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.
Colorado voters across the political spectrum say they want lawmakers to ramp up voluntary conservation of the state's privately-owned forests, farms, clean water sources and wildlife habitat - according to a new poll conducted by New Bridge Strategy on behalf of Keep It Colorado, with support from Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy. Comments from Lori Weigel, principal, New Bridge Strategy.
The Eagle Valley Outdoor Movement is working to make access to outdoor recreation more accessible to Spanish-speaking residents. Currently, 20% of the county’s residents, many of whom speak Spanish, do not have ready access to parks and open space. Comments from Jessica Foulis, executive director, Eagle Valley Land Trust.
Josie Ruybal Abeyta saw a win-win in placing 821 acres of land passed down by her father into a conservation easement. Family members who preferred money would benefit from the sale of the easement and state tax credit incentives, and the family would still be able to use and enjoy Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch in Colorado's San Juan Mountains. Comments from Josie Ruybal Abeyta, owner, Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch.
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.
The May family has worked a 16,000-acre ranch in southeastern Colorado, which has been recognized nationally for its sustainability and conservation efforts, for over three generations. Recovery efforts are still underway after a devastating wildfire swept across 10,000 acres in the spring of 2021. Comments from Dallas May, Colorado rancher and co-owner.
A Durango area family farm is tapping a conservation easement to strengthen and grow a viable business on 180 acres of land overlooking the Animas River. Founding owner of DSM Land Jennifer Thurston is working with the La Plata Open Space Conservancy to access generous saleable tax credits to expand production of water-efficient crops and other programs to benefit the public. Comments from Jennifer Thurston, founding owner, DSM Land PBC.
A grant recently awarded by the group Keep it Colorado will help protect 2,565 acres of land adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park, the San Juan Scenic Byway and San Juan National Forest. The move is expected to preserve iconic views entering the park, support agricultural resiliency, protect significant archaeological sites and maintain critical wildlife habitat. . Comments from James Reimann, conservation director, Montezuma Land Conservancy.
Some three million acres of Colorado lands have been protected through land trusts and their partners, and new online resources launched by the group Keep it Colorado aims to help more families keep producing on their farms and ranches, and maintain their land for future generations. Erin Quinn, conservation director with the Aspen Valley Land Trust, said protecting lands through conservation easements now is a good idea for a number of reasons.
Recent awards for “Conservation Heroes” spotlight the collaborative vision and strategy which go into protecting Colorado's healthy vibrant landscapes, wildlife habitat, and local farms and ranches. "Sometimes we don't realize all the work that goes into making those places special. Protection or conservation of those lands and the wildlife that live there doesn't just happen by itself."
America the Beautiful, or 30 by 30, is not a land grab. Nobody is taking away farmers’ and ranchers’ private property rights. Conservation and conservation easements are voluntary. And conservation easements, which are legal agreements to protect land in perpetuity, create more — not fewer — options for landowners.
As summer rolls in across Colorado, the threats of wildfire, diminishing snowpack and prolonged drought weigh heavy on the minds of many residents who cherish the state's iconic landscapes and wildlife. Conservationists are encouraging people to get in touch with their local land trusts to be part of the climate solution.
More frequent and exponentially larger wildfires and prolonged drought already are impacting Colorado's agricultural lands and regional economies. To ensure communities can survive and thrive in a changing climate, a broad range of stakeholders are working to create the state's first-ever private lands conservation plan. Read the full story on Public News Service.
Most everyone is aware of the ecological benefits of conserving land – clean water, healthy plants and wildlife, and rich habitat for animals, birds and fish. But two other critical outcomes of conservation immediately rise to the top for me: a strong economy and climate change mitigation. Most Coloradans agree.
Who decides where a trail goes? What if the trail doesn’t go where I want it to go? What happens when people go off trail? Get answers to all of these questions and more. (Hint: Trails don’t just “happen.”) Here are some things people can keep in mind about trails - and what it will take to keep them beautiful, accessible and open.
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