2016
ANNUAL REPORT
2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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DEAR FRIENDS,
2016 marks a year of remarkable accomplishment and a year of dramatic transition to a challenging and uncertain future. Looking back, we celebrate President Obama’s designation of 4 new National Monuments and important expansions of the California Coastal and the Cascade Siskiyou National Monuments, permanently protecting more than 3 million acres of spectacular public lands in California, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon. The Bureau of Land Management approved the California Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, protecting another 2.88 million acres of desert habitat and open space. We are proud of the leadership role the Conservation Lands Foundation played in President Obama’s designation of Penn Center National Monument in South Carolina, our nation’s first National Monument for the Reconstruction Era. These accomplishments, along with site based conservation policy and management decisions, restoration and stewardship projects were made possible in partnership with our Friends Grassroots Network - now 65 organizations and counting across the West. We reached our 4 year Campaign for the National Conservation Lands goal, raising $20 million to support our core programs while adding $4 million to our Board Designated Reserve fund to prepare for the future. We have been blessed with generous, loyal and engaged donors, and we thank all of you for your support. Now, that future has arrived fast and hard upon us. We face a hostile Congress and Executive branch that have set goals of repealing the Antiquities Act and revoking or reducing size and protection of individual National Monuments. Budgets for conservation and recreation will be cut. Management policies will focus on resource extraction and development. We must make a rapid pivot to a long, difficult, complex, and expensive campaign to defend the conservation accomplishments of the last 16 years for the National Conservation Lands. The achievements of 2016 represent the culmination of more than 8 years of hard work. Broad public support created the political foundation for the expansion of the National Conservation Lands through the creation of The National Monuments. The Friends Grassroots Network represents powerful constituency of advocates for each unit and for the National Conservation Lands as a system. We have a focused mission, an active and experienced Board of Directors, a dedicated and talented staff, and a growing public awareness of the special character and attributes of the National Conservation Lands. The Board of Directors, our staff, and the Friends Grassroots Network are ready for this challenge. ED NORTON CHAIRMAN 2
CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION
THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION LANDS Our nation’s newest collection of protected public lands, rivers and trails owned by all Americans, the National Conservation Lands join our National Parks, National Forests, and National Wildlife Refuges as protectors of America’s natural and cultural heritage and drivers of our country’s $646 billion outdoor recreation economy. Our mission: Protect, restore and expand the National Conservation Lands through education, advocacy and partnerships. NATIONAL CONSERVATION LANDS AT A GLANCE
27 NATIONAL MONUMENTS 21 NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREAS and similar designations
21.5 MILLION ACRES
of Wilderness & Wilderness Study Areas
2,423 MILES
of Wild & Scenic Rivers
5,761 MILES
of National Scenic & Historic Trails
873 LOCATIONS
discover experience explore 2016
AT A GLANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS KAI ANDERSON
MICHAEL KOWALSKI
CECIL D. ANDRUS
ALEX LASKEY
CEO, Cassidy & Associates Governor of Idaho (1971-1977 and 1987-1995) Secretary of the Interior (1977-1981)
BRUCE BABBITT
Governor of Arizona (1978-1987) Secretary of the Interior (1993-2001)
JEFF BINGAMAN
U.S. Senator from New Mexico (1983-2013)
ELAINE BRONG
Founding Director, National Conservation Lands (2000-2002); Oregon State Director, Bureau of Land Management (2002-2006)
DAYTON DUNCAN
Writer and Documentary Filmmaker
STEVEN HORSFORD President, R&R Resources+
CHRIS KILLINGSWORTH
Vice President, The Wyss Foundation
Chairman, Tiffany & Co.
President and Co-Founder, Opower
WILLIAM MEADOWS
Counselor, The Wilderness Society
PETER METCALF
Founder, CEO Emeritus, Brand Advocate, Black Diamond Equipment
RICHARD MOE
President Emeritus, National Trust for Historic Preservation
GREG MOORE
President and CEO, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
EDWARD H. NORTON
JUAN PALMA
Nevada State Director, The Nature Conservancy; Utah State Director, Bureau of Land Management (2010-2015)
ANNE SHIELDS
Former Chief of Staff, Department of the Interior
JENNIFER SPEERS
Conservationist Chair, The Nature Conservancy-Utah Chapter
DOUGLAS P. WHEELER Partner, Hogan Lovells, LLP
ROB WHITE
Chairman, National Trust Community Investment Corporation
HANSJÖRG WYSS
Chairman, The Wyss Foundation
Actor, Filmmaker and Conservationist
EDWARD M. NORTON
Chairman, Conservation Lands Foundation Senior Advisor, TPG Capital 2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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SAND TO SNOW NATIONAL MONUMENT, CA B. WICK
MOJAVE TRAILS NATIONAL MONUMENT, CA M. MAGUIRE
FOUR YEARS AGO, the Conservation Lands Foundation launched our National Monuments Campaign with an ambitious goal of adding 4 million acres in new national monument designations to our National Conservation Lands by the end of President Obama’s time in office. Since then, we’ve worked with our grassroots partners throughout the West to build the local and national support needed to embolden the President to permanently protect our most ecologically and culturally important lands – and we’ve achieved monumental success! In 2016, President Obama used the Antiquities Act to designate the Sand to Snow and Mojave Trails National Monuments in California, Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada and the historic Bears Ears National Monument Utah. Together, these designations expanded our National Conservation Lands by over 3.4 MILLION ACRES.
“These are our aboriginal lands. For the first time Tribes have been recognized for our traditional knowledge. Thank you to President Obama and thank you to all of our supporters from every corner of the nation and to the public for its support.” —Willie Grayeyes, Board Chair, Utah Diné Bikéyah
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CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION
FOR ALL
GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT, NV B. WICK
BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT, UT B. WICK
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S CONSERVATION LEGACY In his eight years in office, President Obama used the Antiquities Act to protect OVER 550 MILLION ACRES of natural habitat – conserving more land and water than any president in American history. His conservation legacy includes establishing the two largest marine reserves on earth and the world’s second largest desert reserve as well as adding 5 MILLION ACRES to our National Conservation Lands by establishing 12 new national monuments in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Washington and Nevada. BEARS EARS INTERTIBAL COALITION
expand
MONUMENTS
SAND TO SNOW NATIONAL MONUMENT 154,000 acres | February 12, 2016 | California
One of California’s most diverse landscapes, the Sand to Snow National Monument rises from the Sonoran Desert floor up to southern California’s tallest mountain. From high alpine peaks and Joshua tree woodlands to mountain rivers and desert wetlands, the Monument protects wildlife corridors, tremendous biological diversity and provides exceptional recreation opportunities including hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail.
MOJAVE TRAILS NATIONAL MONUMENT 1,600,000 acres | February 12, 2016 | California
Mojave Trails National Monument protects 1.6 million acres of vital wildlife habitat, unspoiled desert vistas, sacred Native American trails and historic trade routes. It encompasses the longest undeveloped stretch of Route 66, as well as unique scientific features including ancient lava flows and trilobite fossil beds. The Monument includes the largest land gift in American history, with over 200,000 private acres donated to the Bureau of Land Management for conservation in perpetuity.
GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT 300,000 acres | December 28, 2016 | Nevada
Nevada’s piece of the Grand Canyon, Gold Butte National Monument is overflowing with jaw-dropping geology, intriguing history, fragile wildlife species including the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise and remote, undeveloped opportunities to explore. Dotted with impossibly sculpted sandstone and thick Joshua Tree forests, the Monument offers snapshots of human history, from ancient rock art galleries to historic mining and pioneer-era artifacts.
BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT 1,351,849 acres | December 28, 2016 | Utah
One of the most diverse and spectacular landscapes on earth, Bears Ears National Monument is home to more than 100,000 Native American archaeological and cultural sites, including ancient roads, pit houses, cliff dwellings, rock paintings and petroglyph panels that are sacred to many Tribes. Connections to Bears Ears aren’t just about protecting the past as many Native Americans continue to visit the area on a regular basis for ceremonies and to connect with ancestors, collect herbs and medicine, hunt, forage for food, and gather firewood. Led by the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, a coalition of five Tribes with support from across the nation, this campaign was the first Native American requested national monument in history.
DID YOU KNOW?
GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT | T. ROEMER
Scientists discovered 290 million-year-old fossilized footprints in Gold Butte National Monument those tracks are 60 million years older than the earliest known dinosaurs!
2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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grassroots
ADVOCATES ON THE GROUND
AFTER SCHOOL ALL STARS LAS VEGAS | J. TORRES
COMMUNITY IS AT THE CORE of conservation and the
power of the grassroots is at the heart of the Conservation Lands Foundation’s mission and success. We build and strengthen community-based groups, led by citizen advocates across the West, to champion national monument designations, advance strong policies on the ground and defend the National Conservation Lands from attack. Known as our Friends Grassroots Network, these 65 groups from across the West form a strong, diverse and powerful constituency for local public lands and the National Conservation Lands as a whole. The Conservation Lands Foundation works hand in hand with our Network partners, providing training, mentoring, strategic guidance and direct support so together we can achieve our shared conservation goals.
IN 2016, WE:
“We worked for over 15 years to protect Gold Butte as a national monument and we could not have done it without the support from the Conservation Lands Foundation. CLF provided invaluable campaign guidance, training and financial support that taught us how to channel our passion into an effective advocacy effort that resulted in lasting change. We are forever grateful.”
Shaped the future of public lands by helping lead the NEXT100 COALITION in seeking to make sure public lands reflect a complete history and are inclusive of the diversity of our nation.
—Jaina Moan, Executive Director, Friends of Gold Butte
Brought together over 300 conservation partners at our 8th FRIENDS RENDEZVOUS in Las Vegas, Nevada to share successes, network, learn from each other and chart our course forward for the National Conservation Lands. Fostered connections and peer-to-peer learning among Network leaders that resulted in the six groups in our leadership cohort building their fundraising from $1.25 MILLION in 2015 to $2.88 MILLION in 2016 – a 130% increase!
Granted $1.13 MILLION to 44 Friends Grassroots Network groups and partners to support resilient organizations led by effective leaders who advocate for new national monuments and champion strong conservation policies for our National Conservation Lands.
| ARIZONA | Archaeology Southwest – Arizona Conservation Partners – Friends of the Agua Fria National Monument – Friends of Ironwood Forest Friends of Sonoran Desert National Monument – Friends of The Cliffs – Friends of the Joshua Tree Forest – Friends of the San Pedro River | CALIFORNIA | Alabama Hills Stewardship Group – Amargosa Conservancy – Bodie Hills Conservation Partnership – Carrizo Plain Conservancy FORT Friends – Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve – Friends of Carrizo Plain – Friends of Headwaters – Friends of the Desert Mountains – Friends of the Inyo – King Range Alliance – Land Trust of Santa Cruz County – Lost Coast Interpretive Association – Mattole Restoration Council – Mattole Salmon Group – Mendocino Land Trust – Mojave Desert Land Trust – Piedras Blancas Light Station Association – Sanctuary Forest – Sempervirens Fund Trinidad Coastal Land Trust – Tuleyome | COLORADO | Colorado Canyons Association – Conejos County Clean Water – Crow Canyon Archaeological
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CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION
PUBLIC LANDS FOR EVERYONE
TO HONOR THE FULL HISTORY of our public lands and
understand why Bears Ears, Gold Butte, Sand to Snow and Mojave Trails National Monuments–and sacred places across the country– are protected for future generations, we must celebrate all of our connections to the land, shine a light on untold stories and break down barriers for historically underrepresented and marginalized voices in conservation. In 2016, we were proud to stand with Native American Tribes, Latino communities, faith organizations and partners representing America’s diversity in our shared work of ensuring public lands are welcoming and inclusive for all.
“CLF has been instrumental to the Native American Lands Conservancy in building partnerships with its network of conservation organizations, who share similar concerns not only about how our new national monuments will be managed, but also how other desert lands can be preserved for future generations.”
—Nicole Johnson, Executive Board Member, Native American Lands Conservancy
EXPLORING GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT J.TORRES
“For the Latino communities, protecting public lands is deeply important. It has been a great experience to be part of the CLF family in protecting the Sand to Snow and Mojave Trails National Monuments in the California Desert as these are valuable open spaces for families to enjoy.” —Anabella Bastida, Executive Director Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM)
ANCESTRAL LANDS PROGRAM RESTORATION TEAM | B. BALAGUER
OUR GUIDING VISION: EQUITY, INCLUSION & DIVERSITY The Conservation Lands Foundation is committed to embracing, fostering and advancing equity, inclusion and diversity in our board, staff, Friends Grassroots Network, partnerships, communities we serve and places we seek to preserve and protect. We believe in a just, equitable and sustainable future for our lands, waters, wildlife and for all people. America’s public lands belong to all of us and must benefit all of us as they reveal our history, tell our stories, celebrate the diversity of our country and honor the myriad of ways we find connection and meaning in these unique places. We stand with frontline communities seeking fundamental human rights of freedom, justice and equal protection under the law. In the pursuit of our mission and daily work, we are dedicated to building an inclusive future for all communities.
MOJAVE TRAILS NATIONAL MONUMENT CELEBRATION M. MAGUIRE
Center – Dolores River Boating Advocates – Friends of Browns Canyon – Friends of the Yampa – Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance – Western Slope Conservation Center | FLORIDA | Loxahatchee River Historical Society | IDAHO | Birds of Prey National Conservation Area Partnership | MONTANA | Friends of Pompeys Pillar National Monument – Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument | NEVADA | Friends of Basin and Range – Friends of Black Rock-High Rock – Friends of Gold Butte – Friends of Nevada Wilderness – Friends of Red Rock Canyon – Friends of Sloan Canyon | NEW MEXICO | Fort Stanton Cave Study Project – Friends of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument – Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks – Paleozoic Trackways Foundation | OREGON | Friends and Neighbors of the Deschutes Canyon Area – Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument – Friends of Oregon Badlands Wilderness – Friends of the Owyhee – Friends of Yaquina Lighthouse – Soda Mountain Wilderness Council | UTAH | Conserve Southwest Utah – Friends of Cedar Mesa Grand Staircase Escalante Partners – Utah Diné Bikéyah | WASHINGTON | Islanders for San Juan Islands National Monument | WYOMING | Alliance for Historic Wyoming
2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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PUBLIC LANDS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
AMARGOSA RIVER | B. WICK
AS A PERMANENT SYSTEM of protected public lands, the National Conservation Lands ensure future generations will be able to discover, experience and explore some of our nation’s most spectacular places. However, we know that to truly conserve these lands of exceptional ecological, cultural, scientific and historic significance, they must be backed by strong conservation management practices on the ground. From Alaska’s Western Arctic to the California Desert and all across the West, we partner with the Bureau of Land Management and local groups to advocate for policy decisions that set a high bar for protecting critical wildlife habitat, open space and cultural artifacts and uphold the integrity of the National Conservation Lands as a system.
“With 24.5 million acres of California Desert to protect, support from partners like CLF is critical for important stewardship projects and inspiring new, diverse desert lovers.” —Danielle Segura, Executive Director Mojave Desert Land Trust
2016 POLICY SUCCESS Permanently protecting 2.88 MILLION ACRES in the California desert through the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan. Over half of the additions are slated for added layers of protection by permanently closing lands to new mining and drilling claims. Upholding strong conservation policy for the Gateway West transmission line, originally slated to bisect Idaho’s Morley Nelson Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Working with local utilities and the Bureau of Land Management, we successfully struck a balance to site the transmission line outside of protected lands. Finalizing a Resource Management Plan for the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas in Utah that does not allow a highway corridor through protected areas. Advocating for innovative conservation strategies in Alaska’s Western Arctic to protect critical wildlife habitat and subsistence lands in the face of threats from oil and gas development projects affecting the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area.
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CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS| J. DITTLI
CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION
restore
PARTNERS
IN CONSERVATION
ANCESTRAL LANDS PROGRAM | B. BALAGUER
PUBLIC LANDS ARE OUR LANDS. With every protected
landscape and conservation victory for our National Conservation Lands comes a lasting reponsibilty to be good stewards and partners so future generations can visit these incredible places. Since 2012, we have connected conservation corps with corporate partners to repair trails, restore wildlife habitat, re-introduce native plants and improve recreation access on public lands. In 2016, we partnered with local conservation organizations, veterans crews, students, Native American Youth organizations and volunteers to put boots on the ground in four states to complete restorationstewardship projects on our National Conservation Lands - highlights of our projects include: The California Conservation Corps Veterans Conservation Crew attended the dedication of the Mojave Trails National Monument with Secretary Sally Jewell. The Nevada Conservation Corps received a public commendation from the the Mayor and City Council of Henderson, NV for their service at Sloan Canyon. Media coverage of each project helped raise awareness of the National Conservation Lands, building our next generation of public lands advocates and stewards.
RODMAN WILDERNESS RESTORATION | C. OVERBY
SLOAN CANYON | NEVADA CONSERVATION CORPS
Gy-meh-eh pa-eh-cha! Ah-moo haa-tsi, ah-dyash, eh haa-nu. (Let it rain! For the beloved land, animals and people.)
—Aaron Lowden, Ancestral Lands Program
2016 RESTORATION PROJECTS BASIN AND RANGE NATIONAL MONUMENT & SLOAN CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA | NV
Nevada Conservation Corps Veterans Conservation Crew MOJAVE TRAILS NATIONAL MONUMENT RODMAN WILDERNESS | CA
California Conservation Corps Veterans Conservation Crew RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE NATIONAL MONUMENT | NM
Southwest Conservation Corps’ Veterans Fire Program EL MALPAIS NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA | NM & RIO GRANDE AREA | CO
Ancestral Lands Program - Acoma Pueblo Corps 2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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success!
CAMPAIGN
FOUR YEARS AGO, we launched our
Campaign for the National Conservation Lands with a goal of raising $20 million to support the long-term success of our core programs while building a $4 million Board-designated reserve fund. With the generous support of our donors we did it! We raised $2.9 million in the final year of the campaign and added $350,000 to the Board-designated reserve fund, reaching both goals!
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS Rennie and Kai Anderson Anonymous (3) Hattie and Bruce Babbitt Paul Beaudet and David Wertheimer Teresa Beck Benevity Community Impact Fund Marcie and Ryan Bidwell Anne and Jeff Bingaman Black Diamond, Inc. Elaine and Chris Brong Bureau of Land Management, California State Office Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation Campion Foundation Cassidy & Associates David Churchill The Conservation Alliance Cornuelle Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs James G. Coulter Management Trust directed by Tiffany Clay Candace and Tim Dee Dianne and Dayton Duncan Emmett Foundation
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Rachel Farbairz and Alex Laskey Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust Jason Friedman Sam Goldman Chris Guinchigliani Andrew Hanson Philip S. Harper Foundation directed by Kerry Lamar Wrisley and Steven Palumbo Robin and Jim Herrnstein The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Hogan Lovells Cornielia Hutt Peggy Karp and John Leshey Chris Killingsworth and Steve Kandell Kowalski Family Foundation Meghan Kissell Ben Kram Monica Lopez and Sameer Gandhi Arthur Matas Sally Brooks Meadows and Bill Meadows
CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION
$20.6 M
2016
$20M
$2.9M 2015
$6.4M
2016
$15M
$350K
$10M
$650K
$4M
$4M
2015
2014
$6.6M
$3M
2014
$5M 2013
$1.5M
$2M
2013
$4.7M
$0
$20.6M RAISED
$500K
$1M**
$4M TO RESERVE FUND
We gratefully acknowledge these generous individuals, foundations, corporations and agencies whose gifts, pledges and in-kind services were received in 2016.
Kathy and Peter Metcalf Julia and Richard Moe Ann McBride Norton and Ed Norton NV Energy Charitable Foundation Osborne Robbins & Buhler Osprey Packs, Inc. Susan and Juan Palma Anne Parker Patagonia The Pew Charitable Trusts Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Robert Pyle R&R Partners Foundation
CALIFORNIA DESERT FLOWERS | B. WICK
RBC Blue Water Project Sally and Tom Reeve Resources Legacy Fund Bay Area Conservation Initiative Shauna Robertson and Edward Norton Holly and Bill Rom The Jim and Patty Rouse Charitable Foundation directed by Jim Norton, Molly Norton and Ted Rouse Danielle Sandstedt and Jeremy Garncarz Santa Fe Community Foundation directed by Julia and Richard Moe
PRONGHORN | B. WICK
Elizabeth Serotte Anne and Mark Shields Sarah and Morgan Smith Southern California Edison International Jennifer Speers Linda and Arnold Spellun Jack Stephenson Henrietta Stern The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Melyssa Watson and Brian O’Donnell Heather and Douglas Wheeler Connie and Rob White Wilburforce Foundation
BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT | B. WICK
2016 NUMBERS
Statement of financial position as of December 31, 2016. Copies of the complete audited financial statements are available at www.ConservationLands.org or by contacting us at info@ConservationLands.org.
REVENUE
EXPENSES
2%
10%
10%
40%
PROGRAM EXPENSES
8%
82%
Foundation and Trust Grants
32%
$2,375,375 1,988,410
2015 unrestricted and restricted funds* Direct Public Support
507,387
Interest and Other Income
109,051
TOTAL REVENUE
54%
8%
48%
$4,980,223
*$514,984 of restricted assets and $1,473,426 of unrestricted net assets from 2015 were released for use in 2016.
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
$7,264,807
LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS TOTAL LIABILITIES NET ASSETS Unrestricted
General Operating Board-designated Reserve
Total Unrestricted Total Temporarily Restricted TOTAL NET ASSETS TOTAL NET ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
198,696
2,230,003 4,000,000
6,230,003 836,108 7,066,111 $7,264,807 BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT | B. WICK
2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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“CLF’s fundamental support for Amargosa Conservancy has allowed us to grow as advocates in protecting and defending our public lands. The relationships we’ve built through the Friends Grassroots Network and diverse partners have been critical to our engagement in vital conservation issues affecting the desert, California and the nation.” —Tanya Henderson, Executive Director, Amargosa Conservancy
835 E. 2nd Ave., Suite 314 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-0807 info@conservationlands.org www.ConservationLands.org / ConservationLands
@ConservationLF
The National Conservation Lands encompass 36 million acres and 2,400 river miles of National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic Trails and other special designations. As the only organization in the country dedicated solely to their protection, our mission is to protect, restore and expand these lands through education, advocacy and partnerships.
FRONT COVER – BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT: B.WICK | SAND TO SNOW NATIONAL MONUMENT: J. THOMPSON | DESERT TORTOISE: P. DONNELY GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT: J. TORRES | BACK COVER – MOJAVE TRAILS NATIONAL MONUMENT: B. WICK