A New Face at CBLT
Carmen Bell
Director of Advancement
The Crested Butte Land Trust is excited to welcome Carmen Bell to the newly created Director of Advancement position. Originally from southern Maine, Carmen has called Crested Butte home for more than 20 years. As Director of Advancement, Carmen will oversee fundraising and engagement programs to support land conservation, stewardship and organizational growth.
Policy Win for Conservation!
On June 1, 2026, Governor Polis signed legislation extending Colorado’s Conservation Easement Tax Credit Program from 2031 to 2035. Passed with strong bipartisan support, the bill is a major win for Colorado’s farms, ranches, wildlife habitat, water resources, and outdoor recreation landscapes.
Since 2000, the program has helped landowners voluntarily conserve their properties by offering tax credits in exchange for permanent conservation easements. These easements protect working agricultural lands, safeguard wildlife habitat, water resources, and ensure public access across the state.
The program has been highly successful, with demand continuing to outpace available funding. In fact, available tax credits are expected to be fully allocated by the end of 2026. Extending the program ensures that landowners who are currently pursuing conservation easements will continue to have access to this valuable conservation tool.
While the extension is an important milestone, more work remains. As interest in conservation easements grows, continued investment will be needed to meet demand and protect the lands and waters that sustain Colorado’s communities, economy, and way of life.
Interested in learning more? Head over to our coalition leaders, Keep it Colorado, for more information and updates.
Join the Community. Become a Member.
For 35 years, the Crested Butte Land Trust community has worked to protect the lands, waters, trails, ranches, and wildlife habitat that make life in the Gunnison Valley so special. From the Slate River Wetlands and Long Lake to Cement Creek and beyond, conservation in this valley has always been powered by people who deeply value this place.
To celebrate our 35th anniversary, you can help us launch a new grassroots membership program built on a simple idea: everyone who gives is a member.
Every member helps protect the landscapes that define our community. Your support strengthens our ability to steward trails, conserve wildlife habitat, protect working lands, and pursue new conservation opportunities as they arise.
Whether you’re able to contribute $35, $350, $3,500, or $35,000, your support protects the landscapes that shape our community and connect us to one another. There are no complicated tiers or exclusive clubs—just a growing community of people who believe these places are worth our care.
This is your place. Join the community helping protect it.
Summer Events
We are excited to be out and about in the community all summer long. Come say hi and learn more about the Land Trust at one of our field trips, tabling events, or happy hours. Stay tuned for more to come!
July 26th (Sunday) @ 10 AM | Yoga in the Park
Move, stretch, and soak up the sunshine while supporting conservation and open lands in the Crested Butte community!
August 3rd (Monday) @ 5 PM | Alpenglow Concert Booth
Round Two! Check out our table at Alpenglow to say hello, learn what conservation is all about and grab some awesome CBLT merch too!
September 6th (Sunday) @ 9 AM | Farmers Market Booth
Stop by our booth at the Farmers Market to connect with faces both new and old then check out some great CBLT merch while enjoying the market!
September 21st-25th (Monday-Friday) | CBLT Week
Join CBLT for a weeklong celebration featuring hikes, community gatherings, and special events designed to connect people with the places they love and the conservation work that protects them – More details coming soon!
October 4th (Sunday) @ 9 AM | Farmers Market Booth
Round Two! Stop by our booth at the Farmers Market to say hi and check out some great CBLT merch while enjoying the market!
Interested in Volunteering?
Want to get involved and have some fun while supporting local conservation?
We would love your help!
Currently, we are recruiting volunteers for our annual Starry Evening Gala, one of our favorite events of the year! Volunteer opportunities are available July 10–12 and include everything from event setup and guest check-in to auction support and post-event cleanup. Whether you can help for a few hours or a whole shift, we would be grateful for your help!
We are also looking for volunteers to join us at community events throughout the summer. Opportunities include staffing outreach tables, assisting with educational field trips, and helping celebrate conservation at events during CBLT week. These are great ways to connect with the community, spend time outdoors, and support CBLT’s mission.
If you would like to participate in any of these opportunities please email:
We couldn’t do this work without our incredible volunteers.
Thank you for being part of it!
2027 CBLT Calendar is Live
Click the link here to purchase yours!
