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Rebecca Jewett is the executive director of Palmer Land Trust, a conservation organization committed to protecting southern Colorado\u2019s recreational open space, working agricultural land, and stunning scenic vistas. Under Rebecca\u2019s leadership, Palmer has moved away from traditional, decades-old land conservation methods and into a more proactive model, pursuing audacious and outside-the-box conservation strategies across a variety of landscapes. By focusing on community above all else, Palmer is finding win-win scenarios that benefit all of southern Colorado\u2019s numerous stakeholders, from ranchers and farmers to mountain bikers and climbers, and from cities and municipalities to counties and rural areas. \u2022 Rebecca is a fifth-generation Coloradan who grew up deeply immersed in the outdoors, which instilled a passion for open space that has guided her career trajectory. After ten years in public lands-related work, she made the shift into private land conservation when she took the helm of Palmer. As you\u2019ll hear in our conversation, Rebecca has big plans for tackling some of Colorado\u2019s most pressing conservation issues, issues that threaten the West from ecological, economic, and community perspectives. Her enthusiasm for her work is contagious, and her ability to communicate complex issues in an engaging way is second-to-none. \u2022 Folks who follow me on social media may already know, but I was so impressed with Rebecca and the rest of the Palmer team that I recently left the ranch brokerage business and joined the organization as a full-time employee. The opportunity to apply my professional expertise in real estate and finance to some of the West\u2019s most challenging problems was too great of an opportunity to pass up\u2014so I\u2019m officially a full-time Palmer staff member, Rebecca is my boss, and I couldn\u2019t be more excited about the work ahead. \u2022 I know you\u2019ll enjoy this conversation, because Rebecca and I cover a wide range of topics that should be of interest for anyone who loves the West. We discuss the importance of water, agriculture, open space, and recreation, and how conservation can bring together stakeholders from all of those factions. We talk about the Arkansas River basin where Palmer focuses its efforts, and how it encompasses every Colorado landscape, from 14,000-foot mountains to flat, open grasslands. Rebecca elaborates on her leadership style, and also talks about her experience being a female leader in a once male-dominated industry. She also explains some specific projects that Palmer is taking on, and how the entire Colorado land trust community collaborates toward common goals. As usual, we also cover favorite books, films, places in the West, and much more. \u2022 If you haven\u2019t already, give Rebecca and Palmer Land Trust a follow on social media, and be sure to check the episode notes for links to everything we discuss. Enjoy! \u2022\u2022\u2022 http://mountainandprairie.com/rebecca-jewett/ \u2022\u2022\u2022 TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - How Rebecca describes her work 4:40 - Palmer Land Trust explained 6:10 - The Arkansas River Basin 8:25 - Balancing all the conservation stakeholders 10:50 - Importance of community 13:30 - Palmer\u2019s focus on being proactive and strategic 17:25 - Water and conservation in the Lower Arkansas Valley 20:50 - Alternative valuation for conservation 23:00 - The \u201cdust bowl\u201d results of drying up farmland 24:25 - Uniqueness of conserving farmland 27:45 - Water projects in southeastern CO 29:45 - Bipartisan nature of private land conservation 31:35 - Palmer\u2019s work conserving public lands 33:45 - Rebecca\u2019s family history in Colorado 36:25 - Colorado College 37:40 - Early career, grad school, and Rocky Mountain Field Institute 40:30 - Early outdoor experiences 41:50 - Joining Palmer Land Trust... ...visit http://mountainandprairie.com for full episode notes.