Land&People, Vol. 29, No. 1 - Spring/Summer 2017 by Trust for Public Land

S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 17 A BENEFIT TO MEMBERS OF THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND

ADVENTURE THE

ISSUE

+ FROM MILD TO WILD ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER + EXPLORING CALIFORNIA’S BIG BACKYARD + FINDING PEACE IN FLY FISHING

From famous landmarks to hidden backcountry, our public lands are the pride of the nation. But in statehouses and the halls of Congress, powerful politicians are working to convert this public property to private proﬁt. The Trust for Public Land believes the agenda to dismantle our public lands is out of step with the needs of everyday Americans. If you agree, take action now.

WRITE YOUR OFFICIALS

SIGN THE PETITION

SUPPORT OUR WORK

SPREAD THE WORD

h o l l is b en n ett

contents

39 “We want to blow their minds with how amazing our landscape is.” ~ m o rg an g o o d w i n v ic e m ayo r o f t ru cke e , cal i fo r ni a

50 ian maclellan

rach id dah n o u n

F EAT U R E S

Work Hard, Play Hard .................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Sierra Nevada communities thrive by offering up every mountain sport under the sun—but locals don’t take conservation for granted.

The Blueway Forward .................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 The onetime industrial towns of the Chattahoochee River Valley hope to put their river to work again.

Owning Ascutney .............................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 When the people of one Vermont town stood to lose their ski spot, they took matters—and the mountain—into their own hands. T P L. O R G · 1

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D E PA RT M E NTS

Board Spotlight · 13

meg an mcco r mick

Adventure awaits — outside

sarah l adu ke

From the President · 11

contents

Page Knudsen Cowles

Contributors · 14 Mailroom · 15 First Look · 17 Monumental gains, young

farmers, and one proud lobbyist

Insight · 28 Chad Brown, the river is a place of healing

Member Center · 62

jim brandenburg

For angler, artist, and veteran

Ofﬁces · 63 Trail’s End · 64

o n t h e cover On land and on water, the places we go to ﬁnd adventure need your help now more than ever. Learn how you can take a stand for public land on page 11.

JOI N U S ON FAC EB O O K Scan the QR code with your mobile device to stay tuned to the latest news, videos, contests, and more. facebook.com/tpl.org

23 T P L. O R G · 3

an n i e ban g

4 · LAND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

contents

LOS ANGELES RIVER, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA In November, Angelenos enthusiastically approved a ballot measure to fund parks and playgrounds in the neighborhoods that need them most. During an election that often underscored the nation’s divisions, conservation measures performed well with voters across the political spectrum.

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T P L. O R G · 5

holli s b e n n e tt

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contents

COLUMBUS WHITEWATER PARK, COLUMBUS, GEORGIA The urban whitewater experience is a little different from running rivers in the wilderness: here, the rapids are built from the rubble of decommissioned dams, the water level—and difﬁculty—can be adjusted throughout the day, and spectators catch the action while enjoying a cold one at a waterside brewery.

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T P L. O R G · 7

je rry mon k man

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contents

MT. ASCUTNEY, WEST WINDSOR, VERMONT For small towns, offering yearround recreation is a way to boost local business. Long known for its ski hill, West Windsor is rebounding from tough years of low snow by courting mountain bikers: new ﬂow trails and fatbike rentals provide more options for adventure in all seasons.

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T P L. O R G · 9

OFF IC E R S pre si d e n t an d chie f exe c ut i ve o ffi c er

William B. Rogers vice p re s i d e n t an d d i recto r of co n s e rvat i o n fi n anc e

Will Abberger s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t a n d directo r o f c i t y park dev elo pm en t

Adrian Benepe s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t an d d i vi s i o n d i re cto r

Raymond Christman s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t a n d directo r o f co n s e rvat i o n st rat eg i es

Ernest Cook vice p re s i d e n t an d d i recto r of p ro g ram d e ve lo p me n t

Jad Daley s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t an d d i vi s i o n d i re cto r

Jeff Danter vice p re s i d e n t an d directo r o f fe d e ral affa i r s

Kathy DeCoster s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t , ge n eral co un s e l, an d sec reta r y

D. Malcolm Carson s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t an d c hi e f p hi lan t hro py o ff i c er

our mission:

THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND CREATES PARKS AND PROTECTS LAND FOR PEOPLE, ENSURING HEALTHY, LIVABLE COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Margie Kim s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t an d d i vi s i o n d i re cto r

Ann Morgan vice p re s i d e n t an d directo r o f g i s an d p l a n n i n g

how you can help: Our work depends on the generous support of people like you.

Breece Robertson s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t , c h i ef f in an c i al o ffi c e r, an d t rea su rer

Cynthia Scherer

donate: Use the envelope inside this magazine, or visit tpl.org/donate for other easy ways to give.

vice p re s i d e n t an d d i recto r of lan d p rot e ct i o n

Brenda J. Schick vice p re s i d e n t an d directo r o f human re so u rc es

Barbara Smith s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t an d c hi e f marke t i n g o ff i c er

Shannon Morgan Stearns s e n i o r vi c e p re s i d e n t an d c hi e f o p e rat i n g o ff i c er

Tim Wohlgenant

1 0 · LAND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

learn more: Get timely updates on our park and conservation work near you. Sign up for our e-newsletter at tpl.org/enews. share: Help us make the case for parks and open space. When you’ve ﬁnished reading this issue, pass it on! Land&People magazine is a beneﬁt to members of The Trust for Public Land.

ADVENTURE AWAITS — OUTSIDE Where do you go to ﬁnd adventure? Maybe you heed the call of the mountains,

elyse leyenberger

from the president

drawn to the challenge of sheer walls, steep publisher Shannon Morgan Stearns editorial director Eliza Sarasohn

slopes, and lofty summits. Or perhaps you seek out whitewater, for the rush and roar of running the rapids and the triumph of emerging into stillness on the other side. You might also ﬁnd adventure closer to home— in a neighborhood park or local open space, or

art director Matt Mullin

on the winding route of an urban greenway. These are the everyday places we go to test our-

managing editor Alia Salim

selves against our goals: whether it’s a new personal best on our daily run, adding a hard-to-ﬁnd

photography coordinator Elyse Leyenberger

warbler or tanager to a birding life-list, or, for the youngest among us, simply reaching the top

But whatever adventure means to you, chances are, you’ll ﬁnd it outdoors.

writers Julia Busiek Allie Ferguson

of the jungle gym. The deﬁnition of adventure is

marketing Kristen Anderson

it outdoors.

of experience in almost every state in the union.

digital production Carrie Gotch Adele Wilson

This issue of Land&People features stories about

con tributing editor Bill Poole

© 2017 The Trust for Public Land. All rights reserved. Conserving Land for People, Conserving Nature Near You, Creating Parks and Protecting Land for People, Fitness Zone, Land for People, Land&People, LandVote, Northwoods Initiative, Our Land, Parks for People, ParkScore, The Trust for Our Land, The Trust for Public Land, TPL, and The Trust for Public Land and LandVote logos and all other names of The

personal—the product of our individual curiosi-

choice by offering our expertise in conservation

ties, boundaries, and aspirations. But whatever

planning and ﬁnancing, park design, and land

adventure means to you, chances are, you’ll ﬁnd

acquisition—all informed by more than 40 years We couldn’t do this work without the sup-

adventures near and far. While the settings are

port of people like you. Wherever you go for

very different—from a meandering river in Geor-

adventure, we hope you’ll continue to help us

gia to a mountain range in California—you’ll

make the case for the ongoing protection of our

ﬁnd that the people working to protect them

treasured and increasingly endangered public

have a lot in common. In each story, residents

lands. At tpl.org/publiclands, you’ll ﬁnd more

are striving to support their neighbors while also

information on how to help us preserve our

reaching out to adventure seekers farther aﬁeld.

national parks, forests, wildlife refuges—and all

And each community is ﬁnding that land conser-

the places we go to ﬁnd adventure.

vation has practical beneﬁts beyond the personal satisfaction we ﬁnd in the great outdoors. As one Sierra Nevada business leader told us, “Our natural resources aren’t just critical for the recreation economy, but for the entire economy of the region.” At The Trust for Public Land, we believe invest-

Trust for Public Land programs referenced herein, as well as their logos, are registered or common law trademarks of The Trust for Public Land.

ing in parks and public land is a sensible and

Will Rogers

sustainable strategy for creating healthy, livable

president and ceo

communities for generations to come. We’re proud to assist towns and cities that make that

T P L. O R G · 11

BE A LEADER. Connect more people to nature by becoming a Conservation Champion today. With your annual leadership-level contribution of $2,000 or more in general support you will receive invitations to special events and insider updates on our park and conservation strategies.

Learn more about the impact you will have as a Conservation Champion. Call Haley Nielsen at 415.800.5189.

conservation ch a mpions tpl . org/ champion s | ch ampion s @tpl.org

board spotlight

Get to know BOARD O F D I RECTO RS

Thomas S. Reeve

Page Knudsen Cowles has served on the

sarah derag o n

chair

Page Knudsen Cowles national board of The Trust for Public Land since 2000 and recently concluded her term

Stephen W. Baird

as chair. She has also served on the boards of George Bell

the Children’s Theater Company, Planned Page Knudsen Cowles

Parenthood Minnesota/South Dakota, St. Paul William J. Cronon

Academy and Summit School, Graywolf Press, Douglas Durst

and Unity Avenue Foundation, and is president F. Whitney Hatch

of the Madison Valley Park Foundation. A

Ignacia S. Moreno

Chartered Financial Analyst, she is a director of

Caroline P. Niemczyk

Lawrence Creek, LLC, a private investment

Michael E. Patterson

company, and managing director of Knudsen

Jeffrey A. Resnick

Vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Laura Richards Roy Richards Jr. William B. Rogers Lex Sant Sheryl Tishman F. Jerome Tone Ana Valdez Susan D. Whiting

I JOINED THE BOARD BECAUSE … my childhood

ownership—empowering them to be committed,

friend Martha Wyckoff invited me to a board meet-

long-term stewards.

ing in the Twin Cities. What really drew me in was the energy and enthusiasm of the board: I came for

THE KEY CHALLENGE FACING THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC

the work, but I stayed for the people.

LAND IS … the reauthorization and full funding of

MY PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT AS A BOARD

fortunate to grow our level of private philanthropic

the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We’ve been MEMBER WAS … meeting the philanthropic goals

support, and we’re excited about the possibilities

of our ﬁrst comprehensive campaign, the Power

of public-private partnerships. But public funding

of Place.

still is and always will be critical to our work, and the LWCF is the most signiﬁcant source of national

A GREEN ER READ Land&People is printed in the United States on chlorine-free, 30 percent postconsumer recycled paper and manufactured using Envirotech™ ink, which contains a high percentage of ingredients derived from renewable resources. Printed by Quad/ Graphics Inc., Wisconsin.

THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND’S WORK IS UNIQUE

public funding available.

BECAUSE ... we’re the national organization that’s been working to create parks and open space in

I FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD

urban areas ever since our founding in 1972.

WHEN … the dads in our family took my broth-

That sets us apart from other groups with large-

ers, cousins, and me on a backpacking trip in the

landscape conservation as their core mission. Our

Oregon Cascades. We slept out on tarps, scrambled

work has always been about land for people, and

up scree ﬁelds, and drank right out of mountain

people increasingly live in cities—so our urban

streams. I’ll always remember the sense of freedom,

work is becoming ever more important.

awe, and respect for the natural world I gained on that trip.

I SUPPORT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND BECAUSE … the work is relatively permanent in an everchanging world. We ask communities what is important to them and help them realize their vision. When the space is complete, people feel a sense of

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Tell us how you connect with nature. Join the conversation on Facebook: facebook.com/tpl.org T P L. O R G · 13

contributors

Hollis Bennett

Ian MacLellan

Jonathan Mingle

story:

The Blueway Forward

Owning Ascutney

Hollis Bennett is an award-winning

Ian MacLellan is a photographer and ﬁlm-

Jonathan Mingle is a Vermont-based free-

photographer based in Nashville, Tennessee.

maker based in Somerville, Massachusetts—

lance writer whose work has appeared in The

Originally from Knoxville, he’s lived in big

he can often be found exploring the woods

New York Times, Slate, The Boston Globe, Undark,

cities and remote communities on three

of New England. In between assignments and

Atlas Obscura, and Quartz. His 2015 book Fire

different coasts—East, West, and Alaskan—

editing, Ian rock climbs, runs, canoes, surfs,

and Ice: Soot, Solidarity, and Survival on the Roof

and can ﬁnd common ground with almost

and bikes; he has a practiced eye for images

of the World examines the global health and

anyone: his work has appeared everywhere

of people enjoying the outdoors.

climate impacts of black carbon pollution.

from The Hollywood Reporter to Field&Stream.

maclellanimages.com

jonathanmingle.com

EVEN MORE LAND&PEOPLE Download the free Land&People iPad app—available now at the App Store. The digital edition includes all the stories you love in high resolution, plus bonus content like video, search tools, easy social media sharing, and instant links to learn more. If you don’t have an iPad, you can access the digital edition online at tpl.org/lpdigital. Wherever you see the pointer symbol below, you’ll ﬁnd bonus content in the digital edition. Download the app or go online to dive deeper into the story.

1 4 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

ipa d is a registered tra demark of ap ple inc ., registered in the u.s. and other countries. app store is a service mark of apple inc.

hollisbennett.com

mailroom

sh asta g ren ier

JOI N OUR COMMUNI TY Count on Olympian Kara Winger to make a point of public lands! Join us on social media for inspiration from athletes, artists, and everyday

court esy kara w in g er

advocates for parks and open space.

LOVE PARKS? TAKE NOTE!

Last summer, we asked these kids to imagine their dream park. This summer, we’re building it: groundbreaking for Story Mill Community Park in Bozeman, Montana, is right around the corner.

We want to hear your ideas, too: tell us about your perfect park—or let us know what you think about the people and places in this issue of Land&People. You can reach us by mail, on Facebook, or at mailroom@tpl.org.

F A L L / W I N T E R 2 0 16 A BENEFIT TO MEMBERS OF TH

E TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND

Now, more than ever …

+ Federal lands are the birthright of all

Our readers believe in land

Americans, not just the powerful and

for people.

well placed. We need these lands to remain under federal management and

Why we believe in the

10-minute walk

+ YOSEMITE GAINS 400 ACRES + A TRIBE RETURNS TO THE COAST + TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS ON TELLING THE WHOLE STORY

+ I love the work you do! It is so

ownership as they are for all genera-

important, so humane—and so

tions to come.

human. The completed projects

Shari Kearney, via the blog

affect the lives of so many everyday, ordinary people of all kinds,

+ Land&People magazine is excellent,

in so many positive ways. The

and I’m hoping it will be a recruiting

Trust for Public Land’s publica-

tool during this time of public lands

tions are the only ones I really

crisis. The Trust for Public Land saved

read. They’re compelling, inter-

my backyard at Early Winters, Washing-

esting, and focused on people.

ton—I carved the sign that stands at the

Thank you for the marvelous

primary trail intersection there.

work you are doing.

Eric Burr, Mazama, Washington

Judy Kirman, via email T P L. O R G · 15

rach id dah n o u n

n ich ol as l ea b r u n o

mailroom

The spirit of aloha In Hawaii, The Trust for Public Land works to protect places that honor Hawaiian heritage — like the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. + The Island of Hawaii is our adopted home. I work in the community as a healthcare provider, and we have been blessed to be welcomed with aloha to our new home. In becoming members of the community, we respect the traditions of those people who have lived here for hundreds of years, and who had such intimate relationships with the land and the ocean. We feel fortunate that these traditions are kept alive

A tribe returns to the California coast

Protecting ‘America’s best idea’

by current generations of Hawaiians.

Readers were moved by the story of

+ Thanks for the great article on the

We look forward to walking portions of

the Kashia people, reunited with their

marvelous addition to Saguaro National

the trail and maybe hearing some of the

ancestral land after being forced inland

Park. I live next to the Rincon Moun-

stories being told in the waves, the land,

more than a century ago.

tains, surrounded by these amazing

and the wind.

cacti. Being situated on the top of a hill,

Ross Hardwick, via the blog

+ This does my heart and soul good. We

I love watching the monsoon thunder-

are, as a global community, becoming

storms roll in—but, sadly, our two big-

wiser and more respectful of each other

gest saguaros were killed by lightning.

and our surroundings. Thanks to all of

We had a snowstorm and week-long

those that made this wonderful accom-

freeze a few years ago during which the

plishment happen.

park lost a number of the “ancients.”

Doug Dawson, via Facebook

They’re not invincible, and they must be protected.

WATCH THE VIDEO @

TPL.ORG/KASHIA

Karen Christian, via the blog

robb hirsch

+ Reading about how The Trust for

Vote #YesOnA to make sure our #LosAngelesParks stay safe, clean, and healthy!

Public Land helped Yosemite grow by 400 acres sparked my interest, so I went to your website—where I saw that you

actor julia louis-dreyfus

also recently helped Saguaro National

(@officialjld) tweeted her support for

Park expand. This kind of work, helping

measure a — which went on to win in

preserve land for parks, is exactly why

november. learn more on page 21.

I make donations … a small token of thanks and appreciation for what your organization does. Michele Aubry, Alexandria, Virginia 1 6 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

LAND&PEOPLE IS LISTENING! Send letters to the editor or change your mailing address: mailroom@tpl.org.

adventure is worthwhile in itself. a m eli a ea r h a rt

Talk about good problems: the Saddle Boulders are a climber’s dream. Sierra Nevada gems (and granite) like this are protected thanks to your support. Learn more on page 32.

turn the page for … an artist ’s inspiration a real celebrity workout 50-foot-tall cacti T P L. O R G · 17

edible conservation

Starting fresh

zena springs farm school, salem, oregon

Unlike a lot of kids their age, the

developed. Today, she teaches gardening

to cook with what they harvest, kids

students at the Zena Springs Farm

and cooking to students aged 5 to 14,

get a hands-on education in ecology by

School in Oregon’s Willamette Valley

many of whom have struggled to suc-

exploring the property’s varied habitats.

know exactly where their food comes

ceed in traditional classroom settings.

from—because they grow it themselves.

“Throughout the harvest cycle,

By immersing the valley’s youth in the day-to-day work of sustainable farm-

And once they pick their produce, they

there’s a task for every kid, at every

ing, Walton aims to bolster the region’s

know where it’s headed, too: they carry

age. We’d have ﬁve-year-olds who are

network of small farms. “I know a lot of

the harvest about 20 steps from the

the best at starting a tray of seeds—it’s

the small farmers in the area, and they

garden to a kitchen built into an old

that kind of meticulous work that really

always need skilled labor,” she says. “I’d

barn, rinse off the mud and bugs, and

appeals to that age group. Ten-year-olds,

like the farm school to be a place where

get cooking.

just give them a shovel and they’ll dig

kids can learn those skills, and maybe

“Kids love to be in the garden, and

all day.”

get a job nearby once they graduate.”

they love to cook,” says Anne Walton,

The Trust for Public Land has helped

Even if her students opt for a less

who started the school at Zena Springs

gardens grow at schools across the

muddy career path, Walton knows that

in 2014. Walton worked with The Trust

country. But at Zena Springs, the garden

lessons learned from a season of farm-

is the school—and so are the creeks,

ing will stick with them. “If you can tell

pastures, forests, and wetlands that

people you have farm experience, they

in her family for more than a century—

make up Walton’s 160-acre farm. Along

know you’ve had to really work,” she

so that it will never be subdivided or

with tending to crops and learning how

says. “That commands respect.” sarah laduke

for Public Land to create a conservation easement for the farm—which has been

1 8 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

f ran k s. bat h is

buzzworthy

Vegetable fritters O 1-1/2 lbs. zucchini or any summer squash O Salt and pepper O 2 or 3 ears of corn O 2 eggs O 1/3 cup cold water O 1/3 cup ﬂour O 3 tbsp. ﬁnely diced onions O 1/4 tsp. ground cumin O 2 tbsp. oregano, parsley, or basil,

Development plans for this stretch of coast once included a subdivision and a nuclear power plant. Today, it’s protected as a national monument.

chopped (optional) O Olive oil

Using the largest teeth of a grater, grate zucchini onto a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle with salt and let rest while you prepare remaining ingredients. Cook the ears of corn in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cob.

LEARN

“It is not only the prayers and ceremonies of the native people that are needed to save Mother Earth. It is the prayers and ceremonies of all people.”

MORE @

TPL.ORG/ COASTDAIRIES

Wrap zucchini in the kitchen towel and remove excess liquid.

—Valentin Lopez, chair of Amah Mutsun Tribal Band

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, water, and ﬂour. Add the zucchini, corn, onion, cumin,

Ancestors of the Amah Mutsun once walked

pepper, and herbs. Mix well and salt to taste.

the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property, which was

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet on medium-high. Spoon 2-tablespoon mounds of batter into the pan and ﬂatten gently with

designated part of the California Coastal National Monument by outgoing President

spatula. Cook until the fritters are golden

Obama in January. When development threat-

brown, 4 to 6 minutes each side.

ened this seven-mile stretch of open meadows

Makes 14–16 4-inch fritters. Serve with fresh salsa or Greek yogurt, or enjoy them plain. (Adapted from Katherine Deumling’s recipe at cookwithwhatyouhave.com)

and shady redwood groves, supporters of The Trust for Public Land stepped up to protect it. Today, we’re thrilled to see this special place get the recognition it deserves. F I R ST LO O K · 19

david diaz n g

So L.A.

good news

READY TO SEE OR BE SEEN AT RUNYON CANYON? HERE ARE FOUR TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF THIS L.A. LANDMARK. B E AT THE HE AT The steep hillsides sport wild chaparral and vibrant wildﬂowers in the spring, but there’s little tree cover for shade: bring plenty of water

and get an early start to avoid hiking in the heat of the day.

B .Y. O. G L A MOUR Runyon’s location makes it prime for celebrity spotting. But why spend your trail time scouting out stars when you can be one yourself?

All you need is a ball cap, big sunglasses, and an air of mystery to keep your fellow hikers guessing.

HE E L , SI T, STAY You can expect a sizable canine

In a city as enormous and diverse as Los Angeles, it’s debat-

contingent on the trails at almost

able whether there’s any such thing as the quintessential park

any time of day: part of the park is

experience. But if it exists, you’ll ﬁnd it at Runyon Canyon: 150 acres of open space just blocks from Hollywood Boulevard. At this popular hiking spot on the east end of the Santa

an off-leash area. If you bring four-

legged friends, make sure they’re comfortable running with the pack.

Monica Mountains, a variety of routes—from stroller-friendly ﬁre roads to daring rock scrambles—reward visitors with views that stretch from the downtown skyline to Griffith

STRI K E A P OSE

Observatory. (Also in frame: the Hollywood Sign and, on clear

Outdoor yoga offers an alter-

days, the Paciﬁc Ocean.)

native — or a warm-up — to a

With a backdrop like that, it’s no wonder the park is

Runyon hike or run. Classes are

a favorite of Angelenos from all walks of life. But even Runyon regulars seldom realize that until earlier this year, a good chunk of the canyon was privately owned. When the property came up for sale and was threatened by development, The Trust for Public Land was able to protect it.

2 0 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

offered daily and are free, though

donations in the $5–$15 range are a welcome addition to your “Namaste.”

word watch

B ILLION

what counts

saguaro /s '·(g)wär·ō/ … in park and conservation funding was approved by voters across

(n.) A species of cactus that can grow up to

the country in the November 2016 election. In all, 86 state and local ballot

50 feet tall — and the namesake of one of the

measures got the go-ahead—proving once again that love of the land can unite Americans of all political stripes. The Trust for Public Land pitched in on 31 of those winning initiatives,

few national parks to border a major metro. Located just outside Tucson, Arizona, Saguaro

including Boston’s Community Preservation Act. Boston established its

National Park expanded by almost 300 acres

ﬁrst park back in 1634, and a rich heritage of public spaces has been a part

last fall thanks to supporters of The Trust

of the city’s identity ever since. But today, population and housing prices are soaring—forcing tough choices about land use—while climate change and sea level rise pose threats to low-lying neighborhoods. Passage of

for Public Land. That’s good news for city dwellers seeking a desert escape, and for

the measure creates new funding for affordable housing, historic preserva-

thirsty plants and wildlife: the addition pro-

tion, and parks—including green infrastructure solutions that can help

tects a segment of Rincon Creek, the park’s

alleviate ﬂooding.

largest seasonal stream.

learn more @ TPL.ORG/FUNDING

learn more @ TPL.ORG/CACTUSFACTS

F I R ST LO O K · 21

do u g l as bar n es ph oto g raph y

buzzworthy

“We, as a species, are meant to be moving. I can’t overemphasize for

Without public access points for paddlers and anglers, the Teton River would be out of reach.

my patients the importance of getting out and walking in a park. It makes all the difference in the world.” —Dr. Grace Alfonsi, MD

Keeping summer fun aﬂoat The most popular access point to the Teton River has long been a gravel boat ramp located on private land just west of Driggs, Idaho. On summer days, this spot is a bustle of canoeists, paddleboarders, and families ﬂoating

Dr. Alfonsi leads health-focused walks at

on inner-tubes—all looking to cool off on the river’s lazy curves through

neighborhood parks all over the city of

the plains near the Wyoming border. It’s also a hub for ﬂy-ﬁshing guides

Denver — including Mestizo-Curtis Park,

and local anglers hoping to snare a Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

recently rebuilt with help from The Trust for

“The boat ramp is a wonderful access to a legendary, blue-ribbon ﬁshery

Public Land. A new Fitness Zone® area, play-

that we’re lucky to have,” says Perk Perkins, CEO of the sporting brand

ground, and walking paths offer an array of

Orvis. “At the same time, it could be a lot better—there’s never enough

options for outdoor workouts that the doctor says can lower the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and other ailments.

parking, it’s all rutted out, and nobody really takes care of it.” When Perkins heard that the boat ramp was on the market last year, he was one of the many anglers who pitched in to protect it for the public. Thanks to their support, The Trust for Public Land was able to purchase the

LEARN MORE ABOUT MESTIZO-CURTIS PARK @ TPL.ORG/MESTIZOCURTIS

80-acre property and transfer it to Teton County. Work is now under way on the ﬁrst phase of the future Bates Teton River Access Park: improved parking and a better boat ramp are expected to open this summer.

2 2 · LAND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

good news

A PHOTOGRAPHER HONORS HIS MUSE: a lake Jim Brandenburg has traveled to the ends of the earth

bears, otters, ducks, eagles, owls, and even wolves roaming

as a photographer on assignment for National Geographic. But

the forests nearby.

wherever his camera takes him, Brandenburg’s heart is on the shores of Judd Lake in the Northwoods of Minnesota.

“People tend to think of the Midwest as this vast expanse of ﬂat, homogeneous land, with nothing wild left to offer us,”

“It’s my home, and it’s the center of my universe,” Bran-

says Brandenburg. “But I think the success I’ve had as a pho-

denburg says. “When I’m traveling, I always think back to

tographer is proof of the richness that’s everywhere in this

Judd Lake and it makes me happy.”

part of the country … if you know how to look for it.”

Brandenburg and his wife, Judy, have worked for nearly

Judd Lake now enjoys strong protections that will prevent

their entire adult lives to piece together the properties sur-

it from being subdivided or developed. It will forever welcome

rounding Judd Lake into one protected landscape. Late last

paddlers and hikers to experience the place in much the same

year, after more than a decade of work with The Trust for

way that Brandenburg has: patiently, quietly, in search of mo-

Public Land and local partners, the Brandenburgs conserved a

ments of breathtaking natural beauty.

seamless complex of hundreds of acres of wildlands adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Brandenburg says he felt driven to protect Judd Lake because it was the place that launched his career as one of America’s most acclaimed nature photographers. He has spent

The wild Midwest: it’s out there, if you know where to look.

countless hours over the decades waiting, camera in hand, in all seasons, for the right light to shine on its rippling waters,

jim brandenburg

rocky shores, and tumbling waterfalls. He has photographed

F I R ST LO O K · 23

what counts

meet our staff

a n drew propp

“Whatever your politics, it’s a human impulse to be calmed, refreshed, and rejuvenated by nature. It’s how we’re built.”

10.9 MILLION PEOPLE

BRITNI RILLERA WHY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND’S SENIOR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE IS PROUD TO BE A LOBBYIST MAKING THE CASE FOR PARKS

… will live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the year 2040, according to population projec-

What are you up to in Washington, D.C.?

tions, making this the second-fastest-growing

The Trust for Public Land’s Federal Affairs team makes the case to elected

metro in the country. To ensure that residents

officials that conservation matters—and their constituents deserve and

have somewhere to get outside as the community grows, the city is working with The Trust for Public Land to plan ahead for parks and open space. The Smart Growth for Dallas

beneﬁt from a strong, well-funded system of public lands. We’re a resource for lawmakers who want to do more with public land, and we’re part of the strong national coalition that’s out here defending it from legislative attacks and defunding.

plan kicked off with community workshops

How did you get into this line of work?

and GIS mapping. Both will help identify

I got hooked on policy as an undergraduate and tried a little bit of every-

where parks can do double-duty as protec-

thing in the political world after I graduated—I worked for a Senate com-

tion against ﬂooding and the urban heat

mittee, then the White House, then did some grassroots organizing. All of

island effect—so Dallas can get the most

that conﬁrmed that I’m a policy wonk at heart! I came back to D.C. and

bang for its buck.

began working for Georgia Congressman John Lewis. My biggest accomplishment as part of his team was writing the legislation for expanding the

2 4 · LAND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

Site—which The Trust for Public Land

on Capitol Hill lobbying in support of

helped establish back in the 1970s.

that bill. We want lawmakers to know

How can everyday people become advocates for parks and conservation?

that their constituents, no matter their

There are as many ways to make a dif-

What does a typical day look like for you?

political affiliation, value the parks and

ference as there are places that need

open space that LWCF makes possible—

your help. No matter where you live,

Lobbyists get a bad rap, but at its heart,

and that if the program is cut, their

there is a park nearby that could use

lobbying just means making an argu-

constituents will remember that come

you as a volunteer—and local organiza-

ment to the government—so, I’m a

the next election.

tions that can help you get started. We

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic

right now, so we’re out in the ﬁeld and

lobbyist for parks and public land. Some

also need people to pick up the phone

times I act as a bridge between local

What’s one strategy you’ve used to get representatives to take note of LWCF?

bucket, but having worked on all sides

conservation activists from around the

Well, take my former boss, Congress-

of the process I can promise that your

country and their representatives in D.C.

man Lewis. He’s an icon of the civil

calls are counted. Even if your represen-

These folks might not know the ins and

rights movement, and environmental

tative has a great record on public lands,

outs of Congress, so I try to take that

issues weren’t always a top priority for

call them and let them know you like

days I meet with Congressional staffers to advise them on legislation. Other

and call their representatives. You might feel like you’re just a drop in the

part off of their plate so they can focus

his constituency. But the work that The

what they’re doing! It makes their back-

on telling their story.

Trust for Public Land is doing to put a

bones a little stronger when they’ve got

park within a 10-minute walk of every-

to stand up for these places.

Tell us about the most important thing you’re working on.

one in America’s cities really resonates with him. So I try to communicate

Deﬁnitely the permanent reauthoriza-

that LWCF doesn’t just protect wild or

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

tion and full funding of the Land and

undeveloped land—it’s a crucial part of

I’ve had the chance in the past year to

Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which

our work to build parks in cities across

travel to many of the sites The Trust for

is currently set to expire in 2018. There’s

the country.

a bill to reauthorize it in the House

Public Land is working to protect—like Ackerson Meadow, a 400-acre addition

kyle lanzer

to Yosemite National Park, and the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail in Hawaii. It’s exciting to visit places I never experienced growing up in Los Angeles, and to meet community members there who are working so hard to preserve their cultural connections to the land. It means so much to hear from people about the impact that our work has on their lives.

Though it’s better known for supporting national parks and forests, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is also key to urban parks and greenways — like this one in Cleveland, Ohio.

F I R ST LO O K · 25

WE GIVE TO …

why we give

mich ael matt i

ﬁnish what she started

the achtermans, salem, oregon

“Gail was brilliant, fearless, and wouldn’t take ‘no’ from anybody.” courtesy chris achterman

Siblings Chris and Gail Achterman in 2010.

Elowa Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Conservationist, environmental lawyer,

walk out with a deal.

transportation expert, scholar, athlete,

“She never set out intent on destroy-

Their marching orders received, Achterman’s loved ones began by team-

outdoorswoman … Gail Achterman was

ing the opposition or getting exactly

ing up with The Trust for Public Land.

many things, but her family and friends

what she wanted—for her, it was about

Together, they drummed up the funds

tend to describe her the same way: a

arriving at the best possible solution for

needed to purchase a 290-acre island in

force of nature.

everyone.”

the Willamette River, just a few miles

In a career spanning four decades, Achterman was the driving force be-

Achterman was working to preserve the Willamette Valley’s forests and

upstream of Gail’s childhood home in Salem. Now cared for by the Oregon

hind some of Oregon’s bedrock envi-

rivers when she was diagnosed with

Department of Fish and Wildlife, the

ronmental laws—including the bill that

pancreatic cancer. She passed away in

new Gail Achterman Wildlife Area will

established the Columbia River Gorge

2012 at the age of 62.

National Scenic Area.

But before she died, Achterman

someday serve as a boat-in park and campground.

“Gail was brilliant, fearless, and

gathered her family and friends to

wouldn’t take ‘no’ from anybody,” says

her bedside and gave them some very

her brother, Chris Achterman. “She had

speciﬁc instructions. “She told us what

that now bear her name. It’s a ﬁtting

a unique ability to walk into a room of

her goals were for the future of the Wil-

place to honor her memory, he says: an

Chris knows his sister would have loved to kayak along the forested banks

people who were not prepared to agree

lamette Valley. Then she deputized each

island shaped by the rise and fall of the

with each other on anything—highway

of us to carry on a piece of that work.”

river, still wild thanks to the forces of

contractors on one side of the table,

Chris laughs remembering the scene. “It

nature—Gail included.

salmon habitat folks on the other—and

was so Gail!”

2 6 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

Double your impact today! This year, an anonymous donor will generously match your gift—dollar-for-dollar—if you send it before May 31. Your donation will go even further to help The Trust for Public Land protect more parks, gardens, and other natural places. That’s one good thing made that much better.

ﬁg. 2

good.

better.

Give your EarthShare.

800.714.5263 donor.outreach@tpl.org tpl.org/match

An EarthShare payroll deduction is one simple way to donate to The Trust for Public Land or more than 400 other environmental and conservation charities. Many corporate and government employers support EarthShare payroll giving. If yours doesn’t, ask them to start. If they do, simply decide on a single deduction or a recurring small one from every paycheck. Then designate us, member number 11440, as one of your conservation charities. For more information visit earthshare.org or email donor.outreach@tpl.org.

F I R ST LO O K · 27

alex diekmann

ﬁg. 1

insight

the

2 8 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

matt h ew dah l

Was nature a part of your childhood? I’m from Texas, and I grew up in the city. But on weekends my family would head out to see the grandparents, who had some property outside of town. My dad’s side is hunters, so I spent a lot of time outdoors with my dad and my grandfather and learned a lot about nature and wildlife from them. Age

The river accepts everybody.

eight, nine, ten, I thought I was a little Daniel Boone or Teddy Roosevelt, mounting expeditions by myself in the woods behind my grandparents’ house, setting traps that never caught anything. I was a tough, wild little kid. I didn’t realize it at the time, but now I recognize that mine was not a typical childhood for a young African American boy in that era.

THAT’S WHAT CHAD BROWN likes to tell his teenage

You’re an artist and a designer as well as an outdoorsman. How did you get into that?

students as they follow him into the water. In those moments,

My mom had an artistic, creative energy: she balanced out

these are words of encouragement to ﬁrst-timers — a

that GI Joe mentality I got from running around in the woods

talisman against the foreign feel of the ﬂy ﬁshing rods and

as a kid. She had a sort of Woodstock hippie style in those

the unfamiliar pull of invisible currents. But for Brown himself,

days—involved in theater, always writing poems or singing—

it’s a belief that saved his life.

anything creative moves her.

Brown is a U.S. Navy veteran who in the 1990s served in

As I grew up, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the

the Middle East, Guantanamo Bay, and Somalia. Years after

arts. I got into some art schools and started classes, but it just

he returned home to the states, the symptoms of posttrau-

wasn’t affordable. So after a lot of soul-searching I made the

matic stress disorder caught up with him. He struggled with

choice to enlist in the Navy. I signed up because I had my eye

alcohol and homelessness. He contemplated suicide.

on that diploma and I knew the GI Bill would help me pay for

But at his lowest point, Brown discovered ﬂy ﬁshing and

it. I made a promise to myself that I would come back and ﬁn-

the rivers of the Paciﬁc Northwest. “Whatever medication I

ish—and after my tours of service, that’s what I did. I earned

was on at the time,” he says, “I remember wading into the

my degree and worked in the advertising world in New York

middle of that beauty and feeling really alive for the ﬁrst time

for several years before I came out here to Portland.

in I don’t know how long.” Brown chased that feeling, returning to the rivers until his

That was a tough time for you.

head started to clear. A few years after he ﬁrst picked up a ﬂy

Yes. Moving to Portland—the slower pace and the distance

rod, he launched what would become a successful business,

from my family—it dislodged some of the darkness that I’d

designing fly-fishing gear that reflects his urban roots and

been carrying around with me from my time in the navy. I

military experience. He named the venture Soul River Runs

started drinking; I lost my job and then my housing. I was on

Deep — an homage to all he’s discovered on the water.

and off heavy medications.

And he didn’t stop there. With proﬁts from the business,

I started going ﬁshing in part because I didn’t have a lot else

Brown started a program that brings fellow military veterans

to do. I’d done some rod and reel ﬁshing with my dad when I

together with students from predominately African American

was younger—where we’d dig up a can of worms and go ﬁsh

and Latino neighborhoods in his home city of Portland. To-

for perch—but I learned to cast a ﬂy from watching YouTube

gether, they study the art, science, philosophy, and discipline

and reading books. I spent hours and days hanging around in

of ﬂy ﬁshing.

ﬂy shops. They became like my living room: good conversa-

Though busy preparing for a summer packed full of these

tion, people coming around to talk about this ﬂy and that

“deployments” — river trips from Portland to Michigan and

river. People there didn’t necessarily know my story, but they

all the way up to Alaska — Brown took some time out to talk

accepted me for who I was, and they were down to share what

about what he found when he went looking for ﬁsh.

they knew. My friends on the river became like my family.

I N SI G H T · 29

Do you remember your first catch? The first time I ever hooked into a salmon on a fly rod was

What is it about ﬂy ﬁshing that makes it a good introduction to the natural world?

down on the Sandy River. It was a crazy run—all these salmon

Fly-ﬁshing is something that kids from Portland’s predomi-

were jumping and splashing and raising a ton of noise. For a

nately black and Hispanic neighborhoods have not typically

good four or ﬁve years, moments like that were what I had to

been exposed to. It’s a totally new environment, which helps

live for. I’m saying, I was selling my blood down at the blood

set the stage for learning about themselves and their relation-

bank so I could buy gas for my truck just to get me to the

ship to the natural world.

river. All I knew was that at a time when I was trying to ﬁgure

To be a keyed-in angler, you need to approach it from a sci-

things out and cope with what I was dealing with, ﬁshing

entiﬁc perspective—but also as an art and as a devotion. If you

made me happy.

care about catching a ﬁsh, then you better care about that ﬁsh having clean water to swim in. So we start by talking about

How did you get back on your feet?

ecology and conservation and climate change. Fly ﬁshing is a

One thing I did learn from my military service was to never

thread that weaves so many of these important aspects of our

give up the ﬁght. Life has dealt me an interesting deck of

lives together out on the river.

cards, not all of them good. I can say that life has stripped me ability to punch through to the other side of the pain. And I

What do you hope the students take away from their time on the river with you and the other veterans?

tend to fall back on that discipline the military has given me

There is a certain bond that develops when kids and veterans

to persevere.

are out in nature together, but that weekend deployment on

down to the skin, to the point where all I’ve had left was that

Things changed for me when I launched my business,

the river is just the start. We’re forming a tribe of people that

which melds my two passions: design and ﬂy ﬁshing. Now

stick around for each other. As a veteran, that means going above and beyond the call of duty to stay involved in that kid’s life, their family’s lives. Our vets are showing up to the

Portland with volunteer leaders who are military veterans.

kids’ school assemblies, football games—even a court date. photos pages 30 & 31: chad brown

I’m able to direct a lot of the proﬁts from that toward supporting our program that brings together kids from inner-city

3 0 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

And for their part, when kids come home from the program, they’re talking about their conversations with the veterans and what they’ve experienced in nature, and they’re bringing that like a bottle of medicine and dumping it right into the nucleus of the living room. They are becoming advocates for the environment and bringing their families along with them. I had one parent tell me, “My daughter, when she came back she taught me how to recycle. I’m 55, and for the ﬁrst time in my life we’re actually practicing that in our house.”

All that from a fishing trip? I’m not really out there pushing fly fishing. My soul river is fly fishing, but your soul river could be backpacking, or it could be mountain biking, or writing a poem, or getting real into birds. What I want to highlight for people is that there’s a place in the outdoors where you can find your healing. It’s about knowing where to go that you can find the strength to

Do you have a favorite ﬁshing hole?

deal with whatever life might send your way.

Absolutely I do, but I’m sure not trying to let that information

I think that’s why I like ﬁshing for steelhead. It’s not for the

get out in the world—that’s not how anglers work!

faint of heart. You’ve got to be a little nuts to go out there in the dead of winter, submerge yourself in freezing water waist-

Fair enough. How about a favorite river?

deep so that half your body goes numb while sleet and ice

I do love to go to the Deschutes River, so if I had to pick a

blow in your face. You’re standing there for eight hours trying

favorite that would be it. But I’m always open to exploring

to hook into that one ﬁsh, and chances are you won’t catch

new places across the nation, in search of whatever species

it. Guys go three, four years of not even hooking one. It took

I’m caught up in. But there’s this thing among anglers—it’s

me ﬁve years before I hooked a steelhead. But you remain

kind of like the ﬁsh becomes the by-product. Going ﬁshing

consistent in your approach, getting back to that river every

becomes spiritual. You’re searching for ﬁsh, but you’re also

opportunity you can get, regardless of the weather. It’s kind

searching for happiness. You’re searching within yourself

of like the wild is calling you and you’ve got to be constantly

when you’re on the river. You’re searching for something

answering that phone.

you’ll probably never truly obtain.

I N SI G H T · 31

rachi d dahn ou n

3 2 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

WO R K

HA RD

PL AY

HA RD

story by julia busiek

S I E R R A N EVA DA COM M U NI TI ES T H R I V E BY OF F ER I NG U P EVERY M O U N TA I N SP ORT U ND ER TH E S U N — B U T LOCA L S D ON’T TA KE CO N S E RVATI ON F OR GR A NTED.

T P L. O R G · 33

SADDLE BOULDERS

Castle Valley Trailhead is the gateway to popular destinations including the Donner Rim Trail, the Paciﬁc Crest Trail, and the Peter Grubb Hut. protected: 2016

3 4 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

R OYA L G O R G E

Straddling the Sierra Crest at Donner Summit, 3,000-acre Royal Gorge is the largest cross-country ski resort in North America. protected: 2012

photos, page 34, c lockwise: r ich re id, rachid da hno un, david galson, scot hampton.

West of Truckee, the Saddle Boulders offer an array of challenging bouldering problems on quality Tahoe granite. protected: 2003 CASTLE VALLEY TRAILHEAD

SIERRA BUTTES

In summer, anglers trawl the placid Sardine Lakes while hikers and mountain bikers test themselves on steep and rocky trails. protected: 2011

On the Fourth of July, you’ll ﬁnd Morgan Goodwin—mayor of Truckee, California—camped out with his friends

To “close the checkerboard,” The

and a heap of cooking gear somewhere

Trust for Public Land has worked for

in the Cold Lakes Basin.

decades to conserve the most vulner-

“We all pitch in and feed the thru-

able parcels, transferring them to the

hikers on the Paciﬁc Crest Trail,” he

national forests or local land trusts or

explains, grinning. “We want to blow

protecting them with conservation easements. Since 2007, the organization has

their minds: not just with great food and a friendly welcome, but also with

G AM IN G THE

pursued this work as part of the North-

how amazing our landscape is.”

CHECKERB OA RD

ern Sierra Partnership, a diverse alliance that also includes the Feather River

Even without the surprise meal, this stretch of trail is hardly a tough sell to

In the 19th century, the federal govern-

Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy,

visitors. One can only assume the Sierra

ment surveyed and divided much of

the Sierra Business Council, and Truckee

Nevada has been dropping jaws since

the public domain into parcels, each

Donner Land Trust.

the ﬁrst time anyone set eyes on it—cer-

a square mile. To support the still-

tainly long before John Muir’s ecstatic

young nation’s westward expansion,

acquired and helped to restore thou-

odes ﬁrst dubbed it “the range of light.”

it then granted railway companies a

sands of acres throughout the region,”

Here the mountains beckon in all sea-

right-of-way, plus outright ownership

says Fran Herbst, with the Tahoe

sons, peaks promising a playground of

of alternating parcels within a certain

National Forest. “The Trust for Public

snow-ﬁlled couloirs in winter and alpine

distance of the tracks. The legacy of

Land is the entity we’ve worked with

lakes that mirror the boundless sum-

this approach in the Tahoe region—and

the longest to mitigate the impact of

mer sky. From lazy afternoons to all-day

much of the mountain west—is a check-

the checkerboard. In recent years the

epics, there is something for everyone

erboard pattern of public and private

partnership has been huge in terms of

in the Sierra.

ownership: national forest interspersed

coordinating all the conservation efforts

with logging tracts, vacation homes, and

in the region. The focus they’ve brought

other development.

to this area is really remarkable.”

Their appeal is so broad, in fact, that the region’s popularity as an outdoor recreation destination seems only

“The Northern Sierra Partnership has

The checkerboard presents an array

natural, an inevitability written in the

of challenges for land stewards. It’s

granite. But locals and the conservation

costly and inefficient to plan one square

groups that serve them know their

mile at a time, whether the goal is

community’s success is no accident—

to harvest a forest or restore it. From

and the future is not set in stone.

mountain biking to deer hunting, most outdoor recreation—and the jobs and revenue that come with it—requires unbroken expanses of public land. And then there’s wildlife, wildﬁre, and

photos, page 35: ric h reid .

water: interdependent natural systems whose impacts are felt well beyond the Tahoe region.

T P L. O R G · 35

In addition to its savvy deal makers, The Trust for Public Land offers special expertise in Geographic Information Systems, or GIS. Detailed mapping— incorporating “layers” of data about everything from wildlife populations A LA N DS CA P E -S IZ ED

to timber yields—helps the partnership

Jameson Stafford, a recent transplant

BALA N C I N G ACT

direct its resources where they’ll have

to the ski town of Incline Village, counts

the greatest impact.

himself among such people. “Back in

“Land conservation is a very oppor-

Los Angeles, people love to say you can

has protected more than 100,000 acres

tunistic game,” says Perry Norris of

go to the beach and the mountains in

for the public. Its success is due in part

Truckee Donner Land Trust. “In recent

the same day. But I’ve never known

to the complementary strengths of

years, a number of key parcels came

anyone who ever did—it’s basically

its member organizations: from trail

for sale at the same time, and because

impossible,” says Stafford. “Here, you

building and landscape restoration to

we were prepared we were able to

can totally do that. I can go skiing in

fundraising and tricky negotiations, a

protect them.”

the morning and relax by the lake in

forte of The Trust for Public Land since

Part of that groundwork is bringing

its founding by a group of conservation-

everyone to the table—ranchers, timber

While Stafford moved in search of a

minded lawyers and real estate profes-

companies, small-business owners, and

less urban lifestyle, Rachel McCullough

sionals back in 1972.

more—to triage sometimes competing

and her husband, Garrett, relocated to

land-use needs. “Ranching and timber

Truckee after years of living and work-

is able to move quickly when govern-

production are an important part of the

ing in Yosemite National Park. “We

ment agencies can’t,” says Trust for

culture and economy,” Bavinger says.

were sort of heartbroken to have to

Public Land project manager Markley

So is recreation: that’s worth more than

leave Yosemite,” she says. “But we liked

Bavinger. She points to Royal Gorge—

$85 billion a year statewide. It’s impor-

that Truckee was big enough to give us

a popular cross-country ski area pro-

tant to strike the right balance.”

professional opportunities without

“By working together, the partnership

the afternoon. You can’t beat that.”

tected with Truckee Donner Land Trust

Steve Frisch, executive director of

and others in the partnership—as an

the Sierra Business Council, agrees. “Our

When I show up to work in my

example.

natural resources aren’t just critical for

hiking clothes, no one bats an eye,”

losing access to amazing wilderness.

“At one point the seller was asking

the recreation economy, but for

McCullough says. “It’s totally normal.

more than $75 million, but ultimately

the entire region,” he says. “People

I deﬁnitely wouldn’t do that in

market forces and bankruptcy negotia-

come here for the natural beauty, they

downtown San Francisco.”

tion brought the price to about a ﬁfth of

move here, they start businesses here—

that value,” Bavinger says. “It was a tiny

so it’s not just recreation, but also real

window of opportunity, but we were

estate, retail, professional services, you

able to make it happen. Our national

name it.”

forests really need nonproﬁt partners to take advantage of opportunities like that: we’re more nimble and able to take risks.”

3 6 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

photos, page 36, c lockwise: r ich re id, emily scannell, rich reid.

For the past decade, the partnership

SCHALLENBERGER RIDGE

From the summit of this rocky ridge, hikers and mountain bikers who make the 1,000-foot climb are rewarded with a striking view of Donner Lake. protected: 2003

SECRET LAKE

W E B B E R FA L L S

photos, page 37, c lockwise: e lizabeth ca rm el, em ily scannell, p hil schermeister, william poole.

FORNI RANCH

If protected, Forni Meadows could serve as a new access point to Desolation Wilderness — one of the most popular backpacking destinations in the country. in progress

Near its headwaters, the Little Truckee River plunges through a granite canyon— scouring out a string of natural swimming holes perfect for a lazy summer afternoon. protected: 2009

Secret Lake offers a quiet spot for fishing and reflection not far off the beaten track of the Pacific Crest Trail. protected: 2010

T P L. O R G · 37

N EX T M OV E S

drilling toward protecting land and supporting community parks. Though it

In Frisch’s view, consolidating the

uses no taxpayer money and has strong

checkerboard is vital to economic sus-

bipartisan support, the fund is fre-

tainability well beyond the Sierra com-

quently raided for other purposes—and

munities he represents. “The Trust for

will expire altogether if not renewed by

Public Land’s effort to make manage-

Congress in 2018.

ment more efficient is really important

Uncertainty over how much—or even

to the entire state,” he says. “This re-

one of the most-visited wilderness area

whether—the Land and Water Conser-

gion is a source of water for two-thirds

in the country. Little wonder it has been

vation Fund will contribute adds a layer

of Californians. As the Sierra forests go,

on the Forest Service’s conservation

of complexity to conservation in the

so goes the water supply.”

wish list for more than 50 years.

Sierra. Nonetheless, Bavinger remains

As the partnership plans for the

There’s a catch, though: the same

optimistic that the partnership’s close

years ahead, water is increasingly

meadowlands valuable for preserving

coordination and data-driven approach

the determining factor in identifying

water quality, wildlife habitat, and rec-

can continue to close the checker-

conservation priorities. Years of drought

reation access are also prime locations

board—and help communities get the

and wildﬁre—followed by a season of

for development—and demand is high.

most out of the land.

landslides and ﬂash ﬂooding—have un-

Just as the downturn put places like

“Conservation is not about simply

derscored the importance of protecting

Royal Gorge within reach for conserva-

changing ownership from private to

the natural systems that capture, store,

tionists, boom times in the Reno-Sparks

public,” she says. “Together, we’re also

and release water over time.

metro and the San Francisco Bay Area

supporting restoration, trail building,

are driving up land prices in the Tahoe

and management approaches that can

in on sites that will contribute to the

region. Though the local workforce

help meet people’s needs for income,

resiliency of the larger landscape as the

faces a housing crunch, most new

recreation, and escape.”

climate changes. Of particular interest

construction is for second homes—like

to The Trust for Public Land are alpine

a billion-dollar expansion of the resort

on the support of locals and visitors

meadows, which act as ﬁre breaks and

community at Squaw Valley.

alike—a conviction that whether the

natural ﬁltration systems and provide habitat for diverse plants and wildlife. The organization is working with the

“It can feel insatiable,” says Bavinger.

In these efforts, the partnership relies

Sierra is your long summer vacation or

“Whenever you think the needs have

quick weekend ski trip, your training

been met, the pressure increases.”

ground, your workplace, or your home,

Forest Service to protect Forni Mead-

you have a stake in its survival. In a

ows, more than a hundred acres of

place where natural forces are ﬁckle

former ranchland within the Eldorado

D O W N TO B ED ROCK

National Forest. Though it has seen

and conservation opportunities can appear and disappear overnight, peo-

grazing and logging in the past, the

As market forces and weather patterns

ple’s love for these mountains, Bavinger

land has been untouched for the past 20

shift, the funding climate is chang-

says, is a constant.

years and is in good health—it even sup-

ing, too. Much of the Northern Sierra

“So many people care about this

ports a population of the endangered

Partnership’s accomplishments have

place,” she says. “When it comes down

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog. Forni

beneﬁted from the Land and Water

to it, they’ll step up to protect it. This is

Meadows is also the last private holding

Conservation Fund, a federal program

California’s big backyard.”

with access to Desolation Wilderness,

that for half a century has funneled oil and gas companies’ fees for offshore

3 8 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

photo, page 3 8: emily scannell.

In the Sierra, that means zeroing

THE BLUEWAY FORWARD

THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER ONCE POWERED AN INDUSTRIAL BOOM, AND ABSORBED THE UNCHECKED POLLUTION THAT CAME WITH IT. NOW, THESE LOCALS HOPE TO PUT THEIR RIVER TO WORK AGAIN — THIS TIME, AS A PLACE TO PLAY. STORY: ROBYNNE BOYD. PHOTOS: HOLLIS BENNET T.

T P L. O R G · 39

HERE’S A BIG RIVER AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE …

or so says Dawson Ingram. He’s leading me through the sprawling maze of the old Langdale Mill in Valley, Alabama. The abandoned textiles complex sits right on the Chattahoochee—a major waterway that runs along the border with Georgia—but from where I stand all I can see are tall weeds and crumbling brick. Ingram works for electrical utility Georgia Power, which owns about 200 miles of Chattahoochee riverfront. “The Chattahoochee is Georgia’s greatest natural resource,” he says, unlocking a gate at the head of a gravel path. “Nearly three million people drink the water, and its dams generate about six percent of Georgia Power’s energy.” Sure, I think to myself as I step through the gate. But where is it? Just as I’m beginning to question Ingram’s route, the trail opens up to reveal the river: a shimmering, lazy expanse about 200 feet across. Tall ash trees and alders lean out over the water, and lush willows crowd the banks across from the new boat ramp. It’s a pretty basic setup—just a ﬂoating aluminum dock and a concrete causeway sloping into the water, where paddlers and motorboat pilots can safely pull ashore ahead of the dam that’s just downstream. Around here, it can be hard to reach or even catch a glimpse of the Chattahoochee, much less get boats on and off the water. Trails down to the riverbank are unmarked and typically cross private property; developed public access points are few and far between. But this modest boat ramp is one part of an ambitious plan to change that: the Chattahoochee Valley Blueway. Just as a greenway carves out a route for pedestrians and cyclists on land, a “blueway” provides a system of boat launches, portages, campgrounds, and riverside parks to make it safer and simpler to travel long distances on water. With help from The Trust for Public Land, locals hope the Chattahoochee Valley Blueway will one day draw boaters, paddlers, and anglers to explore the still-wild river—and breathe new life into once-industrial communities yet to ﬁnd a replacement for their shuttered mills.

4 0 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

A “BLUEWAY” PROVIDES A SYSTEM OF BOAT LAUNCHES, PORTAGES, CAMPGROUNDS, AND RIVERSIDE PARKS

T P L. O R G · 41

HUNDRED YEARS AGO, the Chatta-

hoochee Valley was a thriving hub of the U.S. textile industry. As the river passed through booming mill towns like West Point, Lanett, and Langdale, its steady current powered mills where raw cotton was woven into cloth, then shipped downstream to the Gulf of Mexico and on to consumers at home and abroad. But as manufacturers moved overseas in the latter half of the 20th century, the valley’s industrial engine sputtered to a halt. Travis Carter is the planning director for Valley, Alabama, and he doesn’t sugarcoat his answer when I ask him what that’s like: “Growth here is really, really slow,” he says. Median household income in the city of 9,500 is still more than $10,000 below the national average. Only ﬁve or six new homes are built each year. A few years ago, The Trust for Public Land got together with Carter and a handful of other civic leaders in the Chattahoochee Valley to kick around ideas for revitalizing the region. They represented communities with similar goals: boosting the local economy, improving public health outcomes, attracting young people—and carving out an identity as a place with something to offer. Talk kept coming back to the river, the region’s most signiﬁcant natural resource. A century ago, it was the engine that powered the valley’s industrial growth. But there’s more to the Chattahoochee than raw power: it offers both mellow paddling and whitewater rapids—“mild to wild,” locals like to say—plus vibrant forests, a rich cultural history, and moderate water temperature year-round. With these assets in mind, Carter and the others wondered if their river could be harnessed again—this time, as a recreation destination. “Recreational development could jump-start jobs and wages,” Carter says. “Growth could snowball, bringing people to the town, and then industry, and maybe even schools— since we don’t have a school system here in Valley. I don’t want to exaggerate, but the blueway is the kind of thing we need to get this city going.”

4 2 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

THE BLUEWAY OFFERS BOTH MELLOW PADDLING AND WHITEWATER RAPIDS — FROM “MILD TO WILD.”

the countryside we’re passing through. Seaver Taylor, also a guide, keeps busy scanning the water—he’ll detour for even the smallest riffle, shimmying over with a loud whoop. We pass small islands that look like they’d make great camping spots for an overnight ﬂoat trip, but the riverbank is lined with dense stands of ironwood, sumac, and oak: you’d need to scout for a good spot to come ashore. To portage around Crow Hop Dam, we beach our kayaks in a nondescript stand of trees and carry them on our backs along a faint, muddy trail that winds through the woods to the bottom of the dam. I never would have found it without my guides. “This stretch of the Chattahoochee is raw,” says Chambliss. “That’s the most basic way of saying it.” And it’s true: the trip is as notable for what we don’t see as for what we do. There are no other boats or people on the water, no roads or cars on the shore. The trees stand silhouetted against an empty blue sky. The silence feels like treasure. It’s part of the river’s appeal. But even the most basic signage and trail maintenance would go a long way toward making it more feasible for visitors to experience this side of the TO SEE FOR MYSELF whether the blue-

Chattahoochee for themselves. Like

way plan might hold water, I need to get

Ingram and Carter, Chambliss believes

out on the river. That’s how I ﬁnd my-

there’s value to be found in striking the

self wedged into the cockpit of a little

balance between the river’s wild nature

red kayak, just downstream from the

and accessibility: both for communities

Langdale Mill. I’m staring up at the slick

in need of an economic boost, and for

stone face of a dam as water gushes over

visitors who want a chance to share the

its edge. It may only be 15 feet high, but

region’s beauty.

from where I sit bobbing in the water, it feels like Niagara Falls.

As we continue downstream, I wonder whether that balance point might

My guide, Will Chambliss, helps run

be the blueway. Immersed in thought, I

a raft and kayak outﬁtter called White-

almost miss the lone bald eagle hover-

Water Express. As we paddle, he reels

ing overhead.

off facts about the river, each rapid, and

T P L. O R G · 43

S AN ARGUMENT for the

river’s potential, blueway believers point to Columbus, Georgia, a city of almost 200,000 people about 50 miles downstream from Valley. In the 1980s, Columbus looked a lot like any other mill town along the Chattahoochee. The riverbanks—and the job market—were dominated by hydropower and faltering textile factories. People shied away from downtown, where the combined sewer-stormwater system ﬂushed foul-smelling effluent straight into the river. “Columbus turned its back to the river,” explains Mathews Swift, president of a local real estate company. The turning point came in the late 1980s, when the federal government introduced requirements for treating wastewater before releasing it into rivers and streams. To meet the new standards, the city of Columbus installed a new sewer system under the banks of the Chattahoochee—and while they were at it, began construction on what would become a 15-mile linear park on top. The combined effect of cleaner water and easier access for pedestrians and cyclists was a revival that built on itself. After the RiverWalk came a footbridge to Phenix City, Columbus’s neighbor across the river in Alabama. Condos, restaurants, bars, and shops gradually transformed the postindustrial uptown district from a no-go zone into an attraction. “It used to be just a dirt road and a stench down here,” says a man I meet out walking his dog on the pathway. “No one used to live downtown, but now it can be a real hoot on a summer night.”

4 4 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

T P L. O R G · 45

“FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVERYBODY FELT OWNERSHIP IN THE RIVER.”

4 6 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

SUCCESS ON THE SCALE THAT COLUMBUS has achieved

takes time and planning—the slow and often painstaking Swift would agree. “Beyond the

work of coalition building, fundraising, and investment

economics of it, what the RiverWalk did

required to break ground on a project like the RiverWalk

for us is hard to measure. For the ﬁrst

or whitewater park. To navigate the long road to a ﬁnished

time, everybody felt ownership in the

blueway, civic leaders from Chattahoochee Valley towns are

river,” he says. “They could bring Aunt

looking to The Trust for Public Land for help.

Suzie from Minnesota and show it off. It

“The idea and desire to reclaim the river for people to enjoy

instilled pride. And that pride brought

came from the communities on its banks,” says The Trust

people together to ask, ‘What else can

for Public Land’s Susan Patterson. “They know how much

we do to enhance the area?’”

potential the Chattahoochee holds. And we have more than

Their answer: the Columbus White-

four decades of direct experience helping people unlock that

water Park. In 2012, The Trust for Public

potential—to date, we’ve conserved 18,000 acres along the

Land helped the city purchase the land

river and created more than 20 new parks in 15 cities.”

under two outdated dams. Crews demol-

In its early stages, one of the biggest hurdles ahead for the

ished the dams and used the rubble to

Chattahoochee Valley Blueway is the complexity of property

build a course of whitewater rapids on

ownership along the river. Land for boat ramps, portage

the river, right in the middle of town.

trails, and other basic facilities currently belongs to an

Adjustable ﬂow rates mean the park can

array of city and state governments, private individuals, and

offer different experiences at different

companies—like Georgia Power. In addition, the distance

times of day: from beginner-friendly

from the region’s economic center in Atlanta has made it

waves to the only urban Class V rapid

tougher to raise the signiﬁcant private funds needed to

in the country. The variety helped draw

jump-start the planning process.

30,000 kayakers, rafters, paddleboarders,

Nevertheless, Patterson and her colleagues are working

and even surfers in the past year—not

to rally key stakeholders behind the idea of a river revival.

to mention spectators who gather to

They’re applying for grants and turning the expertise of The

catch the action from the shore.

Trust for Public Land’s GIS mapping team toward identifying

The Chattahoochee Brewing

potential sites for blueway infrastructure. And they’re gather-

Company is a stone’s throw from the

ing examples from across the country to help make the case

water’s edge and a favorite spot for

for support.

paddlers recapping the day’s adventures

“Communities that invest in their waterways see great

over a beer. (The bar’s motto: “It ain’t

returns,” says Lelia Mellen, a project director for the National

gonna drink itself.”) “The whitewater

Water Trails System, the National Park Service program that

park and the RiverWalk have deﬁnitely

works to support blueway development on rivers all across the

impacted my business,” says owner

country. “Look at what’s happening on the Bronx River, the

Derrell Winowich. “The foot traffic has

North Forest Canoe Trail in the Northeast, or the Rock River

picked up dramatically. People walk in

in Illinois, to name just a few. Water trails generate spending

wearing bathing suits, water shoes, you

and jobs at outﬁtters, gear shops, restaurants, inns, and other

name it.”

touch points for the tourism industry. And we see indirect

“I would consider the investment in the river one of the best things if not the best thing that has happened

beneﬁts, too, because people want to live in and move to towns that have these kinds of amenities.” With that in mind, planner Travis Carter is making head-

to the area in a long time,” says

way one property at a time: he’s convinced the city to acquire

Winowich. “It has put us on the map.”

800 feet of riverfront next door to the hospital, which owns another 600 feet. A quarter-mile stretch might not seem like much, but Carter believes it could be enough to make a start at reconnecting his community with the Chattahoochee. T P L. O R G · 47

ack on the river, Will Chambliss, too, is keeping the faith. “If we can get the blueway aﬂoat, there will be a time when thousands of people a year come down this river,” the guide says. “I’m as local as they get around here, and I’ve got as much of a stake in this as anybody. I’d love to see my hometown do something that cool.” A ﬁnished blueway is a long way off, to be sure. But there’s something about the stillness on this stretch of water that puts the years of effort to come in perspective. The Chattahoochee has powered its communities’ prosperity before. In the silence that settles around us as we drift downstream, there seems time enough for these waters to help the valley thrive again.

4 8 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

leave a

LEGACY.

Protect the places you love by making a gift to The Trust for Public Land in your estate plans. By naming The Trust for Public Land as a beneﬁciary of your will, living trust, or retirement account, you can make a visionary gift that will conserve land for generations to come. For more information, please contact Gardner Trimble at 415.800.5208.

t p l. o rg / p la n n e d g i v i n g · p l a n n e d g i v i ng@t pl. o rg

Owning

story: jonathan mingle. photos: ian maclellan.

5 0 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

Ascutney

When the people of one Vermont town stood to lose their ski spot, they took matters—and the mountain—into their own hands.

T P L. O R G · 51

Jim Lyall is heading up Mt. Ascutney again,

and I’m trying to keep up. It’s a cold December day in south-

and oak, noting that such a mix of species is rare: Ascutney’s

ern Vermont, but just a few inches of crunchy snow coat

unusual geology makes it a biodiversity hot spot.

the ground—not quite enough for the ski tour we’d planned.

There is in fact a lot to discover on this backyard mountain,

Instead, we’re hiking a winding route up the mountain’s

Lyall says—not only a range of plants and wildlife, a healthy

western ﬂank.

watershed, and working timberland—but adventure, too. Two

The trail is called Cloud Climber, and the name suits: at

winters ago, thanks to a string of snowstorms, he logged a

3,130 feet, Ascutney looms over the low-lying Upper Con-

whopping 70,000 vertical feet of skiing on Ascutney. That’s

necticut River Valley. The mountain is a monadnock, Lyall

especially impressive considering he earned his turns: there

explains—a peak rising alone over a level plain—and it’s one

hasn’t been lift-access skiing here since Ascutney Mountain

of the highest points in southern Vermont. In this ﬂat part of

Resort went out of business in 2010.

the state, Ascutney is a beacon for hikers, bikers, and skiers— anyone seeking elevation for the views or the challenge. Lyall himself is a local. A longtime resident of West Windsor, Vermont, he’s spent 30 years exploring the mountain and

The ski hill had been the town’s wintertime hub since the mid-1930s, and when it closed, Lyall and his neighbors feared losing more than just the chairlifts. The resort owned 468 acres of open space adjacent to the West Windsor Town Forest.

more than a decade caring for it as part of the group Sport

Sale to a developer would have threatened not only wildlife

Trails of the Ascutney Basin. Its volunteers hand-built much of

and water quality, but the integrity of the trail system they’d

the region’s 35 miles of trail, and Lyall has an easy familiarity

poured work into for years.

with the land that comes of long hours in the dirt. When we

But today Ascutney stands over the valley as it always has,

stop in a copse of trees to consult the map (which he designed

its trails still the threads that bind this small community

himself), he points out hophornbeam, hemlock, red spruce,

together. Lyall and I are walking in a forest that belongs to everyone. As we climb, he tells me how that came to be.

5 2 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

J IM LYA L L

cofounder, sport tr ails of the ascutney basin

T P L. O R G · 53

GL EN N SEWA R D

former chair of w e s t w i n d s o r ’s selec tboard

5 4 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

Lyall and his trail-building crew are part of a long outdoors

The ripple effect of the resort’s closure spread quickly to

tradition in West Windsor. The Ascutney Mountain Asso-

other local businesses. Rich Thomas had opened Paradise

ciation is one of the oldest hiking societies in the country,

Sports, a bike and ski shop, in 2008—only to face the market

founded here in 1903. The Civilian Conservation Corps cut the

crash in 2009 and the resort’s closure a year later. He watched

ﬁrst ski trail down the mountain in 1935; the ﬁrst rope tow

the ﬂow of winter customers slow to a trickle. “As a small

went up about ten years later.

business, if people aren’t heading up the mountain, we see

But winter is ﬁckle at these latitudes. Situated east of the main spine of the Green Mountains, Ascutney doesn’t always

that impact pretty fast,” he explains. Home values around the base of Ascutney fell as much as 60

get enough snow for a full ski season. Following two bad

percent, dealing a blow to the town’s tax base. But anyone in

years in a row, the resort made its ﬁrst bankruptcy claim

West Windsor will tell you the loss cut deeper than jobs and

around 1950—the ﬁrst of what would be many over the de-

revenue—the mountain is part of their identity, a place for

cades to follow. Locals learned to live with the ebb and ﬂow of

the community to come together.

business as the ski hill closed, changed hands, and reopened

“There was such a sadness when the mountain closed this

again and again.

last time,” says longtime resident Laura Stillson. “We’d been

Glenn Seward was the chair of West Windsor’s city council,

through closures before, but this time it was dismantled. It

the selectboard, when the resort shut its doors in 2010. He

looked for a long time that there was absolutely no hope for it

managed operations at the ski hill in the 1980s and had seen

to ever be a ski area again.”

the mountain change hands several times before—so he reck-

Worse than the sting of the resort’s closure was the

oned (or at least hoped) it would reopen. But as the seasons

prospect that the land might be developed or clear-cut. “We

passed, a new and unwelcome possibility entered his head:

were hearing mention of a salvage timber harvest around the

what if Ascutney was closed for good?

property. That would have destroyed the landscape that we’re

After foreclosing on the bankrupt resort, the lender ex-

so fond of,” Seward says. The town was getting desperate. “We

plored various options for recouping its investment—includ-

needed to stabilize property values, secure the trail system,

ing a members-only ski club. When that option didn’t check

and keep some sort of recreational activity in West Windsor.

out, the lender began gutting the ski hill, selling off equip-

We had to do something about Ascutney.”

ment to other businesses.

That’s when they had a crazy idea …

“Once we saw the lift towers coming off the mountain, it really got our attention,” says Seward. “We saw the likelihood of commercial skiing at Ascutney vanish.”

… what if we bought it? T P L. O R G · 55

On a trip to Burke, Vermont,

Seward checked out a network of mountain bike trails that

a three-to-one margin, West Windsor voted yes.

was luring visitors from as far away as Quebec, New York,

“It was by far the largest turnout for any public vote I’ve ever

and Boston. Officials there estimated that 40,000 people a

seen,” says Seward. “It was incredible.”

year came to ride singletrack in Burke—a town of fewer than 2,000 people—and that each contributed about $100 to the

Though the state and town had approved almost half a mil-

local economy. Seward left wondering whether West Windsor

lion dollars toward the purchase of Ascutney, Wanner and her

could have the same success.

team needed a grant from the U.S. Forest Service to ﬁnish the

He and the rest of the selectboard approached The Trust for Public Land for help. “The town had a vision for Ascutney as

job. But that funding fell through, leaving a six-ﬁgure shortfall—just months before the deadline to purchase the land.

a four-season recreation destination,” says Kate Wanner, one

Undeterred, West Windsor and The Trust for Public Land

of the organization’s project managers. “They wanted public

launched a feverish fundraising campaign to close the gap.

ownership of the mountain, so that the whole region could

“Many locals gave generously to make this happen,” Wanner

beneﬁt from the open space and economic beneﬁt that more

says. “And once the story got out nationally, we started get-

visitors would bring. They knew that was the key to reviving

ting donations from everywhere—Colorado, Wyoming, Ohio,

their community.”

Florida—people who had no connection to Ascutney, but were

Wanner and her team got to work. They met (and skied,

moved by the story of a little town that wanted to save their

and biked, and hiked) with hundreds of people, gathering in-

ski area.” With help from neighbors, private foundations, and

put and support from state and local officials, retirees, parents,

the local businesses, Wanner’s team sealed the deal in the

small-businesses owners, and more. Working together, a coali-

nick of time. Seward’s crazy idea was at last on the map.

tion of Ascutney loyalists drummed up support for their plan among West Windsor’s thousand-or-so residents.

Even then, questions remained. What would the new Ascutney look like? Could it attract people and investment to the

In October 2014, hundreds gathered in the West Windsor

area? And who would manage it? After all, town officials had

Town Hall for the crucial vote: should the town put up money

no interest or expertise in operating a ski area. “You know,

to purchase the ski area, add it to the town forest, and then

we’ve already shown how many people can go bankrupt try-

place the entire 1,112 acres under a conservation easement to

ing to run a resort up there,” says Lyall, the trail builder. “Last

protect its streams and forests from development forever? By

thing we wanted was to bankrupt the town, too.”

5 6 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

T P L. O R G · 57

R ICH T HOM A S

owner, pa r a d i s e s p o r t s

5 8 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

West Windsor’s solution was Ascutney Outdoors, an independent nonprofit launched in 2015 to manage the mountain on the town’s behalf. The new organization secured the benefit of experience in the form of executive director Laura Farrell. A passionate advocate for accessibility in the outdoors, she founded Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports at Ascutney back in 1987, as well as two popular fixtures on the New England adventure-race circuit: the Vermont 100 Endurance Run and Ride and the Vermont 50 mountain bike race. Both draw thousands of visitors to Ascutney. Today, Ascutney Outdoors runs on donations and volunteer muscle. About 50 people have put in time to help install a new rope tow, refurbish the warming hut, clear some of the old trails, and install lights for night skiing. Farrell says the organization hopes one day to restore lift access to mid-mountain, granting both skiers and mountain bikers easier access to more terrain. Meanwhile, Lyall and others are working on a plan for flow trails: smooth mountain bike tracks with berms and jumps, accessible by the lift. Wanner predicts this community-driven approach to an all-season mountain could become a model for ski hills across the Northeast. In the face of warming winters, most of the region’s resorts are projected to close by the end of the century.

T P L. O R G · 59

Whatever comes next for West Windsor, the town has proved

Hoisington is enthusiastic about the mountain’s future.

its ability to adapt while staying true to its roots. Down at

“People are pretty pleased with the direction it’s going in,

Paradise Sports, Rich Thomas says mountain biking is now his

and that it’s going to be developed for the beneﬁt of the

shop’s mainstay. “Vermont is reinventing itself as a mountain-

whole town. It’s a special mountain, and people will discover

biking destination,” he says—and Ascutney has the potential

that, and they’ll come.”

to become one of its best venues. Thomas even knows of a few people who have moved to West Windsor speciﬁcally for the trails.

On the ﬁrst day of the new year, I pull into the parking lot at Ascutney, taking my place alongside dozens of other cars.

As we talk, Thomas tunes the drivetrain of a beefy “fat

The two groomed slopes near the base of the mountain are

bike.” With extra-wide tires and a burly build, they’ve gained

crowded with skiers—a few of the more ambitious climbing

in popularity over the last few low-snow winters. Despite his

higher in search of fresh snow from a recent storm. Families

business’s pedal-powered turnaround, Thomas says skiing’s

cluster around a stove in the barn-red warming hut, clutching

not dead, either. As if to prove his point, the shop door swings

mugs of hot chocolate.

open to reveal a customer with a pair of skis in tow. Jane Hoisington grew up in Windsor and moved to nearby

It looks, frankly, like just another good day of skiing. You’d never guess from this bustling scene how close the commu-

Brownsville with her family 21 years ago. Her daughters

nity came to losing Ascutney, the big ideas and long hours

learned to ski at Ascutney—just as she and her four sisters did

it took before these neighbors could truly call the mountain

a generation before. She’s here for help mounting her skis

their own. You can’t see the sport shop’s bottom line, or how

with alpine touring bindings that will allow her to get up the

property values have rebounded. But you can see the smiles.

mountain under her own power, without using a lift. “When we were kids, it was wicked busy,” Hoisington says.

As I ski to the base of the hill, I encounter a pair of retirees showing kids how to use the new towrope: one by one, they

“There were lines snaking halfway up the mountain, and

grab hold and let it pull them up the groomed slope. As the

you couldn’t ﬁnd a parking space. It was a dark day when it

line shuffles forward, I hear a father call out to his son:

closed.” As someone who knew Ascutney in its heyday,

“It’s good to ski in our backyard again, isn’t it?”

6 0 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

T P L. O R G · 61

Member Center When you become a member of The Trust for Public Land, you join a community of committed conservationists who care deeply about protecting the places that make our country special—from small neighborhood parks to vast wilderness escapes. As a member, you’ll receive beneﬁts including: • Insider updates on our work in your community and beyond • A full-color wall calendar ﬁlled with beautiful photos of places protected with your help • A subscription to Land&People, the awardwinning magazine for people who love the land Join or renew your membership today!

Ways to give Monthly giving Support The Trust for Public Land’s mission with convenient, automatic, and secure monthly giving. Visit tpl.org/

contact us For questions about our work or to change your Land&People subscription address, call 415.495.4014, or email donor.outreach@tpl.org.

monthlygiving, call 800.714.5263, or email donor.outreach@tpl.org.

Charity ratings The Trust for Public Land is a registered

Conservation Champions

501(c)(3) public charity. We’re among

Donate $2,000 or more annually and

the nation’s most efficient nonproﬁts,

receive the recognition due a champion.

conserving $4 worth of land for every

Visit tpl.org/champions, contact Haley

$1 donated. Charity Watch (formerly the

Nielsen at 415.800.5189, or email

American Institute of Philanthropy)

champions@tpl.org.

gives The Trust for Public Land an “A” for efficiency.

Gift and estate planning Please let us know if you have remem-

For all our charity ratings, go to

bered The Trust for Public Land in your

tpl.org/efﬁciency.

will or estate plans so we can welcome you to our Stegner Society of legacy donors. Contact Gardner Trimble at 415.800.5208 or gardner.trimble@tpl.org. See more giving options at tpl.org/ways-to-give.

6 2 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

CHARITABLE SOLICITATION DISCLOSURE A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained by writing to The Trust for Public Land, 101 Montgomery, 9th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104. Telephone number (415) 495-4014. The Trust for Public Land has been formed to facilitate the transfer of privately held land into protective public and not-for-profit ownership, and to promote other ways to ensure healthy livable communities for generations to come. If you are a resident of one of these states, you may obtain financial information directly from the state agency: FLORIDA—A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, 1-800-435-7352 (800-HELPFLA) WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING www.800helpfla. com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Florida Registration number CH104; GEORGIA—A full and fair description of the programs of (The Trust for Public Land) and our financial statement summary is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above; MARYLAND—For the cost of copies and postage, Office of the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401; MISSISSIPPI—The official registration and financial information of (The Trust for Public Land) may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. Registration by the Secretary of State does not imply endorsement; NEW JERSEY—INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT; NEW YORK—Office of the Attorney General, Department of Law, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271; NORTH CAROLINA— FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND A COPY OF ITS LICENSE ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE SOLICITATION LICENSING BRANCH AT 1-888-8304989. THE LICENSE IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE STATE; PENNSYLVANIA—The official registration and financial information of (The Trust for Public Land) may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement; VIRGINIA— Virginia State Office of Consumer Affairs, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, PO Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218; WASHINGTON—Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504-0422, 1-800-332-4483; WEST VIRGINIA—Residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305; WISCONSIN— A financial statement of (The Trust for Public Land) disclosing assets, liabilities, fund balances, revenue, and expenses for the preceding fiscal year will be provided upon request. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by any state.

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T P L. O R G · 63

darcy kiefel

trail’s end

A MORNING RITUAL Los Angeles is a city of light and noise. When the morning fog lifts, the sun breaks free to glance off towers of glass and steel. Later there will be an interlude

indulge in my imagination, where the roar of traffic on the

of supersaturated orange-gold, soon replaced by a surreal

interstate below becomes a river straining against its banks,

violet dusk that no other place can claim. This illuminated

the water crashing against boulders and logs.

city pulses with its own language, communicated in bleat-

As I walk, animals dart across the trail in the waning

ing horns and cumbia rhythms, helicopter blades and police

blue light. The cottontails are out, scurrying beneath fallen

sirens, barking dogs and crowing roosters.

branches when startled by my footfalls. Farther up, a cluster

There are other sounds, too: the sweet trill of springtime

of trees offers a perch for passing birds—less troubled by my

songbirds, the low rush of the Los Angeles River after a heavy

presence, but just as fascinating to observe. I love to listen

rainfall, the echo of coyote yips multiplied between canyon

as they chat with one another, privileged to hear their secret

walls. These are also part of our language, a reminder that

language, their chirps and chortles a performance piece with

even here, amidst this tamed territory, the wild survives.

only me in the audience.

You’ll ﬁnd it at Griffith Park—named for Griffith J. Griffith,

Sometimes it’s deer I encounter, heads lowered to nibble at

a mining tycoon who gifted just over 3,000 acres (and later, a

damp grass against an incongruous backdrop of skyscrapers.

sizable trust) to the city of Los Angeles. He said that he wanted

Just as skittish as the rabbits, they disappear into the chapar-

to create “a place of recreation and rest for the masses, a

ral as soon as they hear me. The coyotes are much braver,

resort for the rank and ﬁle, for the plain people”: in short,

jogging alongside me in a predawn camaraderie.

an urban paradise for us regular folks. For the millions who call Los Angeles home, ﬁnding a space of one’s own is a necessity. In a city constantly clamoring for

Eventually I arrive at Beacon Hill, a small lump on the park’s eastern edge that overlooks a wide swath of Los Angeles to the north, east, and south. I can see the concrete

development, many of us ﬁnd that sanctuary in Griffith Park.

funnel of the Los Angeles River, but also the sharp pitch of the

Its chaparral-clad slopes, craggy cliffs, and deep canyons offer

Verdugo and San Gabriel mountains, often in silhouette, their

not only entertainment (a golf course, tennis court, live con-

edges smoothed by morning haze.

certs!), but also respite and renewal.

Here, I watch the sun rise. Like the city, I, too, am reborn.

That’s especially true in the earliest hours of the day. Just-

In this quiet part of Griffith Park, at this early hour, I am

awakened Angelenos spend their mornings scattered around

almost always alone. But sometimes I encounter other people

the park, kicking up dust on hikes or trail runs, practicing tai

in the midst of their own morning rituals. When we lock

chi on tufts of dewy grass, or paying witness to the sunrise

eyes, there is a brief, shared moment of understanding: a

from a vantage point at the Griffith Observatory.

quick nod, maybe a muted “hello.” Then we disengage, off

My ritual is different. I slip into the park from a sleepy resi-

to enjoy our shared sanctuary in our own way, emerging into

dential street, gooseﬂesh raised on my arms by the predawn

the possibilities of the day, centering ourselves in this city of

chill. I make my way up the shaded canyon; parts of the city

light and noise.

are simultaneously unveiled and made distant as I rise above the houses and cars and the people inside both. This part of the park is quiet and uncrowded, and I’m often left alone to

6 4 · L AND &PE OPL E · SPR I NG /SUMMER 2017

shawnté salabert is a los angeles–based writer who’s as much at home in the mountains as in the city. her guidebook, hiking the pacific crest trail: southern california, is due out this year.

rachid dahnoun

we hope you enjoyed this issue of land&people.

Thank you. Thank you for all you do for parks and conservation in your community — and for your ongoing support of The Trust for Public Land. As a Trust for Public Land member, you’re a leader in the effort to save the places we all love — from neighborhood parks to national parks. For 40 years, we’ve worked with members like you to protect more than 3 million acres from the inner city to the wilderness, and to generate nearly $68 billion in public funds for healthy land and water. Today, millions of Americans live within a 10-minute walk of a park, garden, or natural area created with your help, and countless more visit these sites each year.

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the trust for public land

Conserve land … and your retirement.

A charitable remainder trust (CRT) with The Trust for Public Land can provide you with income for life while helping to conserve land for generations to come. Appreciated assets such as real estate or securities are a particularly advantageous way to fund CRTs. Here’s how a CRT works: 1. Create a CRT with The Trust for Public Land as remainder beneﬁciary. 2. Receive a charitable deduction. 3. The CRT pays you either a ﬁxed percentage of your original gift (annuity trust) or a percentage of the annual value of the trust (unitrust), for the rest of your life or for a term of years. 4. You may make additional gifts to a unitrust. 5. At the end of the term, The Trust for Public Land applies the remainder toward achieving our mission of creating parks and protecting land for people.

Have you already included us in your estate plans? If so, please let us know! We’d love to welcome you as a member of the Mary and Wallace Stegner Society.

To learn more, please contact: Gardner Trimble, Director of Planned Giving 415.800.5208 or plannedgiving@tpl.org