Celebrating the Legacy of Two Local Conservation Champions

A Reflection by Rebecca Jewett, President and CEO

In the last couple of weeks, conservation lost two local stalwarts, Gary Conover and Marcy Morrison. Both were passionate advocates for land and nature and served as trustees on Palmer Land Conservancy’s Board. I had the great opportunity of knowing both and working alongside them in various capacities over more than a decade.

Gary Conover

Gary Conover and Rebecca Jewett

I first met Gary Conover when I joined Palmer’s Board of Trustees in 2013. At a half-day meeting focused on strategic planning, I joined a table with three fellow board members named Gary, Barry, and Larry (that would be Conover, Cooper, and Barrett). I instantly fretted over how I would ever be able to get the right name aligned to the right person. Little did I know that in a year’s time I would be at the helm of Palmer as its executive and that these three would become some of my closest friends and allies in moving Palmer forward in its ambitious conservation goals.

To me, Gary Conover and Palmer are forever intertwined. Gary would regale me with his stories of early Palmer days. His favorite was how Palmer’s first office was actually just a desk in Gary’s office. This is where Palmer's first executive director, the late Stu Dodge, would work. In well-known Palmer lore that Gary loved to share, Stu got paid one shiny quarter annually for the hard work of being Palmer’s first “paid” staff member and executive director.

Gary served on and off the board for decades, holding nearly every leadership position possible. His deep passion for conservation was fueled by a profound love of birds. Nothing invigorated him more than venturing into nature with his binoculars, eager to discover and marvel at the beauty of each newfound bird. His dedication was a testament to his belief in protecting the wonder of our state for future generations.

Gary was my strongest tie to Palmer’s vibrant history. He knew the names of everyone who had ever served on the board. This is an incredible feat given that the organization is nearly at its fiftieth anniversary. Whenever a former Palmer trustee would pass, Gary would give me a call, share the obituary, and more importantly, share everything he knew about that person’s involvement with Palmer.

Far and away, my strongest memories of Gary are how he and his kind, loving, and amazing wife, Sally, attended nearly every event we hosted. I always knew that Sally and Gary would be in attendance, listening raptly as my staff and I discussed Palmer’s new initiatives and projects. Without fail, they would always come up to me afterwards and share how inspired they were about all the good work going on. They felt like my personal fan club, always putting wind in my sails with their encouragement, kindness, and genuine interest in the work. 

Gary will be deeply missed. Despite his physical presence being gone, I know that his legacy will be felt long into the future. His kindness and quiet leadership pushed Palmer forward through decades of growth and change, which led Palmer to honor Gary with the Excellence in Conservation and Service award in 2022, always rooted in the positive community impact of land conservation.

Marcy Morrison

Marcy Morrison and I first met through our service together on the Trails and Open Space Coalition’s Board of Directors in the early 2010s. I did not know at the outset the force of nature that was Marcy, though I quickly learned. She had a grounded confidence and strong, though quiet, presence no doubt honed through years of leadership positions at the state and local levels. I was a baby board member, just five years out of undergrad, navigating the twists and turns of life in my mid-20s. Marcy was an instant role model and mentor.

As stated in the recent Gazette article about her legacy and passing, Marcy was a political trailblazer. She was also a conservation trailblazer, serving on Palmer’s Board of Trustees during its first decade, from 1981 to 1987. She became an honorary trustee when her official term ended, reflecting her commitment to the organization. This was an exciting time for the young organization. Immediately before and during her service, Palmer conserved Blair Bridge (1980) and the backdrop of Garden of the Gods along Rampart Range Road (1985), the Mesa Valley Wildlife Preserve (1980), and Pineries Ranch in Black Forest (1985). 

She also served on the El Paso County Board of Recreation and Parks, as well as the Trails and Open Space Coalition, as noted above. She was a longstanding donor of Palmer Land Conservancy and a regular attendee at our events, including most recently, last year’s holiday party. She was known for her commitment to public service, advocacy for conservation, and drive to get things done. We are lucky she shared her talents with Palmer.

As I reflect on the remarkable lives of Gary Conover and Marcy Morrison, I celebrate their unwavering dedication to the land and the conservation efforts they championed throughout their lives. Their love for nature inspired me and the Palmer community, but also laid the groundwork for the protection of the beautiful landscapes they cherished. The legacies of Gary and Marcy will undoubtedly live on in the protected lands they diligently sought to conserve, serving as a testament to their shared commitment to safeguarding the Colorado they loved for future generations. It is through their passion and unity in purpose that they have intertwined their stories with the very essence of Colorado, reminding us all of the vital role we play in nurturing and protecting this place we call home.