Todd Winslow Pierce/Special to the Daily
It’s a match made in land conservation heaven — Eagle Valley Land Trust, Walking Mountains Science Center and Eagle County Open Space recently partnered to purchase a conservation easement on a 224-acre site located off Sweetwater Road five miles north of Dotsero.
That means the expansive site will remain open space in perpetuity. Eagle Valley Land Trust — the only nonprofit organization in Eagle County who does so — will hold the conservation easement. Walking Mountains, the property owner, will proceed with plans to develop a small adjacent area for educational programming. Eagle County Open Space contributed $350,000 to cover transaction costs and to compensate Walking Mountains for a portion of the development rights they are forfeiting by agreeing to the conservation easement.