Due to the generosity of Vail Resorts Echo and the support and investments provided by Echo, the Eagle Valley Land Trust will continue our enhanced and expanded environmental Land Stewardship Program this summer for the more than 7,300 acres we hold in conservation easement throughout Eagle County. This Land Stewardship Program consists of on-site monitoring and 'boots-on-the-ground' inspection of all conservation easement lands in Eagle County to survey and record their current conservation values while notating natural habitats, native and rare plant species, riparian and wildlife corridors and the general state of the land. The project will be led by a certified biologist/ecologist, Ms. Dawn Barton of West Elks Ecological, LLC, who is recognized statewide and highly regarded in the land trust industry. The Land Trust would not be able to embark upon this ambitious, scientific and professional program without the generous support of Vail Resorts Echo.
The 2014 EVLT Land Stewardship Program will include project management necessary to visit and inspect over 7,300 acres of conserved land in Eagle County in a 3 month period, including the recording of GPS coordinates, the taking of documentation photos and the notation of species, habitats, etc. The observational and hard data recorded during these inspections and monitoring activities will be used to determine and plan any future conservation, reclamation and/or restoration projects that may be necessary to maintain the current conservation values of our land into the future. Undertaking the 2014 Land Stewardship Program will allow Eagle Valley Land Trust to continue to understand, manage and maintain every acre of our locally conserved lands so we may continue to be good stewards of those lands in perpetuity. At the conclusion of this program, EVLT will continue to build and hold a comprehensive archive of current conservation values of all lands held under conservation easement by EVLT in Eagle County. Specific focus will be placed on those lands that provide public access and public recreational opportunities so recommendations and future projects may be planned to enhance and protect these areas for the next generation of citizens and visitors.
In concert with the 2014 Land Stewardship Program, EVLT will also continue and expand our highly successful Summer Education and Outreach Program with local students in the field - Our "Future Conservationists" Program. The program will bring 200 local youth onto our lands to learn about land conservation issues, conservation values, environmental baseline documentation, importance of riparian corridors and wildlife habitats, and Colorado's ranching heritage; as well as learn skills such as orienteering, map and compass reading, and GPS navigation and recording. Service learning projects will also be a part of the educational sessions, whereby students will perform a service project at a local conservation area.
The Land Trust is a proud partner with Vail Resorts Echo, and we are so very grateful to Echo for their continued partnerships with and investments in our local land conservation mission.
