2026-09-15T12:48:25-07:00 2025-12-31 811489821 HEALY AND ASSOCIATES 1200 CONCORD AVE STE 250 CONCORD CA 94520 990 2025-01-01 770566099 EASTERN SIERRA LAND TRUST EAST 7608734554 250 North Fowler St BISHOP CA 93514 Mark Drew Executive Dir. 2026-09-15 true Hasina Sabrina Chowdhury P03013259 9256030800 2025 Mark Drew 250 North Fowler St BISHOP CA 93514 2079924 false X WWW.ESLT.ORG X 2001 CA EASTERN SIERRA LAND TRUST (Trust) WORKS WITH WILLING LANDOWNERS TO protect open space and PRESERVE VITAL LANDS in Inyo, Mono, and Alpine Counties IN THE EASTERN SIERRA REGION for their scenic, recreational, historical, agricultural, botanic, watershed, and wildlife values. 14 14 13 50 0 808344 1437053 0 396231 472761 118267 147593 1322842 2057407 17938 0 860358 1069434 92734 0 122873 337167 520830 1290259 1608202 32583 449205 14509922 15952331 49545 72692 14460377 15879639 X ESTABLISHED IN 2001, EASTERN SIERRA LAND TRUST (ESLT) WORKS WITH WILLING LANDOWNERSTO PRESERVE VITAL LANDS IN THE EASTERN SIERRA REGION FOR THEIR SCENIC, AGRICULTURAL,NATURAL, RECREATIONAL, HISTORICAL, AND WATERSHED VALUES. ESLT RECOGNIZES THAT THELAND WE SHARE HAS LONG BEEN USED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, AND WE WORK TO PRESERVE AHEALTHY BALANCE OF USES FROM RANCHING TO HIKING, WILDLIFE HABITATS TO FAVORITEFISHING SPOTS THAT CAN BE SUSTAINED FOREVER, ENSURING A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY ANDHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. ESLT WORKS TO HELP FAMILIES IN THE FACEOF PRESSURES TO SUBDIVIDE THEIR WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES. WE WORK WITH LANDOWNERSTO PROTECT THE REGIONS CRITICAL HABITATS. WE WORK TO OFFER THE ENTIRE EASTERN SIERRA COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OUR TREASURED LANDS, WILDLIFE AND A RURAL HERITAGE.AS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED LAND TRUST, ESLT MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE, TRUST AND PERMANENCE. false false 1211042 17938 Founded in 2001 and nationally accredited as a land trust in 2010with accreditation renewed in 2022the Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT) upholds rigorous standards of excellence to ensure lasting conservation and public trust. ESLT works to permanently protect the Eastern Sierras iconic landscapes through voluntary partnerships with landowners, preserving lands for their scenic, agricultural, ecological, recreational, historic, and watershed values. To date, ESLT has safeguarded over 23,000 acres of vital wildlife habitat, working farms and ranches, and other irreplaceable resources from the threat of development through its conservation easements and stewardship programs. Land Conservation: In 2025, Eastern Sierra Land Trusts Land Conservation Program continued to advance its mission in close partnership with federal, state, local, and Tribal conservation partners to protect private lands with significant agricultural, ecological, historical, and cultural value.This year, ESLT completed two major conservation projects: the protection of a 240-acre conservation easement safeguarding important wetlands and wildlife habitat, and a fee title land return to the Mono Lake Kootzadukaa Tribe, supporting Tribal stewardship and cultural reconnection to ancestral lands.In addition, ESLT developed its Priority Investment Areas framework, a key planning tool that identifies the highest-value landscapes within our service area for conservation and agricultural protection. This science-based framework will guide future conservation investments and help ensure that limited resources are directed toward the most impactful opportunities.Together, these accomplishments reflect ESLTs continued commitment to protecting working lands, strengthening partnerships, and supporting long-term ecological and community resilience across the Eastern Sierra. Stewardship: In 2025, Eastern Sierra Land Trusts Stewardship Program continued to provide long-term care and oversight for its growing portfolio of conserved lands, monitoring 23,470 acres in accordance with Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices. Through ongoing site visits, landowner engagement, and data collection, ESLT ensured that conservation values across its easements and fee properties are upheld in perpetuity.The organization engaged community members through volunteer Stewardship Days at Conway Ranch, supporting invasive weed removal and habitat restoration. ESLT also built upon prior efforts in Swall Meadows by continuing to map and assess noxious weed populations on conservation easements to improve habitat conditions for the Round Valley mule deer herd.In 2025, ESLT advanced the Huntoon Meadow Restoration Project on the Ullman Ranch Conservation Easement by completing an existing conditions report, collecting baseline pre-restoration data, and developing restoration designs to 30%. The project aims to restore hydrologic function, reduce erosion and sedimentation, improve water quality, and enhance meadow and riparian habitatsupporting long-term, climate-resilient landscape health.ESLT also expanded partnerships to support science-based land management. At Desert Creek Ranch, ESLT collaborated with the Nevada Conservation District, USDAs Agricultural Research Service, and the landowner to conduct vegetation surveys, generating critical data to inform a landscape-scale noxious weed treatment strategy.Internally, ESLT progressed implementation of its Strategic Stewardship Plan, strengthening long-term land management, prioritization, and funding strategies for perpetual stewardship.Finally, ESLT completed its third season of the Summer Conservation Internship with the University of Redlands, providing students with hands-on experience in land stewardship and restoration while supporting ESLTs field-based work.Together, these efforts reflect ESLTs continued commitment to active stewardship and the long-term care of conserved lands across the Eastern Sierra. Community Connections: ESLTs Community Connections Program provides people of all ages with opportunities to connect with the land and cultivate a spirit of stewardship. In 2025, the program hosted 38 events and reached 2,480 people across Inyo and Mono Counties, including more than 300 youth participants. Nearly 1,000 people were reached through community events and outreach efforts, while more than 1,200 people participated in ESLT-hosted events and field trips. Programming also reached youth through participation in Ag Days in Dyer, Nevada.Public events included GardenFest, World Migratory Bird Day, the annual Mule Deer Migration Corridor Field Trip, and a variety of educational workshops, tours, and volunteer opportunities. A major highlight of the year was the expansion of GardenFest into a larger community celebration featuring live music, food, educational booths, and native plant sales. The event was highly successful and demonstrated growing community enthusiasm for native plants, pollinator habitat, and stewardship initiatives. ESLT also collaborated with numerous partner organizations and nonprofits throughout the year to broaden community engagement and expand program reach.The Eastside Pollinator Garden Project continued to grow in 2025 with 7 new pollinator gardens certified, bringing the total number of certified gardens to 184 since the program began. ESLT also conducted 23 garden consultations for community members interested in creating pollinator habitat at home. Sunflower Kids a program that educates Bishop Elementary third-graders about pollinators, native plants, and gardening continued in 2025 and contributed to youth engagement efforts throughout the year.Additional program capacity was made possible through the support of a seasonal staff member who worked across both the Community Connections and Stewardship programs, helping expand outreach, volunteer coordination, and event support. Volunteer engagement also increased in 2025, with 8 volunteer workdays hosted, involving 50 volunteers who contributed more than 120 volunteer hours in support of stewardship and community projects. Tribal Partnership: ESLTs Tribal Partnership Program aims to build long-term partnerships between ESLT and Tribal Nations throughout the Eastern Sierra by advancing meaningful collaboration, capacity-building, and inclusion of traditional ecological knowledge in ESLTs conservation and stewardship efforts. In 2025, a major milestone of the program was the development of the Commitment to Tribal Engagement and Collaboration guidelines, which established a framework for respectful, consistent, and culturally informed engagement with Tribal governments, leadership, staff, and community members. These guidelines have helped institute best practices and support long-term relationship building across ESLT's conservation efforts.The program also successfully launched three Tribal Subgrants, providing resources directly to Tribal partners to support projects that align with cultural stewardship, conservation, education, and community priorities. Through ongoing coordination, technical assistance, and project support, the subgrants have fostered Tribal-led initiatives and strengthened partnerships between ESLT and Tribal communities and supported Californias broader 30x30 and climate initiatives. Throughout the year, the Tribal Partnership Program engaged with Tribal Council leadership, Tribal staff, and program representatives to identify opportunities for collaboration, address community priorities, and ensure Tribal perspectives are incorporated into ESLT programs and projects. The program further expanded its reach through stakeholder engagement efforts with local, regional, state, and nonprofit partners to build support for both ESLT and Tribal initiatives, creating opportunities for shared learning and collaboration.In addition, the program facilitated and participated in numerous outreach, educational, and community engagement opportunities, including presentations, meetings, field visits, workshops, and partnership-building activities. These efforts aim to increase awareness of Tribal stewardship practices, strengthen community relationships, and promote greater understanding of the importance of Indigenous leadership and participation in land conservation and natural resource management throughout the Eastern Sierra. 1211042 true true false true false false true true false false true false false false true false true false false false false false false false true false false true false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 16 0 true 13 true false false false false false true true false 0 false false false false false false false X 14 14 true false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false CA X X X X THE ORGANIZATION 7608734554 250 North Fowler St BISHOP CA 93514 Mark Drew Executive Dir. 40.00 0.00 X 153240 0 12946 Amy Sturgill Conservation Dir. 40.00 0.00 112439 0 11380 Darlene Scheutz Development Dir. 40.00 0.00 100774 0 15642 Emmalyn Snead Stewardship Dir. 40.00 0.00 102102 0 10024 Leslie Hunewill Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Bob Gardner Board Chair 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Cyd Jenefsky Secretary 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Robert Sharp Treasurer 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Tim Bartley Vice Chair 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Fran Hunt BOARD MEMBER 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Scott Burns BOARD MEMBER 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Rick Kattelmann Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Marta Kurland Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Brynn Pewtherer Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Tony Taylor Emeritus 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Steve Nelson Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Randy Keller Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Marie Patrick Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Joanne Parsons Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 468555 49992 4 false true false 0 184295 1252758 1437053 0 169976 169976 0 0 0 302785 302785 302785 302785 169274 22517 146757 0 0 other income 900099 836 836 836 2057407 303621 169976 X 17688 17688 250 250 0 0 166186 119439 31279 15468 0 725365 521326 136524 67515 0 104770 75299 19719 9752 73113 52547 13761 6805 0 10986 10986 52416 7863 44553 0 0 0 241568 223053 1275 17240 10383 10011 372 18812 15300 1370 2142 24932 16574 2837 5521 0 8300 6061 1531 708 23506 15484 5296 2726 0 11573 6756 3154 1663 0 0 10693 8175 1742 776 23147 17353 4030 1764 Escrow fees, property taxes 46117 44574 1095 448 Dues and subscriptions 20718 15056 3857 1805 Equipment and maintenance 15434 13656 1152 626 Printing and Publications 12079 3943 8136 -9834 9648 1112 -20594 1608202 1211042 274287 122873 377927 336785 0 109339 122568 0 0 0 0 0 12066 28738 4966213 77628 4848094 4888585 9162496 10575655 0 0 0 0 14509922 15952331 49545 72691 1 49545 72692 X 13532936 15508055 927441 371584 14460377 15879639 14509922 15952331 449205 970057 X false true X true false X 453452 492399 578138 808344 1437053 3769386 814726 814726 0 0 0 1268178 492399 578138 808344 1437053 4584112 0 93591 67166 96680 45253 302690 93591 67166 96680 45253 302690 4281422 84896 148888 325418 396231 472761 1428194 0 84896 148888 325418 396231 472761 1428194 0 16402 21826 11588 1749 836 52401 1369476 663113 915144 1206324 1910650 6064707 0.70600 0.74310 0.23550 0.16680 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED false false 4670 4670 1603532 1608202 230410 57603 false 204026 230410 434436 651654 10335 4670 15005 51007 57603 108610 162915 X X X 22 17 17 2 true false X X false 4589822 4589822 307764 22941 284823 68627 54687 13940 4888585 Rounding 1 1 3040159 970057 12695 982752 2057407 2057407 1620897 12695 12695 1608202 1608202 Part II, Line 5: Summarized Policy Conservation easements are perpetual agreements between the Trust and private or public landowners whereby the landowners agree to abide by certain restrictions designed to preserve the open space or conservation value of their land. The Trust accomplishes one of its primary program service objectives, land conservation, in part, by acquiring such easements. Conservation easements donated to or purchased by the Trust are not recognized as assets or revenues in the financial statements because the Trust does not have fee title to the properties and there are no expected future economic benefits. If purchased, the costs of conservation easements are expensed when the easements are acquired.As of December 31, 2025, the Trust held the conservation easements of 19,422 acres.(Audited Financial Statements).In addition, the Trust holds a deed restriction and owns the subsurface mineral rights for a Cedar Hills property, acquired in 2007, with 3,748 acres and a Parraguirre property with 40 acres, acquired in 2011. Part II, Line 9: Organization Reporting of conservation easements. As of December 31, 2025, the Trust held the conservation easements of 19,422 acres.(Audited Financial Statements).In addition, the Trust holds a deed restriction and owns the subsurface mineral rights for a Cedar Hills property, acquired in 2007, with 3,748 acres and a Parraguirre property with 40 acres, acquired in 2011. Part III, Line 1a: If organization elected under SFAS 116 to not report are, historical treasures, o Land held for conservation Part III, Line 4: Description of organization's collections and how it furthers its purpose. A PORTION OF THE TRUST'S NET ASSETS WITHOUT DONOR RESTRICTIONS AT DECEMBER 31, 2025ARE DESIGNATED FOR CONSERVATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,419,822. THE AMOUNT REPRESENTSTHE NET BOOK VALUE OF THE EASEMENTS HELD BY THE TRUST AS REFLECTED IN OTHER ASSETS IN THE ACCOMPANYING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.NET ASSETS WITH DONOR RESTRICTIONS CONSIST OF AMOUNTS RESTRICTED BY GRANTORS ANDDONORS FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:STEWARDSHIP,FIRE RESTORATION, METABOLIC,PRESERVE IT NOW, LAND ACQUISITION, LTA & OTHER. X X X X X false Lands and Legacy 169274 169274 22517 169274 169274 22517 22517 146757 false Owens Valley Indian Water Com 46 N TuSu Lane Bishop CA 93514 16407 0 0 1 X X false false false false false false false false false Mark Drew Executive Dir. 153240 12946 166186 Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 2 Emeritus Board Member Tony Taylor and voting Board Member Brynn share family relationship as 'father - daughter'. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The tax return is prepared by an outside accounting firm. After completion of said returns, the organization is sent a draft of the tax returns to be reviewed and examined. The organization makes copies of the returns and distributes to those individuals charged with governance. Those individuals at that time can review and if applicable discuss any line items in the return with the accountant who has prepared the return. If all items are found to be acceptable, an authorization is signed and provided to authorize the outside accounting firm to process, sign and provide copies of the returns to be filed (paper or electronically) with the designated governmental agencies. The tax returns are then signed by the organization, stamped and mailed with certified return receipt or the signed form 8879 is provided to the outside accounting firm allowing electronic filing. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c WHEN STAFF IS HIRED OR A NEW MEMBER IS APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR A COMMITTEE, WE ENSURE EVERYONE HAS REVIEWD AND SIGNED THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. EACH YEAR AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, BOARD MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO REVIEW THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND DISCLOSE ANY CONFLICTS. ALL BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBER MUST COMPLY WITH THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND SIGN A DISCLOSURE STATEMENT ANNUALLY. ALSO, STAFF MEMBERS MUST REVIEW AND SIGN THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY EACH YEAR. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MONITORS FOR ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND DECIDES IF A CONFLICT DOES EXIST, THEN WILL DISCUSS WITH THE BOARD CHAIR OR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a The Executive Committee and the Board of Directors (BOD) determine the Executive Director compensation, and the Executive Director determines staff compensation which is approved in the budget by the BOD. Comparison of local, regional, state and national compensation guidelines are used for all staff. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 18 Federal Tax Returns are available at guidestar.org & charitynavigator.org. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 Governing documents are available for public inspection at the principal place of business.The conflict of interest policy and the organization's financial statements are available upon request.