 Photo: Jim Steinberg |
People Taking Care of Places
Speaker: Lynne Sherrod
File size: 330k
Play AudioWarren Ranch, Elk River Valley, Colorado"My husband's and my philosophy is that none of us ever really own the land - we only hold it in our hands for a very brief time, and what we do with the land is our gift to the next generation. And some day, we'll be held accountable for what happens on this land." -
Lynne Sherrod Photo: Jim Steinberg |
Lynne Sherrod and her husband, Del, both come from families with
long histories of ranching in the area around Steamboat Springs
in northwestern Colorado. For the past 19 years, they have raised
cattle together on a 1,600-acre ranch straddling the Elk River that
is also home to nesting sandhill cranes.
Lynne has been deeply involved in building a regional coalition
of ranchers, conservationists, and other people in the community
united by their concern over the rapid pace of subdivision and development
of productive agricultural lands. Together they have made common
cause to keep ranching families working the land while also conserving
stream corridors, wildlife habitat, and majestic scenery. Lynne
is now working statewide as executive director of the Colorado Cattlemen's
Agricultural Land Trust, the first land trust in the country run
by and for ranchers.