Keep It Colorado Awards $840,000 for Voluntary Conservation Projects 

Conservation Will Protect 13,000+ Acres of Wildlife Habitat, Working Ranches and Wetlands

June 21, 2024 – DENVER – Keep It Colorado will award $840,000 in assistance to 10 nonprofit Colorado land trusts, which will support landowners who have volunteered to protect their properties through conservation. The 15 selected projects will help permanently protect over 13,000 acres of working ranches, wetlands, water rights and wildlife corridors on land that would otherwise be at imminent risk of being subdivided or converted to other uses. The awards are being made through Keep It Colorado’s Transaction Cost Assistance Program (TCAP), which is generously funded by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), Ducks Unlimited and the Walton Family Foundation. The GOCO board approved its portion of the awards at its board meeting today.

The $840,000 investment represents the largest amount of grant funding through TCAP since the program was launched in 2021.

“More than ever before, we’re able to really move the needle on conservation across the state by supporting land trusts and their partnerships with landowners,” said Amy Beatie, executive director for Keep It Colorado. “Advancing Colorado’s conservation goals protects lands for the future and provides benefits every day to the people and wildlife that call Colorado home. Coloradans tell us time and time again that this is a priority, and with key investments from our partners, we’re well positioned to heed that call.”

The grants will assist landowners, in partnership with nonprofit land trusts across the state, in conserving over 13,000 acres of land that includes critical wildlife habitat; family farms and ranches; 300 acres of wetlands; 45 miles of rivers, perennial streams, and ephemeral creeks; key water rights; and rare species. Projects protect highly developable land, support agricultural resiliency, and preserve scenic character while creating climate resiliency and preserving ecologically diverse landscapes.

While privately owned, these properties buffer lands of the Colorado State Forest, Rio Grande National Forest, Rocky Mountain National Park, Gunnison National Forest and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation lands as well as other conservation easements on lands of the Bureau of Land Management; San Juan National Forest; Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests; Colorado State Land Board; Jensen State Wildlife Area; and existing private conservation easements. This level of protection creates landscape-scale connectivity and resiliency across regions. Each project also addresses one or more goals of Conserving Colorado: A 10-year Roadmap for the Future of Private Land Conservation.

In all, Keep It Colorado received 20 applications from 10 land trusts, with requests totaling $1,228,797. Ten land trusts will receive grants to support voluntary conservation projects in 12 counties:

Douglas Land Conservancy: “Conservation Connection” Project, Douglas County
This project will permanently protect approximately 691 acres of ranchland near Larkspur. The project abuts 21,000 acres of other protected lands that provide contiguous habitat for elk, bear, sheep, pronghorn and turkeys. The property also offers a giant filter for groundwater and runoff. The project furthers the large contiguous block of preserved land from Castle Rock to El Paso County that serves as a greenbelt; a visual break to intense development; a sanctuary for wildlife; an environmental sponge; and a haven for flora and fauna. Grant award: $42,200

Colorado Open Lands: “DeGuelle” Project, Delta County
This project amends and restates an existing easement to add 297 acres of new conservation, amounting to 377-acres of protected pinyon-juniper woodlands; evergreen forest; mountain shrubland; and stream and riparian corridors. With the region under pressure from extraction and recreation, the project offers critical buffer and refuge for wildlife. The K’úutìim’é (Cochiti) landowner voluntarily offers access to Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) people, who have an ancestral connection to these lands, for the traditional harvest of native plants in a peaceful place. Grant award: $75,000

Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust: “Fuchs Ranch Phase II” Project, Rio Grande County
The Fuchs Ranch is a Centennial-designated ranch that has a nationally renowned Hereford bull operation. All of the water rights will be encumbered along with the land – keeping precious water resources in the San Luis Valley for agriculture and wildlife. The project supports the continued operation of the ranch, and protects 734 acres of ranchland, open space and wildlife habitat for the greater sandhill crane, pinyon jay, bald eagle, snowshoe hare, American pika and moose, which use the critical habitat as foraging grounds, migration routes and cover. Grant award: $75,000

Colorado West Land Trust: “Bookcliff Vineyard” Project, Mesa County
The Bookcliff Vineyard is located near Palisade in the heart of the Vinelands, known for their premier fruit growing ground and the valley’s best micro-climate for fruit production. The conservation easement will protect nearly 20 acres of vineyards. The renowned Bookcliff Vineyards tasting room is also located on the property, providing visitors a chance to develop a connection to Palisade grape production and Colorado’s wine industry. The easement will ensure that the water rights from the Colorado River stay available specifically for agriculture. Grant award: $25,000

Montezuma Land Conservancy: “Hackley” Project, Montezuma County
This historic 720-acre ranch in the Mancos River watershed boasts excellent water rights; prime soils; productive meadows; healthy ponderosa pine forests; and 17 acres of wetlands and riparian habitat. Half of the property is set within San Juan National Forest, creating a buffer and extending migratory pathways for wildlife. The largely forested property helps increase snow accumulation and moderate spring runoff, benefiting the local water supply. The landowner’s work to improve forest health for the watershed will have enduring impact for area residents. Grant award: $50,000

Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust: “JRA Farm” Project, Conejos County
JRA Farm is a traditional 80-acre vara comprising farmland, hay meadows and riparian acres, including approximately half a mile of river frontage. With two branches of the Rio San Antonio running through it, the property is prime habitat for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. This project builds on previous efforts by Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust to support the area’s historically underserved Hispano landowners in reaching their conservation goals. Grant award: $75,000

Central Colorado Conservancy: “Maverick Ranch” Project, Fremont County
This 156-acre property encompasses almost two miles of the Arkansas River in an area experiencing increasing development pressure. Conservation here creates a permanent corridor between adjacent Bureau of Land Management lands. Irrigated hayfields, pasture, riparian wetlands, foothills shrubland, and pinyon/juniper forestland provides habitat for important species such as pronghorn, bighorn sheep and pinyon jays. Grant award: $25,000

Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust: “Nine Mile Ranch” Project, Rio Blanco County

The conservation easement will permanently protect 2,800 acres of rangeland and 3.9 miles of stream located between Meeker and White River National Forest, directly adjacent to the Jensen State Wildlife Area and Bureau of Land Management lands. The high-quality habitat and connectivity to other undeveloped landscapes mean that imperiled species like sagebrush vole, burrowing owl, dusky grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, and greater sandhill crane have the opportunity to thrive. Hay meadows are irrigated by water rights that will be tied to the property for agricultural use. Grant award: $40,000

Colorado West Land Trust: “North Bend Ranch” Project, Montrose County

This project protects a 115-acre property along the Dolores River in the Paradox Valley, including about one-third of the valley’s last remaining riparian cottonwood gallery, expanses of native sacaton grassland and emergent wetlands. Hundreds of elk call the property and surrounding area home year-round, along with migrating sandhill cranes, spotted bats, mule deer and other fauna. The property includes nearly half of a mile of the Dolores River, inhabited by the “Native Three” warmwater fish species and beloved by boaters. Grant award: $53,800

Estes Valley Land Trust: “Opal Land and Cattle III” Project, Larimer County

This 500+ acre cattle ranch shares four miles of boundary with Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest lands. The pine forest; foothill and mountain grasslands; mixed conifer and riparian woodland; and shrubland offer species the ability to disperse, migrate and shelter. As one of a few local beef producers, the property contributes to the local food economy. Grant award: $74,550

Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust: “Rockin’ S Ranch” Project, Conejos County
The 301-acre working cattle ranch lies in the southern San Luis Valley near Antonito and the landowner prioritizes rotational grazing and riparian improvement practices. Rich in wildlife and wetland habitat, the property is critical for aquatic species such as the globally threatened Rio Grande chub, and birds such as greater sandhill crane, golden eagle and bald eagle. The landowner comes from a multi-generational Hispanic ranching family in the valley. Grant award: $75,000 ($50,000 funded by Ducks Unlimited; $25,000 funded by GOCO)

Colorado West Land Trust: “Sanders Orchards” Project, Mesa County
The project will protect 22.83 acres of orchard across four parcels near Palisade amid one of Colorado’s most productive and unique agricultural landscapes. The four parcels produce peaches, cherries, pears, apricots and plums, and the Sanders Family operates a u-pick business and roadside fruit stand that supports local agritourism efforts. The prime farmland surrounding Palisade produces more than 23 million pounds of peaches and grapes annually, supporting the local economy and drawing in many thousands of tourists to sample the agricultural bounty. Grant award: $50,100

Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust: “Shepherd Hill Land and Livestock Ranch” Project, Elbert, El Paso and Lincoln Counties
This project will conserve over 6,492 acres, which host a cattle operation and 27 miles of ephemeral streams. Shortgrass prairie makes up over 99.7% of the property, providing carbon sequestration benefits; creating resilience to drought and fire; and supporting numerous species including mule deer, pronghorn, white-tailed deer, elk, swift fox, burrowing owl, mountain plover and long-billed curlew. Wildlife use an existing tunnel underpass on the property to safely cross Interstate 70. The family collaborates with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to bring veterans with disabilities, women and youth to the ranch to hunt. Grant award: $40,150

Montezuma Land Conservancy: “Sturdevant” Project, Dolores County
This project will permanently conserve 300 acres along nearly two miles of the West Fork of the Dolores River that are surrounded on all sides by San Juan National Forest. In combination with another MLC easement, and Forest Service land, it will help create an uninterrupted 5.1-mile length of river corridor, riparian habitat and wetlands, and protect historic agriculture fields from development. The landowner plans to work with Trout Unlimited to improve aquatic habitat for the four species of trout that reside in the river, creating lasting impact for the river ecosystem. Grant award: $75,000 ($50,000 funded by Walton Family Foundation; $25,000 funded by GOCO)

Colorado Open Lands: “Youth Seen” Project, Douglas County
The 61-acre property, nestled between the plains and the foothills, features a mix of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir stands with grassland meadows of native blue-stem and needle-and-thread grasses – habitat that is critical to the threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse. A nonprofit on the property operates a summer camp and year-round outdoor programming, filling a critical community need for outdoor spaces where queer youth, especially Black, Indigenous, and other youth of color, can experience the healing benefits of nature. Grant award: $65,000

About TCAP
Since 2021 when Keep It Colorado formed TCAP in partnership with GOCO, it has awarded more than $2 million in grant assistance to Colorado nonprofit land trusts. This aid enables land trusts to help landowners complete 45 conservation projects and protect nearly 43,000 acres of critical habitat, local food systems, iconic viewsheds, wetland and river corridors, and places of historic and cultural significance across the state. In providing this assistance, Keep It Colorado eases the financial burden on landowners and enables them to move forward with protecting critical landscapes that are at imminent risk of being subdivided or converted to other uses. 

About Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)
GOCO invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 5,700 projects in all 64 counties of Colorado without any tax dollar support. Visit GOCO.org for more information.

About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 18 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent comprehensive campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org.

About Walton Family Foundation
The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. Three generations of the descendants of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, and their spouses, work together to lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. To learn more, visit www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org.

About Keep It Colorado
Keep It Colorado serves as a unified voice for conservation organizations focused on private lands conservation, and does so by bringing together land trusts, public agencies and conservation champions around a vision to create a Colorado where people, lands, waters and wildlife thrive. Keep It Colorado advocates for sound public policy; provides connection and collaboration opportunities for conservation partners; offers a forum to address emerging conservation issues and opportunities; pursues sustainable funding and programmatic tools and solutions; and works to advance a culture of conservation in Colorado. Learn more at www.keepitco.org.

###

Photo: DeGuelle Ranch, Colorado West Land Trust