CONSERVANCY: Everyone in Southwest Colorado owes his or her livelihood and well-being, either directly or indirectly, to our rich and diverse open lands. Few residents would be prospering today if there were no farms and ranches, no wildlife, no scenic open space and no tourist economy. It is vital that we work together to preserve our remaining open lands.
We all know that our population will continue to grow. The challenge, for all of us, is to accept and channel growth in a healthy way. The La Plata Open Space Conservancy guides growth by working in partnership with private landowners to protect our most productive and most beautiful lands from development, by means of donated conservation easements. This kind of land conservation costs the taxpayers nothing for land acquisition and management, but it provides enormous public benefits. Additionally, landowners who donate conservation easements may claim tax benefits that they can often use within the community. Land conservation is good business and it's good for business. (Sounds crazy coming from a Realtor, right?)
Last year twenty landowners partnered with La Plata Open Space to protect productive farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, scenic open space, archaeological sites, watershed and public recreation using conservation easements. Thanks to their gifts, these lands will not change next month, next year, or ever. They will continue to provide the myriad of benefits that make ours a healthy and beautiful community. These donations will inspire new conservation projects that will cumulatively benefit the community even more. Last year's donations raised the number of La Plata Open Space's protected properties to 146 totaling 17,375 acres.
Private land conservation isn't free, however and La Plata Open Space needs your help. Their operations are funded primarily by individual membership contributions, event proceeds and occasionally small grants. To be a part of this worthwhile movement send donations to:
La Plata Open Space Conservancy
P.O. Box 1651
Durango, CO 81302
http://HomesInDurango.com
http://DurangoRealEstate.biz
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