Summit Land Conservancy deems assets like scenic open space, recreational use, wetland habitats and water quality as extremely valuable. Brett believes that large chunks of preserved land provide hope for the future.
“I get most excited about the really big acreages of range land,” he says. “Those spaces, as natural ecology and healthy functioning landscapes, are making a big dent in our climate change impact.”
Considering human impact on the environment is at the heart of Summit Land Conservancy’s values, which is why the organization launched the For the Future Fund.
“The three major rivers that feed the Great Salt Lake have their headwaters in Summit County,” Brett explains. “The For the Future Fund is one of our capital campaigns that looks at making substantial changes at the headwaters of the Great Salt Lake.” Over the next five years, the organization aims to preserve 36,000 acres of land surrounding the Great Salt Lake tributaries — the Weber, Provo and Bear River Watersheds.
The Summit Land Conservancy is successful because of conservation-minded landowners and community support. A simple love for nature is creating a new appreciation and vision for the land: It’s not about what can be gained; it’s about what can be preserved.