The Nature Conservancy says of itself that "it is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people". And "We use a science based approach, aided by our more than 500 scientists, and we pursue non-confrontational pragmatic solutions to conservation challenges".
This sounds very noble and altuistic. What they fail to mention is that if they decide your property needs their "protection" you will have to spend a great deal of time and a ton of money in court to escape their clutches.
Another thing they fail to mention is that they are a private military contractor, operating throughout the USA, and have been since 2002. Money is funneled to them by the DOD through the Medical Research Aquisition Activity at Ft Detrick Maryland.
In order to explain one specific area of their activity, a little history is needed:
As early as 1999, the Army decided that since they had been so successful at creating the 238,000 acre Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in southern Colo through condemnation (read stealing) that they could expand to the adjoining southeast corner of the state - some 10,000 square miles - using the same techniques. The Pentagon plan was to get all the little details in place, then spring the whole land-grabbing scheme on the unsuspecting residents as fait accompli.
It didn't work. In 2006 a map of the expansion was leaked to a rancher weeks before the Army put the final touches on it's plan, and the Army ran into a brick wall. Ranchers, state and local officials, and opposition groups fought back.
In 2007 a funding ban for the expansion was voted for by Congress, and it was reupped every year until 2014 when Senator Udall, and Rep Cory Gardner got it removed. The Army tried every trick and lie in the book to make an end run around the ban only to be blocked every time. (That's a whole 'nuther diary.)
In the interim since 2006, the Army has received fancy new toys, and the claim is that there isn't enough room on Ft Carson or PCMS to play with them, therefore the need for expansion still exists. Enter The Nature Conservancy. Put simplistically, the Army indicates the area they want, the TNC puts the ecology and wildlife under their "protection", then gives the Army permission to use it, and the Army is now free to blow up said area with the new toys.
Because TNC is a private military contractor, not a government agency, it is immune from Freedom of Information Act requests. N1MA (Not 1 More Acre - the biggest SE Colorado group fighting any expansion) made aggressive FOIA requests for three and a half years for the money trail to TNC. Finally, they received a few documents, but not much. As it turns out, TNC gets to review requests concerning its business and can request denial of information if they deem release of this information to interfere with their business (as an alleged non-profit working in the "public interest").
Feel free to read between the lines.
Sadly, TNC is just one tiny part of the picture. Eisenhower was the first to warn of the growing greed and corruption by the DOD. He was right! Because they have managed to appropriate $6 out of every $10 taxpayer dollars, what used to be a self-sufficient peel-your-own-potatoes military has now turned into such a huge money pit that it can't even be audited. There's just too many mercenaries, er, contractors, lobbyists, private parties, and corporations bellied up to the bar. It would take an act of Congress to change anything, and we all know how well that'll work.