Our Work

Colorado continues to experience population growth each
month with individuals and families moving here to enjoy the state's quality of
life and outdoor lifestyle, which includes having access to recreational
opportunities, wildlife viewing and a unique way of life. Colorado is predicted
to see continued and significant population growth in the next 20 years, with
the majority of Colorado’s projected growth anticipated to occur along the
Front Range, bringing even more people who want to explore the canyons,
foothills, and mountains. The work of the Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) is
more important than ever to help protect the region's magnificent natural
resources, streams and rivers, working ranches and historic lands for the
benefit of the community and as a legacy for future generations. MALT works in
partnership with private landowners as well as public entities, to ensure that
recreational needs are being met, while also working to protect our valuable
open spaces, land and water.
MALT is proud of the thousands of acres we have been able to
conserve in Colorado with the partnership of landowners to save natural areas, wildlife
habitat, streams and rivers, working ranches and historic lands. We all benefit
from private voluntary land agreements!
A 2017 analysis from Colorado State University found that
each dollar invested by the state for these (conservation) easements produced benefits
of between $4 and $12 for Coloradans.
Public benefits include clean water and air, scenic views, access to
things produced by local farms and ranches products, and wildlife habitat: all
things that contribute to a high quality of life in the state.
For 29 years, Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) has conserved
a total of 23,482 acres in our six county service area. 17,310 acres in 86 private Conservation
Easements and 207 acres are owned by MALT.
Plus an additional 5,965 acres protected through facilitated public projects
including Noble Meadow, Blair Ranch, Beaver Brook Watershed, Paradise Hills and
Bergen Nature Trail.
Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) based in Evergreen, Colorado
was founded in 1992 and in 2017 celebrated its 25th anniversary of land and
water conservation. The mission of MALT
is to save natural areas, wildlife habitat, streams and rivers, working ranches
and historic lands for the benefit of the community and as a legacy for future
generations. MALT serves a 4,290
square-mile area in Colorado, roughly the size of Connecticut, which
encompasses six counties including Clear Creek, Park, Gilpin, Teller and the
mountainous regions of Boulder and Jefferson.
MALT’s major program areas include: (1) Conservation
Easements; (2) Land Stewardship; and (3) Outreach and Education. MALT continues
to grow voluntary land conservation agreements with both individuals and
non-profit organizations thereby increasing MALT’s conservation impact.
Currently MALT holds 81 conservation easements. In addition, MALT pursues
public projects that allow for new hiking, biking trails and outdoor recreation
opportunities that provide access to thousands of acres of previously inaccessible
public lands. MALT spearheads public projects and coordinates the participation
of partners to pool resources and facilitate land purchases. The organization
realized a major collaborative success in 2016 through a partnership with Great
Outdoors Colorado, Trust for Public Land, Clear Creek County Open Space and
Jefferson County Open Space. MALT negotiated the purchase of 108 acres, now
called Floyd Hill Open Space, with the intention of developing a new public
hiking and biking trail that will connect to a network of existing and future
trails traversing 12,000 acres of previously inaccessible areas. MALT’s role as
a leader in collaborative public projects provides more conservation for more
people.
In terms of Land Stewardship, MALT retains a full time
seasonal Land Steward to annually monitor all of its conservation easements,
and will do so in perpetuity, to ensure that the terms of the voluntary land
conservation agreements are being met.
Finally related to MALT’s Outreach and Education programming,
the organization will continue its work to expand and complete the Pennsylvania
Mountain Natural Area, located just north and west of Fairplay, Colorado. In
2013, MALT purchased 92 acres on this unique 13,000 foot elevation, high alpine
area which is home to one of the largest standing groves of 2,000 year old
reproducing ancient Bristlecone Pines, and is the site of more than 40 years of
continuous alpine scientific research. Through a successful collaboration with
a federal grant program from the South Park National Heritage Area, and a
partnership with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, MALT has constructed a 1 ½
mile hiking trail on the property, and in 2014 launched a summer hiking
education series of which Pennsylvania Mountain Natural Area is a major focus.
Since establishing the summer hiking series, participation in the program has
increased 70% and the numbers of hikes offered has doubled. In 2018, a driveway
and parking area was completed on MALT's property at the Pika Trailhead. Signage was installed as well at the
trailhead kiosk. MALT’s future goals include the acquisition of additional
acreage on Pennsylvania Mountain and perhaps the construction of an energy
efficient scientific research cabin, and completion of a baseline inventory of
the area to support a U.S. Forest Service Botanical Area designation. MALT
envisions the creation of a 500+ acre natural area, to preserve and protect
this sensitive region and its many unique biological and wildlife attributes.