E9: So You Want to Start a Land Trust?, with Alan Ehrgott (former Executive Director of the American River Conservancy)

Most land trusts have a similar story. At some point in time there was a threat to a beautiful and natural place and a few people that lived in that place decided they weren’t going to just sit by and not doing something about it. The beauty of this, in the context of land trusts, is that this story grew into a conservation movement that continues today. The early successes of those people that just wouldn’t sit by grew into organizations, now decades later, that have collectively protected millions of acres across California and beyond. Alan Erhgott, former executive director and founding member of the American River Conservancy is one of those people that did something. On this episode we learn about the good guys, bad guys, and challenges faced with protecting land, habitat, and water in the upper American River and Cosumnes River watersheds. Alan and I chat about his early connection to land and wild places, which includes starting a travel company and becoming a hot air balloon pilot. We talk about what the process looked like in starting the Conservancy, and the challenges and successes that came along with earning his and the Conservancy’s seat at the table. I was particularly appreciative of this conversation because it provides context, insight, motivation, and inspiration into the world of regional land conservation.