News

                                                  ***Press Release 9-14-10***

Leaving A Legacy

The Sheridan Community Land Trust (SCLT) is pleased to announce the completion of a conservation easement with John and Vanessa Buyok of Sheridan County, permanently protecting the Buyok’s 844-acre ranch along the Tongue River near the historic town site of Monarch.  The Buyok’s donated the full value of the easement to SCLT who will be responsible for ensuring that future property owners uphold the terms of the easement.  The Conservation Values of the property include open space, wildlife habitat, working agriculture, and scenic views.  SCLT plans to hold a formal easement celebration on the property in early October.

The Buyok’s released the following statement regarding their decision to place a conservation easement on the property with SCLT:

“Although our ranch is small by Wyoming standards, we have been fortunate to share it with an amazing variety of wildlife and native plants. Sometimes being rich has nothing to do with money. We’re rich because of the biodiversity and productivity of our small corner of the planet along the Tongue River in Sheridan County. We want to do what little we can to ensure that it continues in the future. We hope we are only two of many landowners who will choose to preserve the Tongue River Valley through conservation easements similar to the one we are executing today.”

The Sheridan Community Land Trust is a non-profit organization that conserves open space, wildlife habitat, agricultural land, recreational resources, and historically significant properties in Sheridan County using both conservation easements and historic preservation easements.  To accomplish this, SCLT works with willing landowners to meet their personal goals for conserving their property while accomplishing the land trust’s mission. SCLT also sponsors community workshops that promote conservation and preservation opportunities in support of Sheridan County’s Comprehensive Plan.

In addition to the Buyok Ranch conservation easement, SCLT has Wyoming’s first historic preservation easement on the Historic Sheridan Inn and a conservation easement conserving open space and wildlife habitat along Little Goose Creek. In process are 2 additional conservation easement projects the land trust hopes to celebrate in 2011.

Please visit SCLT’s website www.sheridanclt.org for the latest information on conservation and preservation efforts in Sheridan County! 

Contact: Colin Betzler, Executive Director, 752-8138

                                                ***Press Release 6-24-09***

The Sheridan Community Land Trust (SCLT), a Sheridan County 501 (c) 3 non-profit that focuses on the conservation of agricultural lands, open-space protection, historic preservation, and affordable workforce housing is pleased to announce the hiring of an Executive Director.  Sheridan resident Colin Betzler was selected for this new, full-time position and started with SCLT June 2, 2009.  The SCLT was established in 2005 with widespread support to “promote agricultural landscapes, open spaces, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, affordable housing and historic preservation, these being complementary interests that are essential to our quality of life and economic stability”. 

The SCLT has been lead since its inception by a Board of Directors, and later hired part-time interim Executive Director Dave Paullin in 2006 to help in transitioning the SCLT into a fully operational non-profit able to work towards its full mission.  The SCLT has accomplished a significant amount in a short time under this joint guidance, holding both conservation easements and historic preservation easements in Sheridan County.  At this time, SCLT is focused on working with property owners to add additional easements to its stewardship program, as well as continuing to coordinate with local municipalities and County on important public projects that strive to achieve the multifaceted mission of the SCLT. 

The SCLT currently holds a Conservation Easement on the VOA Wystar property (9 acres) along Little Goose Creek as well as a Historic Preservation Easement on the Sheridan Inn.