Conservation Lands Foundation

2013 annuaL report

Board of directors

Handies Peak Wilderness Study Area, ColoradoPhoto by Bob Wick

Cecil D. AndrusGovernor of Idaho (1971-1977 and 1987-1995)Secretary of the Interior (1977-1981)

Bruce BabbittGovernor of Arizona (1978-1987)Secretary of the Interior (1993-2001)

Elaine BrongFounding Director, National Conservation Lands (2000-2002) Oregon State Director, Bureau of Land Management (2002-2006)

Tiffany ClayVice President, TPG Biotech

Dayton DuncanWriter and Documentary Filmmaker

Michael KowalskiChairman and CEO, Tiffany & Co.

Alex LaskeyPresident and Co-Founder, Opower

Molly McUsicPresident, The Wyss Foundation

William MeadowsFormer President, The Wilderness Society

Richard MoePresident Emeritus, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Greg MoorePresident and CEO, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Edward H. NortonActor, Filmmaker and Conservationist

Edward M. NortonChairman, Conservation Lands FoundationSenior Advisor, TPG Capital

Luther PropstFormer Executive Director, Sonoran Institute

Peter RoseManaging Director for Public Affairs, The Blackstone Group

Anne ShieldsFormer Chief of Staff, Department of the Interior

Jennifer SpeersConservationistChair, The Nature Conservancy-Utah Chapter

Douglas W. WalkerEntrepreneurChairman, The Wilderness Society

Douglas P. WheelerPartner, Hogan Lovells, LLP

Rob WhiteChairman, National Trust Community Investment Corporation

Hansjörg WyssChairman, The Wyss FoundationChairman and CEO, Synthes (USA)

Elaine ZielinskiArizona State Director, Bureau of Land Management (1993-2001)

the mission oF the Conservation Lands Foundation is to proteCt, restore and expand the nationaL Conservation Lands through eduCation, advoCaCy and partnerships.

Letter From the exeCutive direCtor

Dear Friends and Supporters,

There are many organizations doing good work to protect land around the country, but none that have achieved so much as efficiently as the Conservation Lands Foundation. Our success is made possible by strong leadership, a talented and focused staff, a dedicated network of grassroots partners and your financial support. Together, we have much to celebrate.

Opportunities to safeguard unspoiled portions of Washington’s Puget Sound are rare—so we worked with islanders to permanently protect parts of the San Juan Islands as a national monument. Americans will be able to view whales breaching, bald eagles nesting and hike the scenic islands for generations to come.

Our biggest accomplishment of the year was helping to lead the campaign to protect the Rio Grande del Norte. The Rio Grande's awe-inspiring gorge, its confluence with the Red River, Ute Mountain and the surrounding plateaus with their abundant wildlife—all are forever protected as a national monument.

By bringing together the diverse voices of tribal leaders, teachers, elected officials, veterans and businesses, we ensured that major conservation policies were implemented by the Bureau of Land Management. These policies will lead to better protection of sacred sites, wildlife habitat and clean water.

As this report details, we built and harnessed a powerful constituency for the National Conservation Lands and launched a restoration initiative which employed youth corps and veterans crews to improve riparian areas and enhance recreational opportunities.

Thank you for making all of this possible. We made tremendous progress in 2013 and we are poised for major successes ahead.

Brian o’donnell executive director

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community is at the Core oF Conservation

2013 Friends Grassroots Network Rendezvous service projectSteelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area, OregonPhoto by Tyler Roemer

“We KnoW We’re part oF a nationaL netWorK, and as a resuLt, We have raised the Bar on our LoCaL WorK. With the strength and expertise oF the Conservation Lands Foundation and the Friends grassroots netWorK Behind us, We don’t shy aWay From taCKLing Big ChaLLenges.” stephanie mcnight, stewardship program manager,

friends of Black rock high rock, 2013 friends group of the year

Behind every proteCted LandsCape and Conservation viCtory stands a Committed ConstituenCy oF LoCaL supporters. The Conservation Lands Foundation builds and strengthens community-based groups, led by citizen advocates, who work to protect, restore and expand the National Conservation Lands. Collectively, these groups make up our Friends Grassroots Network. Every day, they work to improve trails, restore river banks, engage youth in outdoor experiences and educate the public. Together, they advocate for strong conservation policies and practices that safeguard vital wildlife habitat, preserve cultural artifacts and promote world-class recreational opportunities on the National Conservation Lands. Their strength is our strength, and their successes play a direct role in fulfilling our mission.

In 2013, we worked hand-in-hand with our Friends Grassroots Network—54 groups across 11 western states and Florida—to build capacity and resiliency within each organization and marshal their collective influence on behalf of the National Conservation Lands.

Together, we:

• Grew the Friends Grassroots Network from 50 to 54 organizations, enhancing the Network’s geographic and cultural diversity and amplifying its influence by providing financial support, customized trainings and networking opportunities that foster peer-to-peer collaboration and skill building.

• Empowered the Friends Grassroots Network and other diverse stakeholder groups, including sportsmen, local businesses and tribal leaders, to show broad support for expansion of the National Conservation Lands, which resulted in two new national monuments and laid the groundwork for future designations.

• Brought together over 200 partners in conservation, including youth, veterans and corporations, to launch a new restoration initiative—completing our first three projects on the National Conservation Lands that repaired trails, enhanced habitat and recreation access on river banks and improved wildlife corridors for migrating animals.

• Organized Friends Grassroots Network leaders to build awareness and advocate for strong conservation management policies on the National Conservation Lands.

our grantmaking

We provide grants to Friends Grassroots Network partners to support and build strong organizations guided by effective leaders. With funding from the Conservation Lands Foundation, Network groups championed new designations, teamed up with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to put volunteers to work, amassed a broad support-base to speak with one voice for the National Conservation Lands and raised funds to sustain these efforts. We’re honored to stand beside our partners and celebrate their achievements.

Restoring public lands. Photo by Colorado Youth Corps Association

IN 2013 WE GRANTED $679,695 To 26 GRoups. collEcTIvEly, ThE

fRIENDs GRAssRooTs NETWoRk RAIsED

$4,018,256 To suppoRT

ThE NATIoNAl coNsERvATIoN lANDs.

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monuments matterexpanding the nationaL Conservation Lands

Set foot in a national monument and you step back in time to an untamed world. From wide-open vistas and dramatic cliffs to winding rivers and cultural sites that represent the earliest remnants of American history, monuments matter. Ensuring that visitors can experience America’s heritage for generations to come matters to us—which is why we are leading a national effort to permanently protect the most ecologically, culturally and historically significant public lands in the American West.

Photo by Bob Wick

Photo by Andrew A. Reding

“By DEsIGNATING ThEsE NATIoNAl MoNuMENTs ToDAy, WE WIll ENsuRE ThEy WIll coNTINuE To INspIRE AND BE ENJoyED By GENERATIoNs of AMERIcANs To coME.”president Barack oBama

President Obama has used the Antiquities Act to establish nine new national monuments, including two historic additions to the National Conservation Lands in 2013. These achievements were made possible by campaigns led by the Conservation Lands Foundation that effectively organized and mobilized the local and national support needed to compel the Administration to safeguard our nation's great conservation estate. As we celebrate these monumental accomplishments, we are laying the groundwork for future conservation victories while continuing to defend against threats to the Antiquities Act—a critical tool for protecting America’s heritage.

san Juan islands national monument, washington

Established: March 25, 2013size: 1,000 acres

With nearly 80,000 visits each year, people come to this spectacular archipelago of over 450 islands, rocks and pinnacles to see marine wildlife, explore by sea kayak and visit historic light stations. In addition to recreational opportunities, the Monument is a hotspot for marine science, hosting programs that offer youth educational opportunities in a marine environment.

rio grande del norte national monument, new mexico

Established: March 25, 2013size: 242,500 acres

At the heart of this rugged New Mexico wildland is the Wild and Scenic Rio Grande, carving a 50-mile long gorge that reaches depths of 800 feet. Rich with cultural sites and Native American rock art, the Monument is also a favorite whitewater rafting and kayaking destination. The Monument is a critical corridor for wildlife, providing habitat for bears, mountain lions, elk, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and sandhill cranes.

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Rio Grande Gorge, New MexicoPhoto by Bob Wick

national conservation lands

By the numBers

28 MIllIoN AcREs

889 sITEs

19 NATIoNAl MoNuMENTs

21 NATIoNAl coNsERvATIoN AREAs & sIMIlAR DEsIGNATIoNs

20+ MIllIoN AcREs of WIlDERNEss & WIlDERNEss sTuDy AREAs

2,419 Miles of Wild & scenic rivers

6,006 MIlEs of NATIoNAl scENIc & hIsToRIc TRAIls

Building awareness

The National Conservation Lands, still in their infancy, lack public awareness and understanding. People are more willing to protect what they know, which is why we began working with the BLM to design and adopt a cohesive “brand” for the National Conservation Lands. This initiative is already achieving results with the rollout of a wordmark for the National Conservation Lands—a big first step in what will be a comprehensive branding campaign.

Building awareness will take many years; our celebrated National Parks system has had over a hundred years to establish itself in the hearts and minds of Americans. By raising the profile of the National Conservation Lands now, we can inspire the public recognition and support they need to enjoy the same prominence and protection as our National Parks.

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protecting our treasured Lands

Morley Nelson Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Idaho

Photo by Bob Wick

“ThEsE culTuRAl AND NATuRAl TREAsuREs ARE AN IMpoRTANT pART of ouR NATIoNAl hERITAGE AND ThEy ARE INcREAsINGly AT RIsk. WE MusT hAvE ThE WIll AND ThE MEANs To pREsERvE ThEM.” richard moe, conservation lands

foundation Board memBer and

president emeritus, national trust

for historic preservation

Just over a decade old, the National Conservation Lands are America’s newest system of protected lands—and its most vulnerable. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, who in 2000 founded the system now known as the National Conservation Lands, was aware that his proposed vision for their management had not been adopted or implemented by BLM. These lands faced substantial threats from vandalism and looting, toxic spills and air pollution from mining and drilling, habitat degradation from invasive species—even outright sale to the highest bidder.

In 2007, the Conservation Lands Foundation was founded to ensure that Secretary Babbitt’s vision became the guiding force for the management of the National Conservation Lands. We have made huge strides in ensuring the long-term protection of these treasured places.

as a resuLt oF our WorK:

• The National Conservation Lands are now a permanent system with a conservation mandate, like the National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges.

• BLM offices across the West are initiating statewide management plans that make conservation of habitat, wildlife and cultural resources a top priority.

• Friends Grassroots Network partners are taking a leadership role in making decisions about how these public lands are managed.

• We are leading the way in shaping policies that will protect the National Conservation Lands today and for generations to come.

thanK you to our donors

$100,000+S. D. Bechtel, Jr. FoundationThe William and Flora Hewlett FoundationLOR FoundationKowalski Family FoundationPatagoniaJennifer SpeersThe Tiffany & Co. FoundationThe Walton Family FoundationWildSpacesThe Wyss Foundation

$10,000–99,999444S FoundationCampion FoundationBarbara and Bertram Cohn The Conservation AllianceDianne and Dayton DuncanEmmett FoundationRachel Farbiarz and Alex LaskeySamuel Freeman Charitable TrustPatrice and Hank HemingwayRobin and Jim HerrnsteinNina Mason Pulliam Charitable TrustSally and William Meadows

Julia and Richard MoeAnn and Ed NortonRBC Blue Water ProjectAnne and Mark ShieldsSouthern California EdisonTortuga FoundationMaggie and Douglas WalkerConnie and Rob WhiteThe Robert P. Rotella FoundationWilburforce FoundationCatherine and Tracy Wolstencroft

$1,000 – 9,999Accel Partners in honor of Alex LaskeyCecil AndrusHattie and Bruce BabbittTeresa BeckElaine and Chris BrongCassidy & AssociatesBarbara and David ChurchillTiffany ClayMichael DegnanPhilip S. Harper Foundation directed by Kerry Lamar WrisleyHyunja and Jeffrey KennerMolly McUsic

Osprey Packs, Inc. Nancy Peterson and Greg MooreElizabeth Storer and Luther PropstAlicia Kershaw and Peter RoseMary and Robert LittermanPacific Gas and Electric CompanySally and Tom ReeveThe Jim and Patty Rouse Charitable Foundation directed by Jim NortonThe Jim and Patty Rouse Charitable Foundation directed by Molly NortonCarrie Sandstedt and John WallinDanielle Sandstedt and Jeremy GarncarzTPG Capital LLC directed by Tiffany ClayMelyssa Watson and Brian O’DonnellHeather and Douglas WheelerElaine and William Zielinski

We gratefully acknowledge these generous individuals, foundations, corporations and agencies whose gifts, pledges and pro bono services were received in 2013.

aLasKa’s Western arCtiCAt 23 million acres, the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska is our country’s largest intact piece of public land. The Reserve is like no other place on Earth, from the 400,000-member Western Arctic caribou herd to the Arctic's largest density of grizzly bears; from threatened polar bears to millions of migratory birds—incredible populations of wildlife, along with Alaska Natives, have depended on this fragile landscape for centuries.

We brought together conservation allies, including Alaska Natives, sportsmen, scientists and community members, to raise awareness and advocate for maximum protections for the Reserve's most spectacular areas. As a result, on February 21, 2013, President Obama's Administration set aside five Special Areas, making 11 million acres of the Reserve’s most critical wildlife habitat and subsistence values off-limits to oil and gas drilling.

Photo by Bob Wick

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63%79%89%25%

7%

7%

14%11%5%

IN 2013 WE lAuNchED A 4-year cAMpAIGN foR ThE NATIoNAl

coNsERvATIoN lANDs. WE ARE RAIsING $20 million To ENsuRE ThAT

ouR pRoGRAMs, AND ThE pEoplE Who DRIvE ThEM, ARE posITIoNED foR succEss ovER

ThE loNG hAul. IN year 1 WE sEcuRED $4.73 million IN coNTRIBuTIoNs AND plEDGEs, REAchING 24% of ouR cAMpAIGN GoAl.

Conservation Lands Foundation financial position for the year ended December 31, 2013. Copies of the complete audited financial statements are available upon request by contacting Julie Thibodeau, Finance Director, at Julie@ConservationLands.org.

2013 By the numBers

expenses

program – $2,359,232

general admin – $238,934

fundraising – $353,090

program expenses

friends grassroots network – $1,617,074

national monuments – $631,917

policy – $175,139

communications – $137,618

revenue

foundation and trust grants – $3,651,000

direct puBlic support – $458,543

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2013 Balance sheet

assets 2013current assets

Cash and cash equivalents $2,863,624.58

Unconditional promises to give 1,870,235.00Other current assets 16,114.92

property and eQuipment, net 13,827.26

other assetsSecurity deposits

Other Assets

9,929.76

119,984.00

total assets 4,893,715.52

liaBilities and net assetscurrent liaBilities

Accounts payable 38,440.08 Payroll liabilities 62,679.63

total liaBilities 101,119.71

net assetsunrestricted

General operating 1,375,548.81

Board designated reserve 1,500,000.00

total unrestricted 2,875,548.81

total temporarily restricted 1,917,047.00

total net assets 4,792,595.81

total net assets and liaBilities $4,893,715.52

“I AM pRouD To BE A pART of AN oRGANIzATIoN ThAT Is DEDIcATED To hElpING coMMuNITIEs pRoTEcT ThE INTEGRITy of ouR puBlIc lANDs. I AM IMpREssED By ThE pAcE AT WhIch WE hAvE INfluENcED chANGE NATIoNAlly By INvEsTING locAlly – ThE coNsERvATIoN lANDs fouNDATIoN Is GETTING WoRk DoNE.” - Jennifer speers, conservation

lands foundation Board memBer

Jennifer Speers (back) and Betsy Buffington, CLF Vice President for Programs (front) paddling through the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument on Jennifer’s birthday. Photo by Laura Kamala

835 East 2nd Ave., Suite 314 Durango, CO 81301 970-247-0807 info@ConservationLands.org www.ConservationLands.org Facebook.com/ConservationLands @ConservationLF

Front Cover: Patos Island Lighthouse, San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington

Photo by Tom ReeveBack Cover: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona

Photo by Bob Wick

“We have a rare Conservation opportunity to shape the Future oF ameriCa’s puBLiC Lands, Water and WiLdLiFe—and the Conservation Lands Foundation is doing just that. Consider the BasiC numBers—With 28 miLLion aCres oF Land, 2,419 miLes oF rivers, and 6,006 miLes oF historiC traiLs in the nationaL Conservation Lands—the time to preserve these nationaL treasures For Future generations is noW.”ed norton, chairman, conservation lands

foundation Board of directors

our mission is to protect, restore and expand the national conservation lands through education, advocacy

and partnerships. we are the only organization focused solely on protecting this premier collection of lands,

rivers and trails—now and for generations to come.