La Plata Open Space Conservancy

“The tax preparer meets with the president of the corporation to review the completed return and obtain his signature. The president is given copies of the return to present to the board at the next board meeting.”

“The conflict of interest policy is discussed at board meetings.”

“All copies of governing documents and tax returns are made available to the public if requests are made to the director through mail or by phone.”

“Archeological sites totaling 180 acres to the canyon of the ancients national monument. As a certified conservation easement holder, lposc is legally obligated to monitor every protected property annually to ensure the natural resources are being stewarded as promised per the conservation easement, and also serves to connect conservation easement donors and subsequent landowners to lposc, keeping a friendly working relationship over time. In addition to the 174 easements protected by lposc, lposc was contracted to monitor 22 animas conservancy easements and volunteer monitored 6 la plata county easements. Partnership projects with southwest conservation corps removed tamarisk and russian olive from the animas river and natural resources conservation service to revegetate treated areas with native tree seedlings to improve habitat as well as firewise to thin at risk forests on conservation easements. Stewardship programs focused on habitat restoration are partnerships with other local, environmental non profit organizations. 2015 included extensive work by lposc on renewing its accreditation status with the land trust accreditation commission. While accreditation serves to guide organizational oversight and governance, it provides national standards for lposc to follow in land protection, stewardship, and legal defense. Lposc dedicated approximately 800 hours of staff time to accreditation renewal in 2015.”

“Appreciation picnic, lposc expanded its community outreach program to include a day of plein air painting on a conservation easement with a gallery open house displaying the painting at taylor raymond gallery following it. In 2015, lposc continued involving fort lewis college interns and community volunteers in the monitoring program as well as stewardship programs involving habitat restoration, further connecting our community to the landscapes lposc protects. Lposc hosts a membership base of nearly 500 community members. The generous support of the members enables lposc to achieve its mission to protect valuable lands for generations to come. Our membership has increased as we have increased our community outreach/education program.”

“Accrual to cash adjustment 23,722 stock transactions reported incorrectly on audit 13,329 accrual to cash adjustment -8,441 total 28,610”