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 3rd Annual Save the Land Dance |
 AVLT's 3rd annual fall benefit Save the Land Dance promises to be a great one! Join us for dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions, and some homespun fun on the ranch! Dinner will be created by Conundrum Catering of Aspen, and live music will follow with the Flying Dog Bluegrass Band. A wonderful selection of silent and live auction items will benefit AVLT's work in the valley.
 Raffle Drawing: win a 9-day luxury train tour on the Grand Luxe Mexico! This is the first-ever luxury train journey spanning Mexico, and includes the some of the most scenic rail travel in the world, with a trip through Copper Canyon and stops in Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, Mazatlan, Mexico City and more. The drawing will take place at the Land Dance, but you need not be present to win. Tickets are $25 each, or 5 for $100. Call AVLT to purchase yours!
Live Auction to include: Cattle drive on the legendary Harvey Ranch; 5-day Bahamian Disney Cruise for a family of 4; week's stay in a private lakeside vacation house in Maine; and a two-week stay in a luxury condo in Costa Rica; one week at a secluded Cabo San Lucas
timeshare or other destination resort! For more information, and to preview our fantastic live and silent auction items, click here. |
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| Changes to Legislation affect Tax Incentives for Conservation Donors |
Bills have recently been passed on both the state and national level enhancing tax incentives for the donation of a qualified conservation easement. In addition to expanding the federal tax deduction and increasing the Colorado State conservation tax credits, standards have been raised for conservation easement appraisals. Land trusts nationwide applaud these changes, and AVLT is thrilled to be able to offer new benefits to our easement donors for their valuable contributions to our valley. For more information, check out www.avlt.org/docs/AVLT_TaxCredits.pdf or log onto www.lta.org or www.cclt.org. |
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| Update on Land Conservation Activities |
AVLT has now helped to conserve well over 16,000 acres. Amongst our latest additions are:
Hunter Valley Way: Ten acres at the mouth of Hunter Creek Valley in Aspen were conserved this year through the efforts of Camilla and Raymond Auger. The property is traversed by the Hunter Creek Trail, a popular hiking and skiing trail.
Clark Ranch: Tom and Linda Clark have conserved their 120 acre ranch at the entrance to Emma, just off of highway 82, ensuring that commuters on that stretch of highway will continue to enjoy the scenic vistas provided by this working ranch.
Canyon Creek: The central corridor of Canyon Creek, a lovely valley west of Glenwood Springs, has been largely conserved over the last 2 years through the generosity of six landowners. Bruce and Dale Robinson recently completed conservation efforts on their property, adding to this conserved corridor, and assuring that no more development will occur in this section of the canyon.
Knaus Ranch: Dr. Gary Knaus inherited his family ranch near Rifle and, although ranching wasn't his primary career, he has kept the property as a working ranch. This year he and his wife, Jill, completed the conservation of his hay fields on Taughenbaugh Mesa.
Dry Hollow and Divide Creek: Last year we brought you the story of how a grassroots neighborhood effort led to the conservation of over 1,400 acres of beautiful ranchland and wildlife habitat in the area south of Silt in the Divide Creek and Dry Hollow basins. Now several of these families have added to this effort by conserving additional acreage on their ranches. Jerry Fazzi, Pat and Rosemary Patterson, Jimmy and Sue Myers, and Frank and Sheila Daley have completed second phase conservation easements that will protect 230 additional acres of working ranchland in the area. |
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Farewell to a Friend |
 AVLT lost a great friend and supporter last week when Jerry "Butch" Lowery of Rifle passed away. Last year, Jerry and his wife Barb conserved a large part of their family homestead at the base of the Roan Plateau, know as the Blackman Ranch, and have been working toward preserving more of it this year. Jerry, a disabled Vietnam vet and rancher, was also in the process of organizing and convening the first disabled veteran's and youth hunt to be held on the ranch this fall, in cooperation with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The hunt began as a way for Jerry to give back and show his support for other veterans, while they challenged themselves amidst the beauty of the ranch's rugged backcounty – the most beautiful place on earth, according to Jerry. The hunt will go on, with Jerry foremost in the hearts and minds of all its participants. We will miss Jerry and his infectious smile, and our hearts and thanks go out to Barb and her family. Read an interview with Jerry by the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.
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| AVLT Welcomes New Board Members |
 Jim Aresty joined the AVLT Board in 2006. For close to 20 years, he was a principal and vice-president of production for Alfred Dunner Inc., a large, family-run apparel firm in northern New Jersey, where he was also long-time supporter of environmental causes. For six years Jim was an active board member at the Morris Land Conservancy in New Jersey, where he helped create a successful capital campaign, and was instrumental in renovating and moving the non-profit to their new headquarters. Jim also initiated the Aresty Mapping Center at the Conservancy, which allowed the conservancy to expand its development of County Open Space Plans and significantly increase the amount of land preserved. Jim achieved a life long dream when he moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in late 2004 with his family. He is passionate about nature, and has traveled to many wilderness areas around the world.
 Sue Edelstein is a resident of Carbondale's River Valley Ranch, a major supporter of AVLT, and joined the AVLT Board in July. She first came west in 1970 to intern at an experimental school on a Navajo reservation. She worked for the Forest Service for 11 years, including stints as a park superintendent and on the teams that wrote the first master plans for the new national parks in Alaska. She later worked as a residential broker in Denver, ultimately owning Metropolitan Fine Homes, LLC, a boutique brokerage in the Cherry Creek North area. She is a believer in AVLT's work and anxious to help by serving on the board.
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| Our Business Supporters |
This AVLT Report is made possible with support from the following conservation professionals. Please help support these businesses:
Appraisal Services
APPRAISAL ASSOCIATES
Pam Sant
128 North Sixth Street, Grand Junction, CO 81502
970.256.7019 / 970.248.9843 fax
pamsant@frontier.net
General and conservation appraisals for agricultural, residential and commercial property
APPRAISAL OFFICE - ASPEN LTD.
Dave Ritter
406 P ABC, Aspen, CO 81611
970.920.1002 / 970.925.3603 fax
appoff@sopris.net
Real estate appraisals, conservation easements, feasibility studies and consultation services
Environmental Assessment Services
BIO-LOGIC ENVIRONMENTAL
Steve Boyle
635 East Main Street, Ste. 100, Montrose, CO 81401
970.240.4374
sboyle@bio-geo.com
Baseline studies, mineral assessments, environmental assessments and consulting throughout Western Colorado
NEWLAND PROJECT RESOURCES, INC.
Tom Newland
417 Original Road, Basalt, CO 81621
970.927.4645
tomn@sopris.net
Baseline studies, environmental audits and assessments, land planning and public process/ issue analysis
RARE EARTH SCIENCE, LLC
James Armstrong
Dawn Reeder
844 Grand Avenue, Grand Junction 81501
970.241.1762
jim@rareearthscience.com
dawn@rareearthscience.com
Baseline studies and monitoring; mineral assessments; environmental assessments, design and consulting services for the Western Slope
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ECOLOGICAL SERVICES, INC.
Eric Petterson
0222 Bobcat Lane, Redstone, CO 81623
970-963-2190
ericpetterson@msn.com
Baseline studies, environmental assessments and consulting, land management and natural resource planning
WEST ELKS CONSULTING
Dawn Barton Keating
2079 Crystal Springs Mountain Rd., Carbondale 81623
970.963.3023
westelks@sopris.net
Management and protection of mountain ecosystems through biological inventories, mapping, monitoring and conservation planning
Land Planning Services
LAMONT PLANNING SERVICES, LLC
Leslie Lamont
725 Melissa Lane, Carbondale, CO 81623
970.963.8434
llamont@sopris.net
General land planning and development review services
STAN CLAUSON ASSOCIATES, LLC.
Planners, Landscape Architects
Stan Clauson, AICP, ASLA, Principal
Suzanne Bott, AICP, Senior Planner
Devin Gardiner, Landscape Architect
Tanya Stevens, Staff Planner
200 E. Main Street
Aspen, Colorado 81611
970.925.2323/ Fax: 970.920.1628
info@scaplanning.com
www.scaplanning.com
Conservation-Oriented Planning, Permitting and Design Services for Communities and Private-Sector Clients
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Land Planning Services (Cont.)
THE LAND STUDIO, INC.
Douglas J. and Julie J. Pratte
Box 107, 1002 Lauren Lane, Basalt, CO 81621
970. 927.3690 / 927.4261 fax
landstudio2@comcast.net
Conservation-oriented land planning services
OTAK, INC.
36 North Fourth Street, Carbondale, CO 81623
970.963.1971
www.otak.com
Land use master planning, development entitlements, conservation planning, environmental design, landscape architecture & water resources engineering
TG MALLOY CONSULTING, LLC
Tim Malloy
402 Park Dr., Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970.945.0832
tgmalloy@sopris.net
Land use planning, site design, conservation planning, public process
DESIGN WORKSHOP
120 E. Main Street, Aspen, CO 81611
970-925-8354
www.designworkshop.com
Landscape architecture, land planning, strategic services, conservation and green development solutions
Legal & Financial Services
BALCOMB & GREEN, P.C.
Scott Balcomb & Larry Green, Attorneys
Drawer 790, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
970.945.6546
larry@balcombgreen.com
scott@balcombgreen.com
Conservation easement, tax credit, real estate and land development law
KEN RANSFORD, ESQ., CPA
Ken Ransford, P.C.
132 Midland Avenue, Suite 3, Basalt, CO 81621
970.927.1200 / 970.927.1300 fax
kenransford@comcast.net
Legal and tax planning services for businesses and landowners in the Roaring Fork Valley
LEAVENWORTH & KARP, P.C.
Lee Leavenworth, Attorney at Law
P.O. Drawer 2030, Glenwood Springs, CO 18602
970.945.2661
lel@lklawfirm.com
Conservation easements, land use, real estate and water law
NOONE LAW FIRM
Robert M. Noone, Attorney at Law
Noone Law Firm
1010 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970.945.4500
rmn@noonelaw.com
Conservation easements, Colorado tax credits, real estate law
New Media Marketing
Blue Tent Marketing
Peter Scott
PO Box 1063, Basalt, CO 81621
970.927.7081
peter@bluetent.com
www.bluetent.com
Web sites, e-mail marketing, and search engine strategies.
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320 Main Street, Suite 204
Carbondale, CO 81623
970.963.8440
avlt@avlt.org . www.avlt.org
2006 Board of Directors
David Bellack, President
Wally Obermeyer, Vice President
Cathy Porter, Treasurer
Louis Meyer, Secretary
Jim Aresty
Jim Cardamone
Sue Edelstein
Lee Ann
Eustis
Sandy
Jackson
Chuck
Johnson
David Parker
Sue Rodgers
Steve Smith
Lathrop Strang
Staff support is provided by:
Martha Cochran,
Executive Director
Shannon Meyer,
Associate Director
Suzanne Fusaro,
Project Specialist
Melissa Sumera,
Office Manager
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Click Here to Donate to the Aspen Valley Land Trust Today!
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