Like all great ideas, it started during late-night discussions at dining room tables and over bartops. Twenty years later, those beer-fueled discussion leaders have a lot to be proud of — namely one of the most active and efficient land trusts in the state of California.
On Aug. 29, former board members, local politicians, and land trust donors met at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort to celebrate the Truckee Donner Land Trust’s 20th anniversary.
The event was one part reminiscence, one part celebration of the organization’s success, and one part unfurling of future plans.
Original board members recalled the early days when conservation targets like Schallenberger Ridge near Donner Lake galvanized local support for a land trust. Partners like Dave Sutton of the Trust for Public Land lauded the organization’s relentless pursuit of amazing landscapes like Martis Valley and Perazzo Meadows. Becky Morgan, one of the land trust’s most generous donors, talked about her family’s involvement in current and future local land conservation.
The Truckee Donner Land Trust has conserved over 22,500 acres of land in the area since its inception. Land trust officials vowed that that number will continue growing as the local conservation group finalizes upcoming purchases of more ecologically sensitive landscapes.
