How would you like to join a like-minded community of compassionate souls who care deeply about topics like conservation, sustainability, and the future of the Northern San Luis Valley? Would you like to learn more about the history and inner works of Valley View Hot Springs and the Orient Land Trust while sharing your skill, passion, and energy with our community?

The Board of Directors of Orient Land Trust is currently seeking board committee volunteers to help us fulfill our mission to preserve Valley View Hot Springs and its neighborhood for the education of current and future generations.

We need volunteers to assist with:

• Human Resources,
• Public Outreach,
• Fundraising,
• Finance and Accounting,
• Board Member Recruitment, and
• Conservation.

Join a committee! Visit: www.olt.org/committees to learn more about our committees and contact a committee chairperson to get information or get involved.

You can also call the OLT office at 719‑256‑4315 or email OLT Vice Chair, John Standish at .

The OLT Board of Directors is also seeking applicants. We particularly need recruits with an expertise in accounting and investment. All board applicants are encouraged to serve on a committee before applying for the board. For more information contact Don Geddes at 719‑655‑0203 or .

There is a new look to match the new year at the Welcome Center! With the hardwood floor we have also changed the configuration of the front desk and rearranged the library and history rooms. The project was a big job and it was interesting to go through all the accumulations. Our gratitude goes to the volunteers that worked so diligently doing the installation of the floor. Thanks Adam, Scott, and Mark! The staff also put in long days in December to make your visit more comfortable and to keep things cozy.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the bath/kitchen facility is progressing nicely and OLT received a grant from Saguache County to defray some of the costs toward building a methane digester sewage treatment system instead of a conventional septic system.

In the next several years, the plan is to restore hayfields and improve dry-land pasture for cattle. The hayfields need tending and water. The initial investment will largely be in straight pipe, valves, and gated pipe to distribute the water to an increasing acreage with a target of 55 acres of hayfield irrigated by this method. Irrigated hayfields in 2013 and 2014 totaled 8 acres. In 2013 and 2014, the cutting and baling of the native grass hay was contracted. Ideally, OLT would have the equipment and do that work in-house.

2015 will be the third year of a partnership with an organic beef producer from Chaffee County; Arrowpoint. Cattle will be used to restore the grazing acreage to a healthier state with planned impacts to introduce more organic material into the soil to improve soil ecology with a more concentrated but shorter interval of hoof impact to stimulate the growth of grasses and forbs. If you haven't had a chance to taste the beef produced, it is available at the Welcome Center.

We are exploring raising Black Hogs on a small scale to diversify the soil restoration species that will help improve soil health and mitigate weeds and invasive plant species.

A few of the historic structures at the Everson Ranch have gotten attention. Their decay has been arrested and their structural integrity shored up. We'd like to keep working on the interiors to provide acceptable accommodations for volunteers and other visitors. The aforementioned bath/kitchen is a new structure (initiated in 2013) built to provide a facility for sanitation and cooking. This infrastructure is necessary before asking for volunteers and/or paid ranch hands. The metal storage container, brought in during the summer of 2014, is being fitted as grain storage and inventory storage for a shop that has been approved by TNC.

Here are OLT's Audited Financial Reports for 2013. Last year we printed 2012 financial information with the printed 2013 Annual Report. We're planning to include 2014 financial information in the Annual Report / Newsletter  early next year.

OLT has a variety of new T-shirts, hoodies and winter beanies (hats) just in time for your holiday shopping. Order by Dec 15th to receive in time for the holidays. A great selection of colors and styles are available! Especially popular have been the "Advice from a bat...advice from the moon, earth, night sky, etc" series of T-shirts and bookmarks! Orders can be placed by calling or emailing 719-256-4315/ .

Summary: Good news!!! The financial position of OLT has improved significantly since the beginning of 2014. Net Income from all sources from January through September was $332,900, or $257,000 above expectations. This improvement was the result of a reduction in expenses of approximately $87,000 over the amount budgeted, and an increase in revenues of $ 158,500 over budget. The most significant factor in the revenue gain was the increase in Admission and Accommodation Fees of about $125,500 beyond budget. $176,000 of this net income has been transferred to the Winter Savings account to fund the slow season. Also, larger scale repair and improvements usually are done in December, so this will reduce the end of year net income further. Although OLT's financial position has greatly improved, the battle to get it on a solid footing financially is far from over. The Waste Water Treatment Plant has a $100,000 debt to be paid, the Everson Ranch needs significant capital improvements to get it on a self-sustaining basis, refurbishment of visitor accommodation and kitchen facilities needs to be done, and badly depleted financial reserves for land conservation and capital improvements need to be replenished. Realistically, it will take several years to regain a solid financial footing. But, the results for 2014 are an excellent start.

Some snapshot details:

COMPARISON OF JANUARY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2014 TO 2013:

• Total income (revenue) increased in 2014 by $173,167, or 21.1%;
• Total expenses in 2014 declined by $149,423, or 18.9%;
• Total employee expenses in 2014 declined by $18,448, or 3.9%;
• Visitation (person days) increased in 2014 by 2,187, or 9.8%;
• Donations decreased slightly in 2014 by $1,036, or 0.7%, primarily because of large donations in July and September, 2013 that were not matched in 2014;

Tentative budget for 2015:

A tentative (draft) budget for 2015 has been prepared for presentation to the Board of Directors for approval. The tentative budget projects total revenues for 2015 of $1,040,157, total expenses of $871,751, and net ordinary income of $142,910. Total employee expense is projected to be $640,000.

Other:

OLT financial policies currently are under review. It is planned that a policy for allocating net income to various reserve accounts, including the Land Conservation Fund, will be presented to the Board in January for their approval. Finally, at its October meeting, the Board authorized creation of a task force to create a five year development plan that is consistent with the Strategic Plan adopted earlier in 2014. It is expected that this development plan will be presented to the Board at its April, 2015 meeting.

OLT volunteer, Tom Bowes, returned from Michigan again this Fall. This time, he donated and installed a professional weather station. Local weather conditions appear not only on our website, but can now be gathered and studied. This collective information brings valuable insights for local agriculture, alternative energy, climate models, environmental planning, wildfire response, and of course... what to pack for your next visit.

Now live at Weather Underground as Station KCOMOFFA4

From the raptor pole overlooking OLT’s hydroelectric power plant we track the wind from 30’ above. At its base, air temperature, pressure, precipitation, and sunlight are each carefully measured. A wireless console inside the plant prepares and uploads these readings to Weather Underground and the Citizen’s Weather Observer Program (CWOP). After some quality checks, these data are compiled by NOAA’s MADIS database for use by the National Weather Service and other research. 

We’re even installing special sensors to understand OLT’s dramatic microclimates. Located 2 miles east and 600’ higher that our weather station, air temperatures at Valley View can be 10 degrees warmer at times! That warm welcome visitors feel as they arrive may indeed be more than the geothermal energy and friendly folks.

OLT is pleased to serve our visitors and the Northern San Luis Valley with this powerful system. We deeply appreciate the generosity, dedication, and expertise Tom brings us all.

  Weather Underground (Station KCOMOFFA4)  

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Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats from Colorado Parks & Wildlife on Vimeo.

Advisory board member and bat biologist, Kirk Navo, led a group of volunteers studying our bats with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Video footage shows the team of students and teachers working at the Orient Mine in August 2014. The mine's Glory Hole is located just a few miles north of Valley View Hot Springs. OLT offers free guided and self-guided tours of the area and wildlife. Even now that the bat colony has returned south for the winter, visitors still walk the scenic mining town and ruins. The colony will return next summer. With the help of these scientists, we hope they'll forever delight guests and support the Valley's rich agriculture.