Our Mission Statement
SMLC's mission is to increase understanding and appreciation of the profound importance of open spaces, natural areas, parks and trails in the lives of people of all ages. SMLC does this through advocacy, open space acquisition, and educational projects.
Meet our Board Members!
South Metro Land Conservancy is a community nonprofit organization with a volunteer board.
Pat Cronenberger, President
Pat worked in policy development in the areas of land use and transportation at the Denver Regional Council of Governments for 7 years until 2014.Prior to joining DRCOG she served as a Littleton council member, mayor and mayor pro tem for 15 years.She is a founder/Vice Chair of the Littleton Leadership Academy.
Iftin Abshir, Vice President
Iftin has undergraduate degrees in Screenwriting and Chemistry and her Masters in Cinema and Media Studies. Her doctoral studies focus on mixed-race representation in television and news media. She has worked with Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Urban Resilience, a nonprofit dedicated to studying and promoting urban ecology in the Los Angeles metro area. Iftin was appointed by the Littleton City Council to serve on
the Next Gen Committee, a major focus of which is sustainability.
the Next Gen Committee, a major focus of which is sustainability.
John Hershey, Treasurer
John grew up in Littleton and returned after a few years away to raise two boys, now 20 and 17, with his wife Lynn Marie on their little suburban homestead. He is a lawyer with a small solo practice in town and translates legal documents from Russian to English, but mostly tries to be out in the garden or on a hike or bike ride. John's father Richard Hershey was a founding member of South Metro Land Conservancy.
Linda Knufinke, Secretary
Linda has extensive experience working as a consultant in healthcare and health plans, with expertise in accounting and revenue management.
Amy Conklin
Amy has spent her career working to make her community sustainable. She has a undergraduate degree in Biology from Colorado College and a Masters in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin. She enjoys exploring the outdoors and enabling others to do so, too.
Scott Melin
Scott is a practicing attorney whose education also includes gender studies and human rights. He spends a great deal of time with his family enjoying the Colorado outdoors, and has backpacked the 500-mile Colorado Trail. He is a member of the Littleton City Council (serving as Mayor Pro Tem), a former CSU Extension Master Gardener, and advocates for a wide range of public policy sustainability initiatives.
Cassie Sander
My professional experience focuses in marketing, primarily brand and sponsorship management for global brands within the sports/recreational industry. I moved to Littleton in 2017 and am working towards better involving myself in our community. In my spare time, you'll find me outside with my family, traveling to explore the outdoors or enjoying all that our backyard here in Colorado has to offer.
Maclaine Sorden
Maclaine is a happy new member of the Littleton community. He brings perspectives from degrees in Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Agriculture to the board. When he's not working with organic farmers, you can find him on a trail run, camping, or trying something new in the kitchen!
About South Metro Land Conservancy
South Metro Land Conservancy is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. SMLC has initiated or participated in a number of conservation and land preservation projects.
• Buffering South Platte Park, including: • Serving on the City Task Force in 1996 to identify buffers for South Platte Park • Preservation of 18.75 acres of the Newton Trust property to provide a buffer between a very narrow part of South Platte Park and development. • Purchase of the 22 acre Superchi (Central Construction) property directly north of South Platte Park • Solar Classroom addition at South Platte Park • Purchase of 7.8 acres of the Ensor Property / SMLC holds the conservation easement • Preservation of the Chambers Farm in Littleton • Addition of South Downs to Roxborough State Park in Douglas County • Preservation of the160 acre Stockwell property adjoining Chatfield Park and Chatfield Arboretum, also known as the Hildebrand Property in Jefferson County • Arapahoe County Comprehensive Plan update - Arapahoe County Open Space Master Plan • Advocated the Railroad Spur Trail north of Mineral Ave. • Arapahoe County Open Space Tax in 2003 and 2011 - Arapahoe County Open Space Task Force • Friends of the High Line Canal • Waterton Canyon Partnership • Audubon Nature Center • Monitor the 8.6 acre Bowtie Property for Colorado State Parks • Marjorie Perry Preserve on the High Line Canal / SMLC holds the conservation easement on the 59 acre property • Oxbow 2.8 acre purchase in Englewood and Littleton • Serving on the Arapahoe County Open Space and Trails Advisory Board for 9 years • Purchase of 5.5 acre Lee Gulch Open Space / SMLC holds the conservation easement. Participated in Master Plan for site. • Served on Littleton Open Space Task force to identify Parcels within city. • Purchase of 1,000 acre Marrs property- resulted in conservation easement on it and 9,000 acre Plains Conservation Property next to it. These efforts add up to over 10,300 acres of open space being protected. The lands protected by the working groups are in addition to SMLC’s numbers. South Metro Land Conservancy is dedicated to protecting and enhancing open space in Arapahoe County, Colorado. We believe preserving our natural heritage and our quality of life within the urban landscape as well as in remote areas goes hand-in-hand with responsible development. We strive to collaborate and educate on the importance of open space needs and values. SMLC is always seeking additional opportunities throughout Arapahoe County. We facilitate the creation of conservation easements, partner with other entities and advocate for the preservation of natural open space. |
Interested in joining us?If you are passionate about open space, parks, and trails in our community, we'd love to talk with you about how you can get involved!
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