Colorado’s Wilson Peak towered out of reach for hikers and climbers until The Trust for Public Land successfully negotiated for public access.
off from the public. That was very significant because of what it meant for the outdoor community to restore access to one Colorado’s most iconic mountains. I’m also proud of what we’ve
achieved recently in helping to create the Valle do Oro National Wildlife Refuge. It’s the first urban national wildlife refuge in the Southwest. To me, that project embodies the idea of providing parks and open space in the communities that need it most—such as Albuquerque’s South Valley.
servation. The thought of being able to protect these incredible resources and connect people to land through conservation was so novel and fun and inspiring that I made it my ambition to work for this organization. Even- tually I was hired to work in Texas. From there I moved on to Colorado, where I worked to conserve a land- scape I had fallen in love with as a kid. Today, as Southwest director and JEPS Conservation Fellow, I oversee our work throughout New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. I can’t think of a better place to be pursuing my passion than in the Southwest.
How do you spend your time? What does your job entail? I work with project directors in three states, but I spend most of my time thinking about the future of the Southwest as a whole—and how The Trust for Public Land will evolve to advance our mission here. I’m based in Santa Fe but travel a great deal to meet in person with partners across the region. I also work with our philanthropy
team to generate the support that makes our work possible. We’re fortunate to have donors who believe
so much in what we’re doing that they’re investing in our work. It’s their dedication that allows us to be bold and think about the next steps in conservation.
What motivates you? Has that changed over time? I’ve often looked at land protection as a race against the clock—trying to protect the most beautiful and special places before they’re gone. We’ve accomplished an incredible amount living by that motto. But increasingly I’m seeing conservation as one among many tools this organization can use to fulfill its mission. More and more I am driven to make sure that every- body has equal access to the incredible landscapes that we have fought for so many years to protect. Today’s conser- vationists need to think about how we connect the people to the land.
What are your favorite projects— or ones that exemplify that connection between land and people? One that was very personal for me was the protection of trail access to Wilson Peak-a “Fourteener” [14,000- foot peak] that was previously cut
It sounds as though the important thing about these projects is their location, rather than their size. Yes, more and more it’s about the quality and not the quantity of the land that’s protected—land near where people live or that helps them get out into nature. Another example is at Zion National Park in Utah, one of 60 national parks and monuments across our region. One special project there secured a public access point to the Zion Narrows Trail through the canyon of the Virgin River. This trail allows you to immerse yourself in wildland in one of the nation’s more heavily visited national parks. For 16 miles you hike the river bottom and end up where all the tour busses dump their passengers. So, like at Wilson Peak, sometimes connecting people to land is as simple as providing them with a trailhead, giving people the opportunity to visit places they would not be able to visit without our work. Zion Narrows embodies that vision. It was not a big project by acreage, but it was a very challenging one—and the result was quality access that wasn’t there before.
FIRST LOOK · 25
whit richardson
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68