2022 Spring Newsletter – Celebrating Three Decades of Protecting Wilderness

July 2022-

Happy 30th birthday. Close your eyes and make a wish.

If you dream of landscapes where wildlife are free to roam, rivers and streams run cold and clear, and the opportunity for solitude amongst breathtaking beauty abounds, The Wilderness Land Trust can help make those dreams come true.

It’s been 30 years since The Wilderness Land Trust was established to counter the threat of commercial, residential and private development in the heart of our nation’s wildest places. During this time, our projects have expanded in scope and scale, initially focused on wilderness areas near Aspen, Colorado and now stretching from Alaska to Arizona.

Today, we have permanently protected more than 55,000 acres and placed 522 parcels of formerly private land into public ownership—a positive impact on more than 17 million acres of federally designated wilderness across the American west.

Please enjoy details of our latest projects and partnerships in our Spring Newsletter. It features a special 30th anniversary insert that takes you on a joyful journey on some of the places we have protected together.

We remain most grateful for the opportunity to partner with you—our generous donors, landowners, agency staff and project partners—to make a meaningful difference in the world and preserve its unique beauty and biodiversity for future generations.

Please feel free to share this newsletter with family, friends or colleagues you think may be interested in supporting our good work. We welcome their involvement and thank you for your help and generosity in spreading the word.

Beyond the Ghost Town Lies a Stranger Lode

June 30, 2022 – The Holy Cross Wilderness of Colorado is one of miles of trails and stunning beauty. It sits between the Vail Pass and Thompson Divide wildlife corridors and allows everything from elk to Canada lynx to pass through unencumbered. This wilderness area is also riddled with private land that threaten that passage. The Wilderness Land Trust recently ramped up our efforts to remove these threats and as a result, in the last year we have acquired five parcels in the Holy Cross Wilderness.

The Stranger Lode property is our latest acquisition and is located along the shores of Cleveland Lake just inside the southeast side of the wilderness area boundary. The hike to Cleveland Lake is short and steep. It follows a road that was build in 1883 to support the mining town of Holy Cross City. Today, the road is a well-known world class 4×4 excursion. On the weekends, it is crowded with those with the skills and will to drive up to what is now the ghost town of Holy Cross City.

Just a mile above the ghost town and within the wilderness is Cleveland Lake and the Stranger Lode property. Where Holy Cross City provides a destination for extreme motorists, the lake provides solitude and serenity for hikers.

Though the Stranger Lode parcel is small at only 9 acres, it posed a big threat. The property is flat and scenic and close enough to the wilderness border and a road to increase the likelihood of cabin development.

With the threat removed, The Wilderness Land Trust is turning our focus to transferring the over 50 acres of land that we now own in the Holy Cross Wilderness to public ownership. It is because of you, our supporters, that our work continues and areas like the Holy Cross Wilderness move, piece by piece, towards a truly protected place. We thank you!

A creek winds between forested hillsides

WLT Protects Cabin Sites From Development in Southeast Alaska’s Chuck River and Kootznoowoo Wilderness Areas

June 16, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust partnered with the Southeast Alaska Land Trust (SEALT) to acquire two inholdings: the Wheeler Creek 5 and Chuck River Bend properties, in order to protect their watersheds and the salmon, brown bear, and Sitka black-tailed deer that call them home. When our transfer of this land to the U.S. Forest Service is complete, a total of 33 acres of new wild lands will be added to the Tongass National Forest and permanently protected from private development.

Located south of Juneau, Alaska, on Admiralty Island, the Kootznoowoo Wilderness (“Fortress of the Bears” in Lingít) is aptly named, as Admiralty Island is said to have the world’s highest concentration of brown bears in the world – an estimated 1,600 bears. This is more than 1 bear per square mile of the island. The Chuck River Wilderness is also south of Juneau but on the mainland, and is bordered by the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. The Chuck River is a major producer of several species of salmon, but especially pink salmon. Both wilderness areas are located within the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States, and the largest intact temperate rainforest on the planet. The Tongass has sometimes been referred to as America’s Climate Forest, for its unmatched ability to mitigate climate change. It remains one of the most important forests in the world.

Despite its remoteness, residents and visitors can access these wilderness areas by boat or float plane, and often do. In fact, remoteness is often the draw for many people who end up building private cabins in such areas. Preserving the ecological integrity, size, and connectivity of these wilderness areas serves to provide a high level of resilience in the face of climate change, establishes secure habitat for native wildlife, and ensures the economic benefits of recreation and tourism for both residents and visitors of Southeast Alaska.

The Wilderness Land Trust, in partnership with the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, has now completed three projects in Southeast Alaska, including conserving the largest remaining inholding in the Chuck River Wilderness.

A heartfelt thanks to all our supporters and our partners – Southeast Alaska Land Trust and private donors – for making these acquisitions successful.

 

Another Win for Wilderness on the Snake River

June 2, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust recently worked with the US Forest Service (USFS) to add 82 acres to Oregon’s Hells Canyon Wilderness Area. The private parcel, which is on a scenic bench above the Snake River and has the Reservoir Bench Trail running through it, is in the heart of the wilderness area and threatened the public access to the trail and the ecological integrity of the area.

This project was unique in the fact that the Trust acquired and transferred the property on the same day. The USFS had been working directly with the landowners, Idaho Power, and already had the due diligence completed and funding lined up to acquire the property. The two parties, both informed by their own bureaucratic process, came to a stalemate over legal documents and the Trust was called to step in as a third party.

The Wilderness Land Trust is designed to be nimble and to take on risk if the end goal is to create a stronger, more unified wilderness. We were created that way for this exact situation. The Trust was able to step in with the flexibility to get the deal done. Now, the Hells Canyon Wilderness is one step closer to being whole.

As we continue to celebrate 30 years of accomplishments, this project proved that these accomplishments are ever-building. The more we complete in a professional, efficient manner, the more we’re able to do. We are forever grateful to be called upon by our strong federal partners to do the work of keeping the promise of wilderness. And we are forever grateful to you, our supporters, for ensuring that we’re around to receive that call.

Join Our Team!

Employment Opportunity: Director of Marketing and Communications
Position Location: Western United States
Supervisor: President
Work Schedule: .75 FTE
Salary: $65,000 – $70,000 DOE

Benefits Offered by The Wilderness Land Trust
The Wilderness Land Trust offers a competitive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan, three weeks annual paid vacation, work from home or office schedule, and professional development opportunities.

Organizational Mission
We keep the Promise of Wilderness – by acquiring and transferring private lands to public ownership to complete designated and proposed wilderness areas, or directly protect wilderness values. Celebrating 30 years of protecting our nation’s treasured wilderness in 2022, The Wilderness Land Trust is the only national conservation organization solely dedicated to purchasing privately owned lands within federally designated wilderness and transferring them into public ownership to ensure the promise of wilderness for future generations. For more information go to: www.wildernesslandtrust.org

Summary of Position
The Director of Marketing and Communications is a member of The Wilderness Land Trust’s core management team, and reports to and is supervised by the President. Primary responsibilities include the development and implementation of a comprehensive, organization-wide, and strategic approach to marketing, communications and public relations with the goal of connecting with and engaging constituents to act on behalf of The Wilderness Land Trust. The position primarily serves to strategically plan and execute a marketing and communications program to achieve specific outcomes; and that is integrated with land acquisition and fundraising efforts. The position works with board and staff to contribute specific expertise to build a constituent-centered approach and marketing mindset to reach, engage and include target markets. Time commitment is 30 hours per week or equivalent to .75 FTE.

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate must have exceptional interpersonal skills, at least 4-5 years’ experience in marketing, communications, public relations or related experience, be very detail-oriented, a proven ability to travel and work alone managing marketing and communications activities in order to meet hard deadlines, a passion for wilderness conservation, a good sense of humor and enjoy working in a small, complex, non-profit environment

Essential Duties
• Lead strategist for all marketing and communications.
• Creates and implements strategic marketing, public relations and communications plans with specific strategies designed for target markets, partners and the public to meet specific measurable goals and outcomes.
• Conducts research to identify and describe target markets to determine which outreach tools or strategies will be most effective.
• Designs, implements and evaluates direct contact, engagement opportunities and other marketing strategies designed for target markets to achieve organizational goals.
• Designs and maintains current organizational written materials, website and social media platforms to promote The Wilderness Land Trust and permanent protection of federally designated wilderness.
• Consistently updates and analyzes the Trust’s social media and web presence, ensuring consistency with organizational core values, branding, voice and messaging for a positive, ubiquitous connection and engagement of core audience.
• Writes and places articles about wilderness values, threats and the unique role of the Trust’s Lands Program to counter those threats in partner organization newsletters, local and national publications.
• Contributes articles, blogs, posts, videos and presentations about wilderness values and the unique role of the Trust to heighten awareness and support of federally designated wilderness and to inspire people to seek The Wilderness Land Trust website for further content and information.
• Establishment and execution of a communications editorial calendar. This includes identifying content sources, developing and maintaining a content library and developing an organizational content approval process.
• Create and execute an internal communications guide to help Board members talk about the work of The Wilderness land Trust so more people connect with and support the organization.
• Provide editorial assistance for other departmental external communications as necessary.
• Manages and builds internal photo and video database to capture project, partner, human interest and environmental material to draft and promote compelling stories of the Trust’s work.

General Duties
• Manages operational expenses consistent with the current budget and budget resolutions.
• Manages and negotiates contracts for goods and services acquired, as they relate to the Marketing and Communications program needs.
• Keeps budgetary, financial and project records in a systematic manner using Trust protocols.
• Conducts business in a professional and business-like manner, consistent with the Standards and Practices promulgated by the Land Trust Alliance.
• Collaborates with staff on special events, Board meetings, site visits and program activities.
• Manages consultants and contractors as needed to achieve program goals.
• Furthers the goals and mission of the organization.
• Communicates fully with other staff and Board Members.
• Represents the Trust in a professional manner at meetings, gatherings and in social settings.

Job Qualifications
• Bachelors’ degree in digital media, marketing, communications or related field.
• Must have at least 4 – 5 years marketing, communications, public relations or related experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with ability to convey complex issues in a clear,     thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Ability to create and implement strategic marketing plans to achieve results in a timely manner.
• Ability to track and analyze multi-media results on a regular basis.
• Computer literate, proficient with and knowledgeable about social media, Microsoft software applications, Adobe Photoshop, database software and other online project management tools and resources.
• Highly motivated to work both independently and as part of a small team of five employees, with ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships both internally and externally.
• Ability to set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals and track details, data, information and activities.
• Demonstrated commitment to business practices aligned with the values of the Trust and environmental issues, specifically wilderness preservation.
• Honors principles of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Physical/Other Requirements
• Extensive travel, as needed.
• Occasional weekend and evening work, as needed.
• Work location requires reliable internet, cell phone service and convenient to a commercially served airport.

The Wilderness Land Trust is an equal opportunity employer who strives to increase access to opportunity, equity, inclusion and justice in all elements of our hiring processes and work. We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, ability, age, race, sex, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, past, current or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law.

Please submit a cover letter, resume and a sample of a strategic marketing and communications plan you created and managed to: brad@wildernesslandtrust.org

Applications will be accepted until June 30, 2022. The position begins August 1, 2022.

Marketing and Communications Position Description PDF

Mount Massive Wilderness Completed

May 19, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust (the Trust) transferred the last private inholding in the Mount Massive Wilderness to the United States Forest Service (USFS). The 20-acre Blue Lake property sits in the basin below the summit of Twining Peak east of Independence Pass and has the North Fork Lake Creek trail running through it. This property was vulnerable to mineral extraction and posed a significant threat to the surrounding wilderness.

The Trust acquired the property to remove this threat with the intent of transferring it to the USFS. With this transfer, the Mount Massive Wilderness, which includes Mount Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak, is now completely free of private inholdings and fully protected as wilderness.

“Our mission is to keep the promise of wilderness by acquiring private lands within them and transferring them to public ownership to become part of the surrounding wilderness,” says Brad Borst, president of The Wilderness Land Trust. “Our ultimate goal is to see every wilderness area free of private inholdings. The transfer of the last inholding in the Mount Massive Wilderness is a huge success for us and something to celebrate.”

The Blue Lake property is one of several parcels that the Trust has recently acquired off of Independence Pass. The group also owns the Spotted Tail, Panama, and Principal mining lodes, totaling 30 acres, near the Independence Townsite. With the partnership of the Independence Pass Foundation, these properties are ready to transfer to the USFS. That transfer will eliminate the last private land within the Pitkin County portion of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.

The Wilderness Land Trust was founded in 1992 by long time Aspen resident, Jon Mulford, and in the 30 years of its existence has conveyed more than 6,000 acres of formerly private land to the Forest Service and BLM in Colorado for permanent wilderness protection.

“It is very important to eliminate private land inholdings inside wilderness areas”, said Wilderness Land Trust Board Member Sara Shaw of Basalt, “because if the lands remain private land they can be developed with mineral exploration, mountain cabins and access roads which can severely compromise the solitude and natural values of wilderness, and harm wildlife.”

The Wilderness Land Trust is the only charitable organization in the nation focused solely on acquiring lands within in wilderness, wilderness study areas and proposed wilderness, and conveying them to the public for permanent wildlands protection. “Wilderness is critical to the protection of fish, wildlife and plant communities, water flows, clean air, climate stability and preserving places where the public can enjoy wild land”, said Borst. “We love the opportunity our work presents to conserve wildlands for future generations”.

Aspen Times May 17, 2022

Last island of private land in Mt. Massive Wilderness purchased and transferred to Forest Service: Site located along popular trail on east side of Independence Pass (by Scott Condon)

Read Article

 

Ray Hohenberger Joins Board of Directors

May 13, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust is excited to welcome Ray Hohenberger as the newest member of the Board of Directors. Ray is a retired attorney and currently resides in Ohio with his wife Beth.

When Ray was a teenager, he and his sister would pile in the family car with his parents and grandparents and head for the hills, literally. His dad loved to take family trips, driving west from Ohio until they landed in places like Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier and Grand Canyon National Park. From very early on, he realized these places were special.

Ray and Beth enjoy hiking and wildlife viewing. During his hikes, Ray says he’s observed black bears, bighorn sheep and a red fox, just to name a few. He really enjoys seeing wild animals in their natural setting. Over the years he’s seen just about every large mammal, except for a mountain lion. Ray and Beth are thankful that their love of hiking and wildlife viewing has passed down to their three daughters and families.

As a longtime supporter of The Wilderness Land Trust, Ray understood that private inholdings were a fact of life. He was immediately drawn to the Trust because it was buying those inholdings and protecting them, filling the holes in our nation’s wilderness.

Ray says he is both honored and excited to join with the board and staff of The Wilderness Land Trust as we all work to protect as much of America’s wilderness areas as possible. Board member, Sarah Shaw, remarked that “Ray’s love of wilderness and wild places combined with a successful career in law made him a shoe-in for the board. We’re excited to have him join us as we look toward the organization’s next 30 years.”

Upper Lundy Lake

Iconic Eastern Sierra Landscape Permanently Protected

April 22, 2022 – The Wilderness Land Trust has transferred a 49-acre mining claim in Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra to the Inyo National Forest for permanent protection. This high-priority property is part of the iconic view from a popular hiking trail into the upper entrance of Lundy Canyon. The Trust has now protected the property from private development to conserve Mill Creek, safeguard wildlife habitat and ensure recreational access with protected views for the public.

Upper Lundy Lake

Valley views at Upper Lundy Lake in the Hoover Wilderness, CA

The Trust partnered with the Mono Lake Committee and Eastern Sierra Land Trust to educate the public and raise the funds needed to purchase and then transfer this property to the Inyo National Forest.

This Upper Lundy Canyon property is now a part of the Inyo National Forest and Hoover Wilderness. The property protects dramatic vistas and vital habitat for endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn sheep. It is located just east of Yosemite National Park and west of Mono Lake in Mono County.

“The protection of Upper Lundy Canyon provides unfettered and iconic views from the Lundy Canyon Trail, a favorite Eastern Sierra location for local hikers, native wildflowers and wildlife,” says Aimee Rutledge, vice president and senior lands specialist, The Wilderness Land Trust.

“There’s a reason that the Inyo National Forest marked this inholding as a high-priority for acquisition – it’s a spectacular and special place. The collaboration between ESLT, The Wilderness Land Trust and the Mono Lake Committee to protect this gem is an example of what can be accomplished when we work together”, says Kay Ogden, ESLT’s Executive Director/CEO.

“We are pleased that this partnership effort has made this old mining parcel a part of the Inyo National Forest. Like a final piece of a jigsaw puzzle, this retired inholding completes the protection of a spectacular part of Lundy Canyon including scenic mountain views, critical Bighorn Sheep habitat, and prized watershed and recreation values,” says Geoff McQuilkin, Executive Director of the Mono Lake Committee.

The Trust is grateful to its supporters, the Sam Dietrich family and Mono Market, and its partners at the Mono Lake Committee and Eastern Sierra Land Trust for helping to protect this critical landscape.

Protecting the Mount Baker Wilderness

Morning valley mist in the Mount Baker Wilderness

April 8, 2022 – The Mount Baker Wilderness is named after the fourth highest summit in the state of Washington – the iconic 10,778 ft. Mount Baker. This beautiful and rugged mountain range in the North Cascades is lush with wildflowers, huckleberries and blueberries in the summer months to support a rich habitat for bears, elk, mountain goats and deer.

In 2018, a 38-acre property within this designated wilderness was donated to The Wilderness Land Trust to safeguard its extensive natural resources. We have been working diligently to get the property ready to transfer to public ownership ever since.

The first step was to remove an old cabin on the property. This demolition took many trips to the property and the hands of many dedicated volunteers, a process that was generously supported by the previous landowner.

However, the property was still not ready for transfer because the land was also protected by a conservation easement. The United States Forest Service (USFS) cannot accept title to a property where others hold a right. In this case, the Whatcom Land Trust held a right to the property through the conservation easement.

With the help and creativity of the Whatcom Land Trust and the USFS, we found a path forward and resolved this issue.

We are so pleased to share with you that this property has now been officially transferred to the public for permanent protection as part of the surrounding Mount Baker Wilderness. Sometimes it takes several years and many steps before we can transfer an acquired property. In this case, the process took about five years, but was well worth the effort, don’t you think?

Please visit the Washington state projects page on our website for more information on our work in the Evergreen State.