Every couple of months or so, I catch up with a close-knit group of friends on Zoom. We were Peace Corps volunteers together, and in the years since, our careers have taken us in many different directions. We fill each other in on what we’ve been up to, and for the past year, I’ve made them all green with envy.
Why? Well to start, I live in one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful places on the planet. Eagle County, with its mountains, valleys, rivers, meadows, and forests, is the stuff of postcards and nature calendars. My commute makes me feel like a professional driver in a Mazda commercial.
To top it all off, I spend my day bringing folks out onto the land so they can have magical, transformative experiences in nature. For the past 43 years, Eagle Valley Land Trust has been dedicated to conserving land for scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, agricultural heritage, public recreation, and education. We’ve protected more than 14,000 acres across Eagle County and the surrounding areas.
Many of you have supported our land conservation efforts, and we’re so thankful for you. But did you know that Eagle Valley Land Trust also hosts a wide range of free programs for the community? Here’s a taste of just some of the programs we’ve done so far this year: When I reflect on the past several months — the places we’ve been, the experiences we’ve had, the connections between land and people that we’ve forged — I get a bit giddy with wonder and gratitude. Eagle Valley Land Trust is incredibly fortunate to have a strong base of community supporters and partners, and we’re grateful to local funders like Vail Resorts EpicPromise for helping to make our programs possible.
But the year’s not over yet, and there are many memories left to create. Join Eagle Valley Land Trust in celebrating Indigenous People’s Day on Monday, Oct. 14, with a community screening of “Inhabitants” at the Riverwalk Theater.
For millennia, Native Americans successfully stewarded and shaped their landscapes, but centuries of colonization have disrupted their ability to maintain their traditional land management practices. Now, as the climate crisis escalates, Indigenous communities are restoring their ancient relationships with the land. “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 prescribed fire to the landscape by the Karuk Tribe of California.
The film reminds us that in a rapidly changing world, the time-tested practices of North America’s original inhabitants are enduring and more relevant than ever. Eagle Valley Land Trust 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, Aug. 28, for a rejuvenating forest bathing experience at the stunning Eagle River Preserve.
Nature-based empowerment coach Susie Kincade will guide us in this immersive practice, which will conclude with a water blessing by the river. Curious what forest bathing even is? Go to evlt.org/event/waterblessing to find out (spoiler: we can keep our clothes on).
We look forward to seeing you on the land (or at the movie theater) very soon..
