Kit and Mike Strang, owners of the beautiful Strang Ranch conserved under easement with AVLT, are hosting a real Western party at their ranch in Missouri Heights near Carbondale. Dinner, dancing, music, auction items and a whole lot of fun, combined with some of the most stunning scenery in Colorado, will be served up Saturday, September 18, starting at 5:30 p.m. Please save the date and watch for details. You won’t want to miss this one!

Renowned artist and educator Henry Isaacs returns in September to the Crystal River Valley for a two-day painting workshop and exhibition, part of the proceeds of which will benefit Aspen Valley Land Trust. The workshops will feature oil painting on Saturday and pastels on Sunday and will be held on the grounds of the Redstone Castle. An exhibit of Isaacs’ new Colorado paintings opens September 18, 5 – 7 p.m., at the Redstone Art Center and a portion of the art sales will also go to AVLT to help preserve open land in the valley. For more information or to register, contact Bev Goss, Redstone Art Center, 173 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, 81623, 963-3790, email:bevgoss@rof.net.

Three conservation organizations have awarded grants to AVLT for specific community projects. Grants received this spring include:

East Mesa, Carbondale: The Colorado Conservation Trust contributed $50,000 toward the purchase of a conservation easement on the John Neislanik property on East Mesa above Carbondale. This was the last donation needed to complete the acquisition. In addition, the Aspen Skiing Company Environment Foundation donated $5,000 to the East Mesa project to establish a monitoring endowment for the property.

The Drool, Redstone: Thank you also to the Aspen Skiing Company Environment Foundation, in cooperation with the Access Fund, for contributing $3,000 to begin the process of conserving “The Drool,” a beautiful ice climbing feature near Redstone. The Drool attracts climbers from throughout the country, but its access is threatened as it is located on private land offered for sale. AVLT is looking for a buyer who is interested in purchasing the property and taking advantage of the tax credits and deductions associated with placing a conservation easement on the property.

Conservation education: The Colorado Conservation Trust donated $15,000 to AVLT for conservation education projects throughout the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys.

Now that AVLT and the John Nieslanik family are preparing to close on the first conservation easement placed on the East Mesa above Carbondale, we are anxious to begin the second phase. AVLT needs to raise $250,000 this summer to help secure a second easement on this beautiful land. This money will be used to match grants and private donations. If you can help or know someone who has a passion for the East Mesa, please call and let us know. 963-8440.

Ken Ransford, who served on the AVLT board for five years and as president or co-president for almost one and one-half years, has resigned to devote more time to his business and family. Ken is a CPA and tax attorney in private practice in Basalt. He hopes to spend more time working with landowners who wish to conserve their property. Ken donated a great deal of his time and energy to make AVLT a stronger, more broad-based organization and we appreciate his generosity.

Carter Jackson, a retired veterinarian and founding member of the Western Colorado Agricultural Heritage Fund, resigned from the AVLT board in June due to health problems. Carter has been a valuable, thoughtful member of the both the WCAHF and AVLT boards and will be greatly missed. However, the staff will still get to see Carter and his wife, Louise, regularly while visiting the easement that the Jacksons donated to AVLT on their 292-acre ranch, located on the Roaring Fork River, just south of Glenwood Springs.

Aspen’s The Little Nell Hotel and Sky Hotel have donated more than $15,000 to the Aspen Valley Land Trust through the Lodging Conservation Program started this past winter. A voluntary $2 per night fee has been added onto room charges, which may be removed at the guest’s request. So far the program has been successful, and the proceeds are being used to help AVLT carry out its mission to preserve open space throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Thank you to all who have participated and donated!

AVLT is once again helping match conservation easement donors who have tax credits to sell with taxpayers looking to purchase income tax credits. If you are a Colorado resident with more than $20,000 in state income tax liability, you may be able to purchase discounted tax credits to offset that liability while helping to support open space conservation. Please call us to learn more, or go to our web site www.avlt.org, and click on Tax Credit Transfer Program.

This AVLT Report is made possible with support from the following conservation professionals. Please help support these businesses: