MOUNTAIN AREA LAND TRUST

Mountain Area Land Trust's goals are to:
1) Promote our organization's mission to an increased number of landowners, donors and potential project partners through community outreach, education and marketing.
2) Increase financial stability through fundraising, land conservation projects and outreach to donors.
3) Build partnerships with land conservation organizations, local governments and municipalities, new donors and funders.

A Colorado non-profit organization established in 1992, MALT works collaboratively to facilitate win-win land and water conservation efforts. A nationally accredited organization with the National Land Trust Alliance (LTA), MALT has earned a distinguished reputation by helping private landowners, citizens and communities permanently conserve over 24,000 acres of environmentally significant natural areas since its inception.

MALT adheres to a Land and Water Conservation Plan which is a proactive tool the organization uses to measure its conservation successes and strategize future conservation efforts. By using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, MALT’s Conservation Easements can be overlaid with biodiversity, water resources, wildlife and other unique data to highlight MALT’s achievements and set goals for future conservation. In addition, these datasets can be overlaid with county tax parcel data to determine areas with the greatest opportunity for future conservation.

Facilitating permanent land conservation is only one part of MALT's work. With each Conservation Easement granted to MALT, it undertakes the financial and legal obligation to ensure that the environmental values protected by the conservation easement are preserved in perpetuity for the enjoyment of generations to come. Currently, MALT holds this stewardship role for 89 Conservation Easements. MALT maintains an endowment to ensure that its conserved properties will be protected and stewarded to ensure the conservation values are being upheld, in perpetuity. MALT will continue to grow its base of financial support through individual donors, planned gifts, corporate support, family foundations, and grant funding to have the necessary resources to provide outreach and educational programming, to attract new landowners and secure private land conservation agreements, and to continue to facilitate public partnerships for new recreational and conservation opportunities.

Since 1992 Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) has conserved 24,439 acres in its six county service area, including 18,144 acres in 89 private Conservation Easements, an additional 6,088 acres protected through facilitated public projects and 207 acres privately owned by MALT. In addition to private land conservation agreements, stewardship and education, MALT pursues public projects that allow for new hiking, biking trails and outdoor recreation opportunities that provide access to thousands of acres of previously inaccessible public lands. MALT's Land and Water Conservation Plan provides visual mapping to support its mission and strategic planning. Through GIS analysis and further research in the identified priority areas, MALT will be equipped with the tools for implementing coordinated conservation outreach strategies in its six priority areas and throughout Clear Creek, Teller, Gilpin, Park, Jefferson and Boulder Counties.