Every few months or so, I get together with a tight-knit group of friends over Zoom. We were Peace Corps volunteers together, and in the years since, our careers have taken us in many different directions. We tell each other what we’ve been up to, and for the past year, I’ve made them all green with envy.
Why? First of all, I live in one of the most breathtaking places in the world. Eagle County, with its mountains, valleys, rivers, meadows and forests, is made for postcards and nature calendars. My commute to work makes me feel like a professional driver in a Mazda commercial. And to top it all off, I spend my days leading people out into nature so they can have magical, transformative experiences in nature.
For the past 43 years, Eagle Valley Land Trust has been committed to preserving land for scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, agricultural heritage, public recreation and education. We have protected more than 14,000 acres in Eagle County and surrounding areas. Many of you have supported our land conservation efforts, and we are very grateful. But did you know that Eagle Valley Land Trust also hosts a wide range of free programs for the community? Here is a sampling of some of the programs we have hosted so far this year:
- A historical walking tour of the Horn Ranch (a privately owned property) in collaboration with the Eagle County Historical Society and Eagle County Open Space
- Horseback Riding at Sweetwater Lake with AJ Brink Outfitters
- A nature photography workshop with professional landscape photographer and founder of Eagle Valley Wild, Todd Winslow Pierce
- A reconciliation dialogue between the descendants of a US Army general and a Lakota chief in cooperation with the Tipi Raisers
- A Harrington’s Penstemon tour with ethnobotanist Lynn Albers and the town of Avon
As I reflect on the past few months—the places we’ve been, the experiences we’ve had, the connections between land and people we’ve made—I get a little giddy with wonder and gratitude. Eagle Valley Land Trust is incredibly fortunate to have a strong base of supporters and partners in the community, and we’re grateful to local funders like Vail Resorts EpicPromise for making our programs possible. But the year isn’t over yet, and there are still many memories to be made.
Free screening of the film “Inhabitants”
Join Eagle Valley Land Trust in celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day with a community screening of “Inhabitants” at the Riverwalk Theater on Monday, October 14. For thousands of years, Native Americans successfully managed and shaped their landscapes, but centuries of colonization have compromised their ability to maintain their traditional land management practices. Now, as the climate crisis escalates, Indigenous communities are restoring their ancient relationship to the land.
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Inhabitants tells the story of Hopi dryland farming in Arizona, native food forests in Hawaii, buffalo on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, sustainable forestry on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin, and the return of controlled fires to the landscape by the Karuk Tribe in California. The film reminds us that in a rapidly changing world, Native American best practices endure and are more relevant than ever.
The Eagle Valley Land Trust’s screening of Inhabitants is free and open to all. To reserve your tickets, please visit evlt.org/event/inhabitants.
Can’t wait that long? Join us next Wednesday, August 28th, for a restorative forest bathing experience in the stunning Eagle River Preserve. Nature-based empowerment coach Susie Kincade will lead us through this immersive practice that ends with a water blessing by the river. Curious about what forest bathing is? Go to evlt.org/event/waterblessing to find out (spoiler: we can keep our clothes on).
We look forward to welcoming you on site (or at the cinema) soon.
Keri Inouye is the Community Engagement Manager at Eagle Valley Land Trust and coordinates community-based conservation programs for youth and adults. For more information, visit evlt.org..
