The Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT) works to preserve the declining shortgrass prairie ecosystems of the Great Plains. We buy land and restore it, managing for native flora, fauna, and natural ecosystems. We spread the word, through a strong outreach program. We advocate for wildlife across borders, too, by supporting public lands policy reform. SPLT celebrated the purchase of this first block of our reserve network in November 1998: a 1,280-acre parcel in Baca County, Colorado three miles north of the Comanche National Grassland. We named this property "Fresh Tracks" to acknowledge the welcomed sight of native animal tracks on the land and to signify a new path toward land management on the Plains, one where wildlife is respected for its own intrinsic value. We have since added three reserves to our network: the Marianne Rees Nature Preserve and Two Marys Nature Preserve, which are located just a few miles south of Fresh Tracks; and the Quail Ridge Nature Preserve in Prowers County. Currently, there are approximately 3,300 acres of protected land within SPLT's Prairie Reserve Network. Our goal is to triple that number by 2015, bringing the total area protected to 10,000 acres. SPLT is certified by the State of Colorado to hold conservation easements and is a member of the Land Trust Alliance and the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts.