Sponsored conten In the Roaring Fork, conservation work that aims to achieve 'forever' Conserving lands for wildlife food production and people is important work, but what matters perhaps even more is the work that follows y Lauren Glendenning Bnought to you by Aspen alliy Land n Conservation eforts arent just do-good acts that protoct our lands-thoy also pevride essential lossons in cthical stewardship across generations that make conservation work relevant and lasting Land trusts have to be here to care for conserved lands 150 years from now and beood, said Suzanne Stephens, cseu ive director of the Aspen Valley land Trust (AVLT) which nocks for ckan ait, heakthy rivers and open spaces across the Conserved land outside of Marble, CO. end) are accessible to the public, though that is far from the Roaring Fork and Colorado River vallkys VLT is not anti-growth or development, but we are all for planning around a vision that inclades a hoalthy eosys e only benofit they povide ten, dean water, room for wiife and room for people, she said. "Weignore onservation at our own periLTwentyyears n now, the Valley will be filling up, and any opportunities INTERDEPENDENCE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS we havent deliberaidy taken to conserve the lands wewak Public lands ane central to our way oflife and reoreutional to remain open will likcly de ault into othor uses ment,bot they tend to be located in the less produc- With its roots in open spaces-AVETowms seven publi parks near Aspen, and one in Marble- AVT oxpanded tive, high dlevation "Trock and ioe ones that provide w with summer range To survive, big me and other species its work and mission in the 80s to indude agrieutural andaneed access to good wintering grounds and reprodoc- fe conservation, which go hand in hand as part of ation areas, which tend to be located in the privatdly owned arge-seae effort to cxnneet cornidoes and peotect a c ower hills and valley bottoms We sat down with Stophons to discuss the current onsr landscape in the ragion, and how the community can To peotect wildlfe and our functioning ecosystems, we need both-and we need connections between the two she said. Students at Chapin Wright Marble Basecamp. last year by Colorado State iht parks, as well as historically important land suchas the University that found a $4 to $12 te for every $1 invested Redstone Coke Ovens and the Townsite of Independence FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE, FOOD AND Stuphens points to a stody The population in Garfield County is expected to grow nvation casements across the state. This dotAspen Vally Land Thust is committod to its investments by about 65 percent between goo and goso, while Pitkin indude moet oromyor tourism d ars. County sepectedtogwby 99 percent daring that tim, he case is dear that conseation makos us bealthics, munity support in the formm of donations, open space votes acconding to data from the Colorado State Demographers happier, and in many ways wealthier, she said and now is and volunseerism, the work will ontinue in conservation for generations to come. Throgh com- the time to invest before rising ousts outweigh our ability is up to us to ensure that the next generation is left with something to care about, Stephens said, "and that With more than +0,000 acres from Independence s ur children make conneetions to nature that will invest toact We are facing a seriouas change on the horinon that will hulenge people, water mailability, cal food prodaction, and certainly wildlife, Stephens said. to Deloque protocting agriculoural landl, 30 milkes of trails them in the cause going forwand te land aloethevalley bottonns, which indudes rivers and streams, isthe most fertile and productine nd,buCOMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS BY ASPEN VALLEY LAND TRUST lso the most critical to wikdlife, Setting some of it aside now bomefits both poople and wildlifc TThe 2016 purchase of the Chapin Wright Marble Basecamp provides outdoor education access and opportunitles for schools from up and down the valley, with a focus on public schools that are beginning to building outdoor education programs. The base of Red Hai, recently acquired and given to the Town of Carbondale, will benefit trail users from across the demographic and recreational spectrum. WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU AND HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Land isabout community, Stophens saild. Communitios are built on land and anound land, and the way of life we cherish is a result of living in the high mountains of Collorado with access to dean water and air, and Sertile soils, she said. Current projects on the Sit River Preserve, which the AVLT helped the Town of Sat acquire in 2009, will create and enhance a public nature park The Crystal River Restoration Pro ctisgai in steam as the Town of Carbondale and AVL together ith partners, lead a publik scoping process to help define the project along Y% mile of the Crystall River Marble Children's Park was recently donated to AVLT to ensure ongoing public use as well as a permanent place to play for the Marble Charter School. lk Sad fus, ur la hip tol di p al l added. "The beauty of land is thot we canall oonnect to it Soe ifferent reasons, and onourown terms Fifty-three of AVETs conserved propertics whether wned by AVIT, local governments, or private lando ASPEN VALLEY LAND TRUST Protecting the places you love