American River Canyon Conservancy — Site Design

Problem

The American River Canyon Conservancy's existing website was slow, difficult to maintain, and not mobile-friendly. Page load times were over 6 seconds, and the site frequently experienced downtime during peak traffic periods.

Key challenges included:

• Outdated WordPress installation with security vulnerabilities
• Unoptimized images and assets causing slow load times
• Poor mobile experience affecting user engagement
• Lack of proper backup and monitoring systems
• Difficult content management workflow for staff

Approach

We implemented a comprehensive website modernization focusing on performance, security, and user experience:

Performance Optimization

• Migrated to AWS infrastructure
• Implemented advanced caching strategies
• Optimized all images and assets for web delivery
• Minimized and compressed CSS/JavaScript
• Configured proper browser caching headers

WordPress Migration

• Migrated existing content from WordPress to Next.js
• Custom theme development with mobile-first approach
• Set up automated daily backups

Infrastructure & Monitoring

• AWS EC2 hosting with auto-scaling capabilities
• CloudWatch monitoring and alerting
• SSL certificate with automatic renewal
• Regular security updates and maintenance schedule

Outcome

The modernized website dramatically improved performance and user experience:

Performance Metrics

• Page load time: Reduced from 6.2s to 1.8s (71% improvement)
• Time to First Byte (TTFB): Reduced by 45%
• Core Web Vitals: All metrics now in "Good" range
• Mobile PageSpeed score: Improved from 23 to 89

Operational Improvements

• Uptime: Achieved 99.95% uptime over 12 months
• Security: Zero security incidents since launch
• Maintenance: Reduced manual maintenance time by 80%
• Content updates: Staff can now update content in minutes vs hours

Highlights

Modern Infrastructure: AWS-hosted solution with CDN provides global fast loading and automatic scaling during traffic spikes.

Mobile-First Design: Responsive design ensures optimal experience across all devices, crucial for outdoor enthusiasts accessing trail information on mobile.

Content Management: Simplified admin with custom fields makes it easy for conservancy staff to update trail conditions, events, and conservation news.

SEO Optimization: Proper technical SEO implementation improved search rankings for key conservation and recreation terms.

Monitoring & Alerts: Proactive monitoring ensures any issues are caught and resolved before they impact visitors.