Spring 2025 Newsletter
A note from the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
Spring in Colorado! A time of renewal, resilience, and responsibility.
It’s a season of hope, as melting snow reveals green grass and budding flowers, animals emerge, trees blossom, and the days grow warmer and longer.
Spring is also a time of action. As the rivers run high, we are reminded how vital Colorado’s land, water, and wild places are for our communities, wildlife, and future. With increasing pressures from development, climate change, wildfire, population growth, and more – Mountain Area Land Trust’s conservation work has never been more urgent.
Every action we take today shapes the Colorado we leave behind tomorrow – a powerful reminder of why we work so hard to protect open lands, creeks and rivers, and vibrant ecosystems.
We can’t do this alone. Safeguarding Colorado’s treasured places and historic lands takes all of us – landowners, supporters, and advocates like you. Your actions help preserve the beauty, richness, and wonder of Colorado for generations to come. Thank you for being a part of this important work and for standing up for the places that sustain and connect us.
Together, we’re saving the land…and leaving a legacy.
With gratitude,
Lynn Caliguiri
Executive Director
2025 Voluntary Conservation Agreements on the Horizon
Springtime has MALT busy as a bee! With six projects representing nearly 1,000 acres, 2025 is looking to be a particularly good year for conservation throughout MALT’s six county service area.
Collectively, these projects will conserve wetlands, outstanding biodiverse habitats, hay pastures, river corridors, ranch and farmlands, and scenic views treasured by millions.
You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again: it is because of your support that we can do this work, protecting land, water, wildlife, and Colorado’s unique way of life! Thank you.
From wildlife habitat and wetlands to working family ranches and historic lands, MALT protects Colorado’s beautiful natural areas by partnering with landowners who wish to voluntarily protect their property – forever. Please call (303) 679-0950 to explore whether a Conservation Easement is right for you.
April at Sacramento Creek Ranch: Native Plant Garden and Student-Created Signage in Bloom, by Jeff Jordan
Spring continues to tease its arrival! As we wait out the weather’s final decision, it’s tough not to turn to thoughts of green shoots, budding plants, and early spring blossoms. For the students at High Rockies Community School (HRCS) based at Mountain Area Land Trust’s (MALT) Sacramento Creek Ranch, warm weather flowers were top of mind for several weeks during the coldest, darkest days of winter. The students dove deep into their thematic unit centered on the plant life cycle and tied their learning into a project that will provide an educational benefit to their community.
Early on, during the students’ investigations into how and why plants use energy to grow and reproduce, they learned about a project taking shape at the entrance to Sacramento Creek Ranch (SCR). Back in the Summer of 2024, MALT staff and employee volunteers from Breckenridge Grand Vacations spent two days landscaping and planting Colorado high-country native plants in the budding Native Plant Demonstration Garden near the ranch gate.
MALT’s Newest Legacy
A heartfelt welcome to Mountain Area Land Trust’s newest legacy and Sacramento Creek Ranch resident, Eleanor Silvie Jordan. Join us in wishing her parents, Jeff and Julia, congratulations on their first baby.
Save the Date! 2nd Annual Donkey Duck Derby at Sacramento Creek Ranch
Seventeen hundred ducks will be swimming to the finish in the 2nd annual Donkey Duck Derby set for Saturday, July 26 at Sacramento Creek Ranch. Sponsored by the South Park Food Bank, and held in conjunction with Fairplay’s popular Burro Days, the event at Sacramento Creek Ranch offers families the opportunity to explore the trails, gardens, and beauty of Mountain Area Land Trust’s property.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winning “donkey ducks,” along with other fun prizes. The event will also featured kid-friendly activities and a food truck. All proceeds go to the South Park Food Bank’s Capital Campaign, which will fund the building of its new home, and serve as a venue for community events. Tickets will be available starting in June.
Experience the Magic: Mountain Area Land Trust Gala Set for June 21
Experience an evening of magic, while supporting your favorite nonprofit: Mountain Area Land Trust! Tickets are now on sale for A Night of Magic in the Meadow, on June 21, 2025, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. in Conifer, overlooking Meyer Ranch Park! Tickets are going fast – don’t miss your chance to attend the hottest celebration of the summer!
Stewardship Season
As the weather warms up, the MALT Stewardship team shifts its focus to one of the most important parts of our work: monitoring. Each summer, MALT staff visit every conserved property, visit with landowners, and document current conditions to ensure long-term protection.
In 2024, MALT upgraded its GIS and mobile technology to improve efficiency. In 2025, we’re taking another leap forward, by adding “remote monitoring” to our toolkit. Using satellite and aerial imagery, MALT will expand stewardship capabilities and gain deeper insights into the health and conservation of Colorado’s land, water, and wildlife.
Like MALT’s conservation work?
MALT Community Outreach & Educational Programming
On Earth Day, dozens of community members, conservationists, recreationists, and partners came together to officially celebrate the protection of Floyd Hill Meadow, an 18-acre parcel in Clear Creek County along the I-70 corridor. Representatives from Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT), Colorado Open Lands (COL) and Save Open Lands, Vistas, and the Environment (SOLVE) were joined by neighbors, supporters, and businesses who worked tirelessly to raise the funds to place a voluntary conservation agreement on the property – protecting its wildlife habitat, natural resources, and scenic views.
It’s been an exciting year for community connection and conservation through Mountain Area Land Trust’s (MALT) ongoing efforts to provide year-round, zero-cost, conservation-based community outreach and educational programming. We’ve hosted some incredible events already this year, with many more on the calendar! Thanks for joining us and hope to see you soon!
Wildfire Awareness Workshop
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
3:30 – 4: 30 p.m.
With the ‘traditional’ fire season upon us, now is the time to educate yourself and learn about wildfire awareness from the experts. On May 7, MALT will host a panel of specialists from Jefferson Conservation District, Conifer Wildland Division, Elk Creek/ Conifer Fire Protection Districts and Clear Creek Watershed, and Forest Health Partnership. Panelists will cover the history and ecology of Colorado’s Front Range forests, the growing challenges of wildfire, post-fire impacts like water quality, and actionable steps we can take – from both public and private land perspectives. Please join us for the discussion and Q&A.
Hike with Genesee’s Bison Herd
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Spotting the Bison herd in Genesee along I-70 is always a treat. Hiking near the bison is a truly unique experience! On Thursday, May 15, Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) is partnering with Denver Mountain Parks (DMP) for a 3.7-mile guided hike along Genesee Mountain Trail Loop offering a rare chance for up-close bison viewing. Genesee Park is best known for hosting one of two bison herds owned by the City of Denver. Acquired in 1914, the herd numbers around 50 and represents both Denver’s ongoing conservation efforts and a living link to western history. We hope you can join us for this one-of-a-kind Colorado hike!
Wilderness Survival Hike: Build Confidence, Connect with Nature
Friday, June 6, 2025
Preparing for the unexpected can bring confidence – and even save lives – on both short hikes and longer wilderness excursions. Join Survival Instructor Roary Kiah Archibald at Elk Meadow Open Space Park for an engaging hike focused on preparedness, movement, and deepening your connection to the natural world.
You’ll learn essential survival skills like thermoregulation, hydration strategies, and how to meet basic human needs in nature without relying on modern gear. Roary will also guide you through ecological awareness – identifying plants, reading animal tracks, and understanding the relationships between living systems.
