Like Magic: the Fireflies are Out!

Please join us this Friday, June 20th, 7–10 PM, for an unforgettable viewing party of a rare local population of fireflies on a conserved property.
Enjoy a Mexican-style catered dinner, wine and craft beer, and live firefly science with a professor from Fort Lewis College.

Experience the glow, support conservation, and help give local youth a night they will never forget.

Limited tickets left! 
Please visit www.lposc.org for more information. Click link below picture to purchase admission.

Special thanks to Sunnyside Farms, Carver Brewing Company, and our corporate sponsor, Clearnetworx.
This event directly supports LPOSC and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado.

Experience the Magic: Fireflies Under the Stars 

Join La Plata Open Space Conservancy for an unforgettable evening beneath the stars at Sunnyside Farm, a privately conserved property generously hosted by Jerry and Karen Zink. This rare and intimate event offers you the chance to witness one of Colorado’s most magical sights, fireflies! Enjoy a catered dinner, local beer donated by Carver Brewing Company, wine donated by Sunnyside Farms Market, and hear from a featured firefly expert from Fort Lewis College. 

Space is limited! Full event details and address will be emailed to admission purchasers.

Your Impact: Your admission not only supports our conservation mission, but you are helping protect rare wetland habitats, raise awareness about the importance of insects in healthy ecosystems, and inspire the next generation of conservation stewards. 

Last call for tickets to Cocktails for Conservation!
Complimentary with your ticket:
Craft beverages + a special signature drink
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Truffles
Hors d’Oeuvres
Live Music
Silent Auction
Prizes

All proceeds from this popular event support LPOSC’s work to conserve Southwest Colorado’s land, water, and way of life.

Cocktails for Conservation is a lively, elegant event featuring local and craft beverages, chocolate truffles, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a silent auction. All proceeds from this popular event support LPOSC’s work to conserve Southwest Colorado’s land, water, and way of life.

Tickets are selling fast – get yours today!

Kick off your 46th annual Snowdown Durango festivities with La Plata Open Space Conservancy! 

Cocktails for Conservation is a lively, elegant event featuring local and craft beverages, chocolate truffles, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a silent auction. All proceeds from this popular event support LPOSC’s work to conserve Southwest Colorado’s land, water, and way of life.

This event always sells out, and tickets are available only in advance – get yours today!

We are pleased to share that on Monday, December 23, La Plata Open Space Conservancy put 102 acres of land along the Florida River into conservation, adding to an existing 150-acre easement established by a local family in 2007. This accomplishment ensures that 252 acres of wildlife habitat, open space, agricultural land, and water resources are protected forever.

As we close out 2024 on a high note, we are already working on several new conservation projects for 2025. Your support makes these projects possible – thank you! On behalf of all the staff, interns, and board members at La Plata Open Space Conservancy, we wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with peace, prosperity, and good health!
– Jen and Christy

 Save the Date!
We will host our largest fundraiser, Snowdown’s Cocktails for Conservation, on Thursday, January 30th! Ticket sales will be announced in our newsletter in early January.

Enjoy a few highlights of our year below:

Colorado Gives Day is Colorado’s biggest day of giving, and we need your support to protect our cherished open spaces. Be a part of something special and make your Colorado Gives Day donation today! Your donation helps us conserve Southwest Colorado’s land, water, and way of life.
  
LPOSC proudly safeguards over 22,000 acres of scenic vistas, critical wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, agricultural lands, and historical resources through its 179 conservation easements. With your help, in 2025, we will work to conserve another nearly 2,000 acres. 

For another way to support LPOSC, save the date for Snowdown’s Cocktails for Conservation on Thursday, January 30th! Ticket sales will be announced in our newsletter later this month.

Thank you for helping us make 2024 a year of achievements – new conservation projects, workshops, youth programs, and internships were possible thanks to donors like you!

Protect the outdoor places you love in southwest Colorado by supporting La Plata Open Space Conservancy (LPOSC) this Colorado Gives Day! Your gift will directly support LPOSC’s mission to permanently protect open lands that are vital for agriculture, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and preserving our local history.

Every donation you make to LPOSC from November 1 through December 10 will go even further, thanks to a $1M + Incentive Fund generously provided by the Colorado Gives Foundation and FirstBank. Each participating nonprofit will receive a share of this fund, based on the total donations they raise—meaning your support has a bigger impact! Plus, if you set up a new monthly donation, the Colorado Gives Foundation will match your first monthly donation up to $100, up to $250,000 across all organizations!

Give Where You Live! Together, let us keep southwest Colorado wild, beautiful, and resilient. Thank you for being a crucial part of our work to conserve the spirit and landscape of this unique place.

Protect the outdoor places you love in southwest Colorado by supporting LPOSC this Colorado Gives Day!

Every donation you make to LPOSC from November 1 through December 10 will go even further, thanks to a $1M + Incentive Fund generously provided by the Colorado Gives Foundation and FirstBank. Each participating nonprofit will receive a share of this fund, based on the total donations they raise—meaning your support has a bigger impact! Plus, if you set up a new monthly donation, the Colorado Gives Foundation will match your first monthly donation up to $100, up to $250,000 across all organizations.

Your gift will directly support LPOSC’s mission to permanently protect open lands that are vital for agriculture, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and preserving our local history.

We hosted a sold-out realtor workshop that earned participants three continuing education credits in a state-approved course on conservation easement basics for realtors and those in related professions. Wells Group Realtor Justin Osborn, along with staff from La Plata Open Space Conservancy and Tax Credit Connection, provided valuable insights into what a conservation easement is, how and why they are established, and key considerations for real estate transactions involving conservation easements.

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsor, Colorado Title & Closing Services, this course was offered at no cost to participants. 

Attention realtors!
Earn three continuing education credits in this state-approved course on conservation easement basics for realtors and those in related professions. Wells Group Realtor Justin Osborn and staff from La Plata Open Space Conservancy and Tax Credit Connection will help you understand what a conservation easement is, how and why they are established, and what to be aware of when handling a real estate transaction involving a conservation easement.
This course is free of charge, thanks to support from our generous sponsor, Colorado Title & Closing Services. Registration is required and space is limited – please register at the link below.