Social nudity is certainly nothing new here. The tradition is common at hot springs and was documented back to the miners who often enjoyed these warm waters after a hard day's work. Naturism, as we know it today, was undoubtedly the sensible choice for soaking when Ute tribes flourished here the Valley. But over time, clothing came to represent much more than its functional use, becoming a cultural expectation even in settings where fabric was impractical and irksome.

Naturism is arguably OLT's most successful and unique distinction, giving guests new found confidence, self-esteem, and a deep personal connection with nature. Here in America, it's rare and often misunderstood. For many, the clothing-optional atmosphere is more remarkable than the incredible wildlife, off-grid facilities, the state's largest bat migration, or even the all natural spring waters that brought them here to begin with. Most new visitors are pleasantly suprised that social decency isn't shed along with our clothes. If anything, the naturist community is more kind and considerate.

To help orient newcomers, OLT now offers a helpful guide to naturism. It can be printed and shared with friends to help address some of the more common questions and concerns. As always, our friendly staff and community are always happy to help introduce this or any of our unique programs.

Read more online at www.olt.org/naturism

Naturism at OLT
Social Nudity in Nature

(printable guide for sharing, Adobe PDF format)

Orient Land Trust (OLT) staff and volunteers joined three representatives from The Nature Conservancy on July 29th and 30th for the annual assessment of the conservation easement on the ranch and hot springs properties.

For those who haven't heard, the OLT has partnered with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to place a conservation easement on 1,270 acres encompassing the ranch and hot springs. This easement was implemented in 2010 to ensure the long term conservation of the unique and biologically diverse lands encompassed by the OLT. The easement was designed to protect the significant natural, scientific, and educational values of these lands while allowing for continued operation of the ranch and hot springs facilities.

The Nature Conservancy sends a monitoring team to the OLT annually to ensure the conservation goals of the easement are being met. Specialists revisit monitoring points each year and record notes and photos to document the ecological health of those areas. They also sit down with staff to discuss activities at the ranch and springs. Their visits give the OLT an opportunity to get immediate feedback on the conservation value of various proposed projects.

OLT staff representatives Doug Bishop, Mark Jacobi, and Mike O'Donnell were joined by Conservation Committee volunteers David Mixon and Martin Jolly for the meeting with The Nature Conservancy staff. As always, the representatives from The Nature Conservancy thoroughly enjoyed their visit and expressed their appreciation for the earnest and proactive conservation efforts of the OLT. Feedback on the state of the land was positive and the OLT was able to provide The Nature Conservancy with updates on several future projects, such as our soon-to-be-upgraded wastewater treatment system. The Nature Conservancy and the Orient Land Trust look forward to maintaining this relationship long into the future.

by David Mixon, Conservation Committee Chair

The Nature Conservancy
www.nature.org

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While it may be hard to match the Members' Auction item described below, we invite you to dig into your basements, closets, garages and brains for items to bring to OLT Members' Weekend where bid sheets will abound for "stuff" that might be your unique "junk" but other people's treasure - think of professional services, artwork, or meals/catering for other OLT members to bid on.

One highlighted auction item includes 5 nights lodging for 2 with a beachfront king room at the Hotel Playa Sonrisa. Located on the Caribbean Sea, in tourist-friendly southeastern Mexico (retail value $600~930 US depending on season). Includes...

• Continental Breakfast buffet included daily (additional meals available a-la-carte).
• 2 complimentary park passes to "Reefs of Xcalak National Marine Park" (located approx 100 feet from your room).

See www.playasonrisa.com for more info. Playa Sonrisa is a Clothing Optional facility for couples only.

Additional items are posted online as they come in. Send your auction item descriptions to  for consideration and bring them for display this Saturday!

Check out all the planned activities here online.

In line with our land conservation mission and thanks to your generous contributions, one project that was undertaken after buying the ranch was the construction of a reservoir. There were dreams of using the water stored in the reservoir to irrigate a field using a circular pivot. The reservoir construction was costly and we learned from some mistakes. Now there is a nice reservoir that is part of a fish habitat project that we have with Natural Resources Conservation Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The birds and fish are flourishing and these partners are enthusiastic about the success. The project successfully protects the whole cycle of the hot springs waters from recreation to power generation to natural areas to working farm and ranch.

Do you like to host parties and events? Do you belong to a private club, civic organization or have an "in" with a unique venue that could host an OLT themed fundraising event for little or no cost? We would also like to find hosts on the Front Range and in Colorado and New Mexico who could hold a benefit event for OLT.

Dan Jones is hosting a small Garden Party near Taos next month. This is going to be a wonderful event featuring Dan's unique Zero Energy home and gardens, all to benefit OLT's Wastewater Treatment campaign. We are hoping to gather folks in south Denver and elsewhere for events like last April's dinner with John Fielder. However, we need affordable venues to raise funds. Another idea we are looking at is a Vegan / Oriental cooking class with a professional chef. For this, we'd need a commercial kitchen or private home, again as a benefit for our WWTF campaign.

We'd welcome any ideas for fundraising events you and your friends might want to host. Staff can help with promotion and outreach materials. Help us create more community-building fundraisers with unique settings and minimal costs. Call Pam Nelson, Director of Development, at 719-298-2289 to share your ideas.

Sunday, August 17th, 3-6 pm
1245 Cardenas Lane, El Prado, NM 87529

Support OLT’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Campaign, meet new Executive Director Doug Bishop,visit with Founders Neil & Terry Seitz, experience Board Member Dan Jones’ sustainable, Zero Energy home & gardens, enjoy food from Matts Bakery Taos  as well as Dan's garden and greenhouse and sample local wine & beer.

Come join OLT and its Board of Directors at the pavilion for lunch and more! 

It's no secret. OLT's membership cares tremendously for the organization and its direction. Our volunteer board is comprised of people just like you! They care passionately, bring diverse experience, listen attentively, and work together to see the best possible future for this special organizaiton and place. Board meetings are always open to the public, but each July we make a special effort to bring everyone on board, answer member's questions and address their concerns. It's a great opportunity to let us know how we're doing and learn where we're headed. Plus there's a free picnic lunch!

Those who can't join us in person can attend the session online (barring any technical difficulties). So pop in anytime! Google Hangout on Air

We'll be meeting our newest board members, checking in with our committees and management around fundraising and finances, progress with the WWTP and at the Ranch, and affirming OLT's values along with the deed restriction that ensures our committment to naturism. You can always catch up with past discussions and check the full agenda online at www.olt.org/meetings

9AM - Board Meeting Begins (see full agenda and packet)

Noon-1PM: Free Picnic Lunch at the Pavilion, Everyone Welcome!

1PM-2PM: Q&A – Board Members & Guests

3:30PM - Meeting Adjourns

[may split this into a series of stories regarding OLT's financial background... winter reserves, reservoir, land conservation, human resources]

Do your eyes glaze over when you look at a spreadsheet full of numbers? Do you wonder where the money goes? Me too.

I was recently at a meeting where one person pointed out that a couple of decades ago, the rates at the hot springs were lower and there were fewer people on staff. What happened? Part of the explanation is that Neil and Terry wore a lot of hats and worked a lot of hours. When the land trust was formed, decisions that they used to make around the dinner table were being discussed around that same table by a board of directors. There was a lot of work to do, background context to be digested, lessons to be learned, intentions and cautions to be communicated. Even though the land trust idea had formed and there was a board, the tax free status with IRS had to be obtained, which took some time and effort. Hard on the heels of that giant step we were faced with the "Land for Sale" signs along Road GG. OLT, with Neil's personal connection with the owners, contracted to buy the ranch. A few years later, and with much gratitude to you, the long suffering supporters of this place, we paid the bill and OLT became owners of the Everson Ranch. We have since purchased a couple more parcels along Road GG that protected the three mile view and the water shed of the hot springs.

In line with our land conservation mission and thanks to your generous contributions, one project that was undertaken after buying the ranch was the construction of a reservoir. There were dreams of using the water stored in the reservoir to irrigate a field using a circular pivot. The reservoir construction was costly and we learned from some mistakes. Now there is a nice reservoir that is part of a fish habitat project that we have with NRCS and the DOW. The fish are flourishing and the agencies are enthusiastic about the success. The reservoir (land trust?) successfully protects the whole cycle of the hot springs waters from recreation to power generation to natural areas to working farm and ranch.

Along the way, Neil and Terry still wanted to donate the hot springs and their other land to the trust. That took a while to accomplish and there were the inevitable legal fees and hurdles. At the same time, we entered into a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy that provides another layer of protection for the springs, the hydroelectric property, and the ranch. We also have a conservation easement agreement with the DOW on the bat habitat at the mine. Now OLT holds a hot springs, a ranch, an old mine and bat habitat, a handful of tours and educational programs. There are still the usual (and unusual) aspects of maintaining the place with the added amenities of the new pools and carefully upgraded infrastructure. With our own water, waste water treatment and electric power systems, OLT provides all the infrastructure of a small municipality. It takes more people to keep up with it all and still attend to the requirements associated with the being a non-profit organization and the services and programs provided. We can never thank you, our members, enough for your patience and support.

Another question that was asked at that meeting was how much will the WWTP cost. As I tried to answer that question I remembered an initial presentation a few years ago from a company with a designs ambitious and innovative treatment systems. It was inspiring and beautiful. As we explored that option, we realized it was also very expensive. There were costs connected to investigating that possibility even though we ultimately decided to choose a less expensive avenue. Since then, we have paid a design firm for their work, we've paid fees to the state for inspections and permits. Each conversation with the experts includes a price tag. Altogether, we've already spent more than a $100,000 dollars ($118,000) for the WWTP even though we don't have many actual holes in the ground to show for it. Our estimate for the remaining actual construction costs of the facility is about $180,000. That is the amount for which we are taking donations. Your admission fees have not only kept the hot springs going, we have also covered all the costs of the WWTP so far.

We have also made improvements at the ranch. Existing, historic structures have been stabilized and maintained. Mike, the ranch manager, has been mending fences, irrigating hayfields, cleaning ditches, and tending animals while he has also worked on a bath/kitchen facility that will make it possible to have people visit and volunteer at the ranch. Once again, we offer our gratitude for your generous support.

by Doug Bishop, Executive Director

Valley View isn't just a special place. It's also a remarkable community full of diverse talents, brilliant insights, and unending kindness. Like our spring waters, this extended family brings warmth and nourishment to the Valley View experience. It would not be the same without you!

OLT is honored to celebrate all our amazing supporters with this annual party and concert. It's the one weekend we set aside our capacity quotas and turn no member away. Many travel from afar to reconnect and reminisce with old friends. We all pass along Valley View's traditions and culture. Some who grew up coming here now bring their own children. But even with so many people, our common respect for nature and one another prevails. Folks work together to share the limited space and facilities throughout the weekend, making for a very chill festival. 

Invite friends and make your plans early...

We'll host a Contributor's Auction Saturday morning and try to beat the Raft Record of years past (18 in 2007). There's a huge potluck before Saturday night's concert and staff will be serving up breakfast the next morning.

There's often games, body paint, drumming, dance, and music--plenty of silliness for kids of all ages. Given the recent rainfall, we'll likely have hosted campfires each evening. We'll host special tours for the Ranch, astronomy, hydroelectic system, and of course our beloved bats. We'd especially like to recognize those who've carried Valley View's torch the furthest and longest. There will be prizes and gifts. Here, everyone wins!

Overall, OLT's funds are recovering steadily and things are looking good! We're seeing more visitors lately and hitting our capacity quota more often. Members are expressing support as donations increase through a variety of fundraising opportunities and events. And we're already reserving funds to carry us through the slow season, carefully tending to all of our delicate resources. We can't thank our members enough.

by Doug Bishop, Executive Director