Spring 2022 Newsletter

Reflecting on 30 years of Conservation

Co-chair of the Save Noble Meadow campaign and former MALT Executive Director, Linda Kirkpatrick reminisces about the early days, “How I LOVE telling the story about MALT’s first public project Noble Meadow and the resounding community support we had! We had just 5 months to Save Noble Meadow — 408 acres along Squaw Pass Road slated for 232 homes …it involved the first successful bond issue ($700,000) after passage of the Tabor Amendment (with 96% voter approval) enabling Evergreen Parks and Recreation District to own land for the first time, getting Jeffco Open Space to pay more money ($1.4 million) for less land than it had been offered just months earlier, and collecting $200,000 in cash from the community! We did it in 4 1/2 months and became the only nonprofit to ever turn away money offered by the Gates Foundation to put us over the top — we didn’t need it! We had to tell people to stop giving and even refunded some donations that were tied to our goal. Hats off to all who were involved back then! As one of MALT founders Dan Pike said, “It was Evergreen’s finest hour.”

Celebrating 30 Years of Conservation–A Night in the Park

A Night in the Park is back! Join MALT at A Night in the Park on Saturday, June 25th as we celebrate our 30th year of land and water conservation! A Night in the Park is MALT’s signature gala and the must-attend event of the summer! Former Denver Bronco Reggie Rivers will be back to emcee and other special guests will be honored as part of the celebration.

We’re putting a twist on the traditional Happy Hour! MALT’s “Sip and Savor the Land” wine and cocktail tasting begins at 6 p.m. with Sommelier Montana Rae Neiley and The Wine Ship! Guests can sip and savor and discover new wines that are produced by environmentally friendly and biodynamic growers as well as signature cocktails and local crafted beer.

The Fun Details:
John Erlandson and
The Mostly Pretty Random All-Stars band
Dinner buffet, live auction fun and paddle raise!
30th Anniversary Title Sponsors:
Highlands Wealth Management Group
Candace Allen and Bob Woodward
Honorary Chairs:
Jamie Alpert and John Brown
Tickets $100 per person
Saturday, June 25, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Alderfer Three Sisters Open Space Park

Please Join Us! Buy Your Tickets Today!

Conservation Trends in the West Survey Results

In March, Lori Weigel, former MALT Board member and Principal of New Bridge Strategy presented the latest findings from Colorado College’s 12th annual State of the Rockies Conservation in the West Survey to MALT guests in an online webinar. The annual poll showed a marked increase in levels of support for conservation, with voters in the Mountain West calling for bold action to protect nature as a new administration and Congress consider their public lands agendas.

The poll, which surveyed the views of voters in eight Mountain West states (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming), found 69% of voters (up from 61% last year) are concerned about the future of nature, meaning land, water, air and wildlife. Lori said, “What I think is most significant is the shift over time from 2011 and comparing to-date in 2022. There are double digit percentage increases of concern from voters over issues like inadequate water supplies, climate change, loss of natural areas and wildlife habitat.” Coloradans are also increasingly concerned with droughts, reduced snowpack and more frequent and severe wildfires. Poorly planned growth and development is also perceived as a problem by almost all voters.

Watch Lori’s presentation here. To read the entire report click here.

CSU Students Support MALT Stewardship and Conservation Work

This summer, MALT will be working with two graduate students from Colorado State University’s Conservation Leadership program who will be completing their Capstone projects.

Sara Vaughan is studying the economic and ecological benefits of maintaining a minimum stream flow in a section of the North Fork of the South Platte River along Highway 285. The river flows through the properties of neighboring MALT Conservation Easement landowners who run fishing businesses. The water flow is periodically shut off throughout the year, resulting in fish kills and hindering the ability of the businesses to host visiting anglers. Sara will help MALT develop a case for establishing a minimum stream flow to promote more natural conditions and minimize financial losses in the future.

Alongside MALT staff and in partnership with Evergreen Audubon, Logan Hayes will be working to improve bird conservation at Sacramento Creek Ranch and within the Pennsylvania Mountain Natural Area. He will help MALT develop a long-term plan for surveying bird populations at each property. Volunteers will assist MALT staff with regular monitoring and the data collected in these surveys will be incorporated into future management plans. In addition to the monitoring plan, Logan will help design educational workshops. The summer workshops will be led by Evergreen Audubon and teach community members and volunteers basic bird identification skills and how to use a popular citizen science app, eBird.

Meet Our New Board Members

Bruce Anderson
After a successful career as a corporate executive and consultant, Bruce Anderson and his family moved to Evergreen in 2008. He was recruited by Farmers Insurance to acquire a specific agency in Evergreen in 2015. Over the past six years Bruce has earned the Topper Club honors (achievement club for top performing Farmer’s agents) and his agency was selected by the Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year for 2018. Bruce was recognized by the Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce as the 2020 Volunteer of the Year. Bruce is passionate about preserving open space and protecting land to support wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation.

Jeff Danter
As the senior vice president of field programs for The Trust for Public Land, Jeff Danter is responsible for overseeing all state and area programs including land protection, urban parks development, and community-based conservation. Jeff joined The Trust for Public Land in 2011 and has worked in conservation since 1994. Prior to that he worked for an international electrical engineering company. Jeff received his BS in Chemical Engineering, MBA, and PhD in Ecological Management Communications from The Ohio State University. Jeff currently resides in Conifer.

Susan Eagle
A career opportunity moved Susan Eagle and her family to Colorado in the late 90’s and the blue skies, great skiing and wide-open spaces kept her here! The move launched a 25-year career in sales and operational leadership with companies from small startups to Fortune 100.
Her love for the outdoors developed as she was growing up in Ohio and she presently manages a family legacy property there with her brother. Susan feels responsibility as a steward for our land to preserve and protect our wild spaces for future generations.
Susan enjoys hiking and camping and volunteers time working with her therapy dog providing companionship and comfort to our mountain area seniors and youth counseling programs.

Meet Our New Staff

Ellie Harrison, Stewardship Director, grew up in St. Louis, Missouri before moving to Colorado in 2014. After getting used to having the mountains in her backyard, she never looked back! Ellie received her Bachelor’s degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology from Colorado College in 2018. During the summers as an undergrad, she interned with Mountain Area Land Trust, studying bumblebees at Pennsylvania Mountain Natural Area. She then received her Masters of Science degree in Conservation Leadership at Colorado State University in 2020. Ellie has worked with a variety of environmental organizations, including the Butterfly Pavilion and Environmental Defense Fund. For the past two years, she has served on the Board of Directors for Fort Collins Audubon Society as their Conservation Committee Chair. Ellie joined Mountain Area Land Trust as Stewardship Director in 2022. She is thrilled to be back at MALT working with landowners to protect the Colorado lands she has grown to love!

Christine Strickland, Deputy Director Land and Water Conservation, spent every childhood summer backpacking with her family across the Intermountain West. Thanks to this extraordinary upbringing, she went on to develop an enduring professional commitment to actively conserving the natural, cultural, and historic characteristics that our country is so blessed with. Her career has been dedicated to this field, spanning grassroots organizing, non-profit partnerships with the corporate world, fundraising, conservation easement negotiations and public lands management. She believes that curiosity about, and respect for, others are essential to successful land conservation. Christine has worked for the U.S. Forest Service, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Center for Resource Management, Colorado Open Lands, and most recently Jefferson County Open Space. She received her Bachelor’s in Biology at the College of Wooster and her Master’s in Environmental Science at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Carl Vitale, Conservation/GIS Director, grew up in Colorado and developed a passion for the outdoors. While he was earning his degree in Geography from the University of Colorado, this passion grew to a desire to conserve public lands and natural areas so future generations can develop the same appreciation for the natural world. His career in conservation has allowed him to work on many projects in the West. For a few years in Oregon, he was part of a stewardship team that specialized in vegetative restoration and invasive species control and in Boise, Idaho he managed a revegetation project for stormwater basins and bioswales in Idaho’s most populous county. Carl has joined MALT at the start of 2022 and is excited to be back in Colorado where he can use his skills and experiences to better connect people with their open spaces and to help in the conservation of Colorado’s natural beauty.

30th Anniversary Title Sponsor