The people behind the Summit Land Conservancy came together in 1997 with the idea of protecting the remaining open space here in Summit County. In 2002, Conserving Our Open Lands became an independent land trust with its own 501c3 designation. Now known as the Summit Land Conservancy, our goal is still to permanently protect Summit County’s open landscapes.

A member of the national Land Trust Alliance, the Summit Land Conservancy actively works with like-minded organizations. Over the years we have hosted a variety of seminars that have contributed to a broader understanding of new tools for protecting open space, such as the Transfer of Development Rights. In 2004 the Summit Land Conservancy funded and published the Snyderville Basin Open Space Atlas, hailed by community leaders as an unprecedented tool for open space planning.