Last month, CLC staff joined land conservation professionals from across the country in Denver for the Land Trust Alliance’s annual Rally. Over four days, land trusts, conservation practitioners, and partners in related fields traded challenges and successes and explored new ways to protect the land and water we all depend on. Through plenary sessions, workshops, and time spent together, Rally is built on a practical idea: conservation works better when the people doing it learn from one another.
A new focus
Leigh Isaac, one of CLC’s newest team members, came to conservation law from a background in music and entertainment law. For her, Rally was an exciting way to begin a new chapter.
“I learned so much from the workshop sessions and made connections with like-minded folks across the country. I can’t wait to go back next year!” said Isaac.
Maps that tell stories
Rally 2026 wasn’t Dr. Raenah Bailey’s first rodeo. This year, she came ready to connect with fellow mapping specialists and exchange new approaches in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the tools used to analyze and map the landscape.
“Rally in Denver was a great mix of learning, connecting, and getting out on the landscape. I spent a lot of time in GIS, mapmaking, and storytelling sessions, learning how others are using maps and data to tell stronger stories, and networking with fellow geospatial nerds from across the country.” said Dr. Bailey
Connecting the Sentinel Landscapes community
Dr. Bailey also joined conversations about the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL), part of the national Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. The partnership brings together federal agencies, state and local governments, and nonprofit organizations to work with private landowners near military installations and ranges. Together, they support land management that sustains working lands, protects natural resources, and strengthens military readiness.
Rally’s breakout sessions gave people leading sentinel projects across the country a chance to meet in person and compare notes.
“It’s always great spending time with the SISL team as well as reconnecting in person with so many people from across the Sentinel Landscapes community,” said Dr. Bailey.
Out on the land
Beyond the presentations and workshops, attendees joined guided activities at Chatfield State Park and Roxborough State Park, a chance to see Colorado’s landscapes up close.
Why it matters
Gatherings like Rally give conservationists a place to share knowledge, support, and inspiration across regions and disciplines. That exchange matters because organizations like CLC often face similar challenges—from drafting a complex conservation easement to using novel mapping techniques to identify promising conservation opportunities. When we learn together, we are better prepared to protect land, water, and natural resources for people and nature alike.
Conservation is a shared effort. If you’d like help CLC carry this work forward, you can support CLC’s work here.
