In 2014, the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas hosted Voices of the Valley, an evening of poems and essays inspired by the natural landscape and water resources where we live and play. The event was held in March at The Book Haven in Salida, and Colorado Central Magazine was a sponsor. As part of the event, middle school students in the Upper Arkansas Valley were invited to participate in a literary contest. Here are the winners from fifth through seventh grades.
Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas
Land Stewards – Conservation Easements Provide a Viable Alternative to Development
By Ron Sering
Area rancher Joe Cogan does not mince words about commercial land development. “I don’t think much of subdividers. They come up to you, shake your hand, and then try to get in your pocket.”
Since 1889, the Cogan family steadily built their area holdings through a combination of leases and purchase, to hundreds of acres. “I had three boys, but two of them decided to do something else for a living.” Cogan soon found himself with more land than he could work. “I divested myself of several leases,” Cogan said. “We kept the land we worked down to a minimum.”
