From Tropical Rainforest to the Front Range: Meet Trustee Chris Long

Chris Long's journey into conservation began unexpectedly during a 2010 trip to Puerto Rico with his wife, Jill, when they visited El Yunque—the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System.

The beauty was undeniable. So was the trash and the disregard for the local ecosystem.

"That contrast drove home the need for intentional conservation—and the organizations that make it happen," Chris recalls. It was a turning point that transformed how he understood the relationship between people and the places they claim to love.

The Trail That Centers Him

These days, Chris doesn't need to travel to a tropical rainforest to connect with nature. He and his wife live on the north end of Colorado Springs, where he has easy access to the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, which connects to multiple Palmer-protected open spaces and many miles of connected trails. It's become his personal sanctuary.

"There are sweeping views from Cheyenne Mountain to Mt. Herman in Monument," Chris describes. "Most of it is prairie-like, with scrub oak and a smooth gravel path."

For Chris, getting out for walks and hikes to feel the dirt under his feet is centering—a practice that keeps him grounded amid the demands of running a business and serving his community.

Chris and his family enjoy a hike at Monument Preserve.

The Lesson That Changed Everything

If that Puerto Rico trip sparked Chris's interest in conservation, it was his wife Jill who truly shaped his conservation ethic.

"She helped me see the long-term and generational impact—how protecting land and water today shapes what our kids will inherit," Chris explains, "and also how quickly places we love can be lost when they aren't protected."

That lesson crystallized into a guiding principle: "It is essential that if we love a place, we have to defend it before it's gone."

Chris brings that urgency to his work as Co-founder and Managing Partner of Intentional Wealth Strategies, an independent Registered Investment Advisor firm he co-founded in 2018. Intentional Wealth Strategies is also a proud Palmer Business Partner. His expertise in long-term financial planning and strategic thinking naturally translates to conservation, where decisions made today determine the landscape future generations will inherit. After building his firm and team to a stable place, Chris finally had the time and energy to commit meaningfully to Palmer's board.

"I've seen up close the impact Palmer delivers for the places we love," Chris says, "and I want to help with these important issues that matter to Coloradans."

A Perfect Colorado Saturday

Ask Chris about his ideal Colorado Saturday, and you'll get a picture of someone who has found balance between work and adventure, solitude and community.

It starts with coffee on his back deck, enjoying views of Pikes Peak. Then comes a hike in Mueller State Park. Driving back to town, Chris enjoys the sweeping vista of the Pikes Peak Conservation Corridor—a 20-year project that created a 6,000-acre block of protected public open space and private ranches that frame the famed mountain’s northern slope between Woodland Park and Divide. The day ends with a big meal and a pint at Edelweiss, celebrating the good life that conservation makes possible.

Chris's journey to Palmer's board reflects a truth about conservation: it's not just for people who grew up on ranches or spent their careers in environmental science. It's for anyone who has witnessed a beloved place come under threat from an expanding human footprint, who understands that protection requires action, and who wants to ensure their children inherit the Colorado they love.

As Chris learned in Puerto Rico and reaffirmed through Jill's wisdom, we must safeguard the places we love before they're gone. Now, as a Palmer trustee, that's exactly what he's doing.