation easements.

Ms. Feazel received the Blue Valley Ranch Award for protection of open space and the George M. Crammer award for encouragement of preservation. She was instrumental in the formation of the Southwest Land Alliance and the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts as well as the Adult Literacy Program of Pagosa Springs, CO. For more information, go to www.southwestlandalliance.org. (posted 10/19/01)

Historic Homestead Saved For Future 

COLORADO — Estes Valley Land Trust has guaranteed the permanent protection of the historic homestead of Enos A. Mills, naturalist and founding father of Rocky Mountain National Park, by acquiring a conservation easements from Mills' descendants. The easement, covering 190 acres, ensures that the 108 acres on the slopes of Twin Sisters Peaks, adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park, will remain undeveloped. At the same time, the museum and gallery on the property will continue to operate, and no additional development will be permitted near the homestead cabin. Moreover, the easement will ensure permanent preservation of wetlands adjoining Tahosa Creek.

Mills settled in Estes Park, CO in 1885. In 1909, he began the six-year crusade that led to the creation of the national park. He is credited with almost single-handedly marshaling the forces that enabled the park to be established in 1915. (posted 10/10/00)