Riley bound for post in Panama; League goes to the Springs

The San Isabel Land Protection Trust (SILPT) has announced that executive director Brian Riley and land specialist Kevin League are leaving the organization. Both departures are coincidental and will not affect the organization’s significance in the Valley.

Riley has been with SILPT for six years. He has accepted the position of Country Director with the United States Peace Corps in Panama and will be moving in July to Panama with his wife Margarita and their three sons, Daniel age 16, Thomas age 14 and Diego age 10. They will be living on the outskirts of Panama City in the old Panama Canal Zone. Riley noted that “Westcliffe has become our home and we will continue to call Westcliffe home in the United States. However, we felt this was an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up.” Margarita has been teaching Spanish and English at Custer County High School and has announced her resignation there. Prior to moving to Westcliffe, Riley worked with the Peace Corps in Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Samoa.

During Riley’s tenure with the Land Trust, the organization has completed more than 90 land conservation projects, totaling 30,000 acres of ranchland, wildlife habitat and scenic vistas. He stated “the Land Trust is now recognized around the state as a strong and capable land protection organization. We are in the final stages of national accreditation and I believe this is an excellent time to transition to a new executive director.”

League has been with SILPT for almost three years as the organization’s Land Protection Specialist. He will be leaving at the end of May but will assist SILPT with the hiring process for both executive director and land protection specialist. He noted, “I am confident that the candidates we choose will be able to provide the needed expertise and experience to get the job done right.”

League and his wife Cedar, a former reporter for the Wet Mountain Tribune, will be moving to Colorado Springs where Kevin will remain in the conservation field working for the Palmer Land Trust. Cedar has accepted a research position with the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Kevin thanks SILPT “for the laughs, the challenges and the opportunity to become a professional in a rewarding industry that I deeply enjoy.”

League describes his decision to leave the SILPT as bittersweet. “I have been a part of something special here, protecting some amazing landscapes in southern Colorado. It’s been an absolute pleasure working and living in Westcliffe.”

SILPT’s focus encompasses two million acres including the Wet Mountain Valley and surrounding San Isabel Region. Since 1995, the organization has worked closely with private landowners to protect more than 33,000 acres in the region. SILPT protects ranch, farm and forest lands, wildlife habitats, scenic views for public enjoyment and historic resources. It also sponsors Art for the Sangres held annually in Sept. More information can be found at www.sanisabel.org.

– Jacque Keller