Mike League, as one of five new board members of the Palmer Land Conservancy (formerly Palmer Land Trust), will contribute finance and agricultural knowledge to the work that PLC does to protect Southern Colorado land for present and future recreation use, food sources and wildlife.

League is chairman, chief executive officer and president of 5Star Bank, whom for years has been known for his constructive involvement in the Colorado Springs community.

Farming and ranching in League’s family history make him especially keen to preserve and appreciate the vistas and peace that come from the beauty in nature. His great-grandparents were orchard growers on Colorado’s Western Slope. He has spent most of his life in the Pikes Peak region.

“We have pressing land and water issues, particularly with the Arkansas River through Pueblo and through southeast Colorado. (In Colorado Springs) we live in a high altitude desert — most trees and grasses aren’t natural. We’ve got to be a good steward of those resources and planning for the future. Whether urban parks and trails in (town) or old, multigenerational farms in other parts of the Palmer Land Conservancy area,” he says.

Rebecca Jewett, president and CEO of PLC, said the organization tries to have good geographic diversity on the board to serve the region — an area which basically follows the Arkansas River basin through southern Colorado.

She said, “(League) is a compassionate citizen of Colorado Springs that has given a lot to nonprofits. We’re excited to use his expertise (and that of the others).”

League has been involved with the 44-year-old organization for years. He annually supported the organization both personally and professionally at its fundraising banquet. He says his interest has only grown over the years. He was happy to accept an invitation to become more involved this year.

League relates that “nearly all of us (his family) have benefitted — for five generations — from the land or its resources.”

In 1888, a relative of League’s, a young German immigrant to Glenwood Springs, was a cattleman. “A very hard, hard business,” League says, “which hasn’t changed much in 130 years,” according to a rancher he recently met for dinner.

Some of his relatives manufactured potato planting and harvesting equipment. Another invented an orchard heater that is still in use. From his time of growing up, League has vivid, sensory memories of watching sunsets and sunrises over his family’s crops in Kansas, or of the smell of hundreds of acres of orange blossoms in California.

He loves being outdoors in Colorado Springs so much that when he has the off bad day he calls it, “just another crappy day in paradise.” League enjoys living close to Pike National Forest and other beautiful scenery that’s easy to venture out in.

League is also vice chairman of the Association of Military Banks of America and a board member of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

The downloadable Palmer’s Field Guide is available at palmerland.org. It includes a history of the Colorado Springs area including details about the Tabeguache band of the Nuche or, “People of the Sun Mountain,” as well as information about namesake William Jackson Palmer’s philanthropic focus and defense of the area’s original inhabitants.

The guide includes a listing of 16 Open Spaces (including the popular Stratton and Red Rock Canyon open spaces), three parks (such as Ute Valley), and a wildlife preserve.

Jewett mentioned that inclusivity and access are paramount considerations in PLC’s conservation efforts. This year the organization is launching a new regional planning project called “Elevate the Peak” specifically to listen to the community and identify what future vision, goals and priorities need to be.

“We want to make sure we have a plan to really listen to as many people as we can and different types of people to gain all the perspectives we need,” she said.

League added, “We may or may not remember what the land was … But we will be remembered for what we do with it in the future.”

Mike League, as one of five new board members of the Palmer Land Conservancy (formerly Palmer Land Trust), will contribute finance and agricultural knowledge to the work that PLC does to protect Southern Colorado land for present and future recreation use, food sources and wildlife.

League is chairman, chief executive officer and president of 5Star Bank, whom for years has been known for his constructive involvement in the Colorado Springs community.

Farming and ranching in League’s family history make him especially keen to preserve and appreciate the vistas and peace that come from the beauty in nature. His great-grandparents were orchard growers on Colorado’s Western Slope. He has spent most of his life in the Pikes Peak region.

“We have pressing land and water issues, particularly with the Arkansas River through Pueblo and through southeast Colorado. (In Colorado Springs) we live in a high altitude desert — most trees and grasses aren’t natural. We’ve got to be a good steward of those resources and planning for the future. Whether urban parks and trails in (town) or old, multigenerational farms in other parts of the Palmer Land Conservancy area,” he says.

Rebecca Jewett, president and CEO of PLC, said the organization tries to have good geographic diversity on the board to serve the region — an area which basically follows the Arkansas River basin through southern Colorado.

She said, “(League) is a compassionate citizen of Colorado Springs that has given a lot to nonprofits. We’re excited to use his expertise (and that of the others).”

League has been involved with the 44-year-old organization for years. He annually supported the organization both personally and professionally at its fundraising banquet. He says his interest has only grown over the years. He was happy to accept an invitation to become more involved this year.

League relates that “nearly all of us (his family) have benefitted — for five generations — from the land or its resources.”

In 1888, a relative of League’s, a young German immigrant to Glenwood Springs, was a cattleman. “A very hard, hard business,” League says, “which hasn’t changed much in 130 years,” according to a rancher he recently met for dinner.

Some of his relatives manufactured potato planting and harvesting equipment. Another invented an orchard heater that is still in use. From his time of growing up, League has vivid, sensory memories of watching sunsets and sunrises over his family’s crops in Kansas, or of the smell of hundreds of acres of orange blossoms in California.

He loves being outdoors in Colorado Springs so much that when he has the off bad day he calls it, “just another crappy day in paradise.” League enjoys living close to Pike National Forest and other beautiful scenery that’s easy to venture out in.

League is also vice chairman of the Association of Military Banks of America and a board member of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

The downloadable Palmer’s Field Guide is available at palmerland.org. It includes a history of the Colorado Springs area including details about the Tabeguache band of the Nuche or, “People of the Sun Mountain,” as well as information about namesake William Jackson Palmer’s philanthropic focus and defense of the area’s original inhabitants.

The guide includes a listing of 16 Open Spaces (including the popular Stratton and Red Rock Canyon open spaces), three parks (such as Ute Valley), and a wildlife preserve.

Jewett mentioned that inclusivity and access are paramount considerations in PLC’s conservation efforts. This year the organization is launching a new regional planning project called “Elevate the Peak” specifically to listen to the community and identify what future vision, goals and priorities need to be.

“We want to make sure we have a plan to really listen to as many people as we can and different types of people to gain all the perspectives we need,” she said.

League added, “We may or may not remember what the land was … But we will be remembered for what we do with it in the future.”

Mike League, as one of five new board members of the Palmer Land Conservancy (formerly Palmer Land Trust), will contribute finance and agricultural knowledge to the work that PLC does to protect Southern Colorado land for present and future recreation use, food sources and wildlife.

League is chairman, chief executive officer and president of 5Star Bank, whom for years has been known for his constructive involvement in the Colorado Springs community.

Farming and ranching in League’s family history make him especially keen to preserve and appreciate the vistas and peace that come from the beauty in nature. His great-grandparents were orchard growers on Colorado’s Western Slope. He has spent most of his life in the Pikes Peak region.

“We have pressing land and water issues, particularly with the Arkansas River through Pueblo and through southeast Colorado. (In Colorado Springs) we live in a high altitude desert — most trees and grasses aren’t natural. We’ve got to be a good steward of those resources and planning for the future. Whether urban parks and trails in (town) or old, multigenerational farms in other parts of the Palmer Land Conservancy area,” he says.

Rebecca Jewett, president and CEO of PLC, said the organization tries to have good geographic diversity on the board to serve the region — an area which basically follows the Arkansas River basin through southern Colorado.

She said, “(League) is a compassionate citizen of Colorado Springs that has given a lot to nonprofits. We’re excited to use his expertise (and that of the others).”

League has been involved with the 44-year-old organization for years. He annually supported the organization both personally and professionally at its fundraising banquet. He says his interest has only grown over the years. He was happy to accept an invitation to become more involved this year.

League relates that “nearly all of us (his family) have benefitted — for five generations — from the land or its resources.”

In 1888, a relative of League’s, a young German immigrant to Glenwood Springs, was a cattleman. “A very hard, hard business,” League says, “which hasn’t changed much in 130 years,” according to a rancher he recently met for dinner.

Some of his relatives manufactured potato planting and harvesting equipment. Another invented an orchard heater that is still in use. From his time of growing up, League has vivid, sensory memories of watching sunsets and sunrises over his family’s crops in Kansas, or of the smell of hundreds of acres of orange blossoms in California.

He loves being outdoors in Colorado Springs so much that when he has the off bad day he calls it, “just another crappy day in paradise.” League enjoys living close to Pike National Forest and other beautiful scenery that’s easy to venture out in.

League is also vice chairman of the Association of Military Banks of America and a board member of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

The downloadable Palmer’s Field Guide is available at palmerland.org. It includes a history of the Colorado Springs area including details about the Tabeguache band of the Nuche or, “People of the Sun Mountain,” as well as information about namesake William Jackson Palmer’s philanthropic focus and defense of the area’s original inhabitants.

The guide includes a listing of 16 Open Spaces (including the popular Stratton and Red Rock Canyon open spaces), three parks (such as Ute Valley), and a wildlife preserve.

Jewett mentioned that inclusivity and access are paramount considerations in PLC’s conservation efforts. This year the organization is launching a new regional planning project called “Elevate the Peak” specifically to listen to the community and identify what future vision, goals and priorities need to be.

“We want to make sure we have a plan to really listen to as many people as we can and different types of people to gain all the perspectives we need,” she said.

League added, “We may or may not remember what the land was … But we will be remembered for what we do with it in the future.”