Conservationists have released a plan to protect key lands and waters in Colorado that people and nature need to survive and thrive in a changing climate. “Conserving Colorado: A 10-year Roadmap for the Future of Private Land Conservation” calls for doubling the number of acres protected over the next 10 years, from 3.3 million to 6.6 million acres. Comments from Linda Lidov, interim executive director, Keep It Colorado.
Press Releases & Announcements
Keep It Colorado has created two resources for landowners considering voluntarily conserving their property and for landowners who purchased land with a conservation easement already on it. These resources are designed to cover the basic background that a landowner with a conservation easement (or considering one) would need to know - including the benefits and requirements.
Keep It Colorado has launched two initiatives through its new Emerging Conservation Opportunities (ECO) Program. The Transaction Cost Assistance Program and the Alternative Valuation Tool pilot will benefit landowners interested in using conservation easements to voluntarily conserve land. Landowners will benefit from cost assistance and more choices for valuing conservation easements.
After a competitive nomination process, a selection panel has named five Conservation Heroes, and will honor them for their outstanding contributions to conservation in Colorado! The panel enjoyed reviewing the nominations and hearing about the passion, energy and expertise of many across Colorado who are making a significant difference to advance the pace and scale of conservation.
Keep It Colorado selected 11 photographers for their photos and narratives illustrating their connection to land, water and wildlife in Colorado. Their work will be celebrated at a “Colorado the Beautiful: A Tapestry of Photos” gallery exhibit in September. Submissions highlight the diversity and beauty of landscapes across the state and celebrate the unique relationships people have with Colorado’s places and spaces.
On June 7, Colorado Governor Polis signed Condemned Conservation Easement Property Compensation (HB22-208) into law. The new law codifies valuation for conserved lands when they must be condemned, and ensures that the fair-market value of the property includes the value of the conservation easement.
Do you ever feel like someone is doing so much to protect the places you love in Colorado that you’re inspired to call them your hero? Now’s your chance to thank and honor that special someone. Nominate a person or organization that demonstrates an outstanding commitment to conserving land and water in Colorado.
Keep It Colorado will spend 2022 focusing on policy priorities that will build more support for conservation, and specifically private lands conservation. Keep It Colorado will remain active at the Colorado State Capitol and in Washington D.C., continuing to promote existing conservation tools and look for new opportunities to increase investments in conservation. Read about our 2022 policy priorities at the state and federal levels.
The Fall 2021 edition of Saving Land Magazine features a story about using remote monitoring technologies - like satellite and aerial imagery - to monitor conserved lands. The story features our partners Colorado Open Lands and Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, as well as Keep It Colorado.
Keep It Colorado has expanded its team with the addition of Raina Roanhorse, who joined the coalition as grant programs and administrative coordinator on September 1. Raina will support the nonprofit’s grant and regrant programs, which benefit the statewide coalition’s work to accelerate the pace and scale of private lands conservation.
Keep It Colorado and the Land Trust Alliance partnered to publish a study which shows that these technologies help land trusts reduce the costs, personnel hours and carbon emissions typically associated with observing and documenting changes to landscapes they have conserved. Several land trusts plan to add these technologies to their stewardship toolbox to be more efficient in their property monitoring activities in the future.
On June 30, 2021, Governor Polis signed Conservation Easement Tax Credit Modifications (HB21-1233) into law. The legislation helps to accelerate land conservation in a state threatened by the ongoing climate crisis and population growth, and ensure that the state’s conservation easement tax credit program functions more effectively and efficiently.
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