Our Mission Statement
SMLC's mission is to increase understanding and appreciation of the profound importance of open spaces, natural areas, parks and trails in the lives of people of all ages. SMLC does this through advocacy, open space acquisition, and educational projects.
About South Metro Land Conservancy
South Metro Land Conservancy is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. SMLC has initiated or participated in a number of conservation and land preservation projects. These efforts add up to over 10,300 acres of open space being protected.
SMLC has initiated or participated in conservation and land preservation projects in the south metro area totaling 10,300 acres. They include:
- Buffering S. Platte Park:
- Newton Trust property: 18.75 acres (site of Aspen Grove Shopping Center); Advocacy and Financial Participation
- Superchi Property: 22 acres; Advocacy and Financial Participation
- Ensor property: 7.8 acres; Financial Participation and Held Easement
- Chambers Farm (now Wynetka Ponds Park): 28 acres; Advocacy and Held and Disbursed funds raised by Chambers Farm Preservation Association
- Chatfield Basin Conservation Network: Financial Participation and Grant Writer
- Chatfield Environmental Pool Stakeholder Group: Member and Purchaser of Water Share for Recreation on S. Platte River
- Stockwell/Hildebrand Property: 1,450 acres adjoining Chatfield State Park and Denver Botanic Gardens; Advocacy and Financial Participation
- Mineral Avenue Trail (former railroad spur); Advocacy and Financial Participation
- Audubon Nature Center at Chatfield State Park; Advocacy and Fund Raising
- Bowtie Property adjacent to Cherry Creek State Park: 8.6 acres; Provided Easement Monitoring
- Marjorie Perry Preserve on the Highline Canal: 55 acres; Financial Participation and Held Easement
- Oxbow Property along S. Platte River: 3 acres; Advocacy and Financial Participation
- Lee Gulch Open Space: 5.5 acres; Held Conservation Easement
- Marrs Ranch – West Bijou Creek (adjacent to former Plains Conservation Center land in Eastern Arapahoe County): 1,000 acres; Advocacy and Financial Participation
- Carson Nature Center Solar Classroom Construction at S. Platte Park: Financial Participation
- Other:
- South Platte Working Group
- Arapahoe County Open Space Task Force
- Arapahoe County Open Space and Trails Advisory Board
- Cherry Creek Basin Working Group
- High Line Working Group
- Waterton Canyon Partnership
SMLC’s focuses its efforts on the geography which includes Littleton, Englewood, Sheridan and rural eastern Arapahoe County.
SMLC issues a short newsletter 3-5 times a year. If you would like to keep up with our news, please provide us with your contact information. Thank you!
Honoring Conservation Heroes
Due to SMLC’s important role in adding lands to 880-acre South Platte Park, a round-about just west of the Carson Nature Center along the Mary Carter Greenway is dedicated to SMLC. One of the memorial boulders lists the names of former SMLC board members who were instrumental in open space acquisitions in the south metro area. In 2019 and 2020 SMLC added three names to this list of “conservation heroes”: Bobbie Sheffield, Dick Hershey and Bruce Kramlich.
