Colorado Open Lands
North Fork Valley CCA Projects
Aspenstand
Ayer Ranch
Bar Diamond Ranch
Bar K Ranch
Curry Property
East Roatcap Ranch
Eden Ranch
Eyre Ranch
Flying U Ranch
Flying U Ranch II
Heller Ranch
Hubbell Ranch
J Cotter J Ranch
Klaseen, Charles & Betty
Klaseen, Ron & Michelle
Lamborn Valley Farm
Long Gulch Ranch
Milstein Farm
Puma Reserve
Red Bluff Ranch I
Red Bluff Ranch II
Roatcap Ranch I
Roatcap Ranch II
Roatcap Ranch III
Smith Ranch
Sunrise Canyon Ranch
Sunswept Farm I
Sunswept Farm II
Todd Ranch
Todd Ranch, Amended & Restated
Todd Ranch, Monty & Karen
Triangle F Ranch
Wood Family Ranch
2009
Bar Diamond Ranch, Delta County, 78.6 acres
Partners: Dellis Ferrier, Linda Ferrier, Julie Cunnigham, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Bar Diamond Ranch is a small agricultural property located on Bone Mesa between Hotchkiss and Paonia, in the shadow of the West Elk Mountains. The property is comprised primarily of irrigated hay meadows but also contains areas of dryland pasture. The property affords scenic views from Bone Mesa Road and other nearby public roadways.
The Bar Diamond Ranch lies within an area encompassing an extensive patchwork of public lands and conserved private lands, sustaining significant habitat necessary to support viable populations of the state’s many wide-ranging wildlife species, including economically important species such as deer and elk. The property also contains habitat for Bald Eagle and greater sandhill crane, both State of Colorado species of concern. Finally, the conservation easement preserves “farmlands of unique importance” as identified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Heller Ranch, Delta County, 179 acres
Partners: Peter Heller, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Heller Ranch is located on Lamborn Mesa, just south of the Town of Paonia and adjacent to the McCluskey State Wildlife Area. The easement connects 520 acres of preserved agricultural land to thousands of acres of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service. An important elk migration corridor crosses a portion of the property, and mule deer in herds of up to 50 animals are regularly found on the property.
Charles and Betty Klaseen Ranch, Delta County, 215 acres
Partners: Charles and Betty Klaseen, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Charles and Betty Klaseen Ranch is located on the west end of Fruitland Mesa, between the Smith Fork River Canyon and Black Canyon National Park. The Klaseen family has run the ranch for three generations, originally as a dairy farm and more recently as a hay and livestock operation. Their ranch includes irrigated hayfields and pasture, native pinyon-juniper woodlands, and an intermittent tributary to the Smith Fork River. The conservation easement protects scenic views that the public enjoys from US Highway 92 and the West Elk Scenic Byway, and relatively natural habitat for species such as bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and ferruginous hawk. Up to 100 mule deer reside on the property year-round. The conservation easement also protects soils characterized by the United States Department of Agriculture as farmland of unique importance.
Ron and Michelle Klaseen Ranch, Montrose County, 300 acres
Partners: Ron and Michelle Klaseen, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Klaseen’s Ranch is a green jewel on Fruitland Mesa. The property contains 200 acres of irrigated ground and sets the scenic backdrop to travelers on Black Canyon Road, which is the only access to the north rim of the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. The ranch also provides habitat for mule deer, elk and migratory song birds and is visible from nearby public lands.
Todd Ranch Amended and Restated, Delta and Montrose Counties, 128 acres
Partners: Danny and Monita Todd, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: Danny and Monita Todd’s working ranch straddles counties and generations. Years ago, they purchased their ranch from Monita’s parents, Charles and Betty Klasseen, who also protected their own ranch this year—what a family conservation ethic! The Todd Ranch is on the west end of Fruitland Mesa, in an area interspersed with public and private lands. The Todd family runs a hay and cattle operation, irrigating native grasses and pasturing their cattle on their home ranch and nearby public lands. These same public lands, which provide habitat for numerous wildlife species, will now be forever buffered by protected private land.
Partners: Monty and Karen Todd, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: Monty and Karen Todd’s Ranch is located in the narrow Cottonwood Creek Valley north of the Town of Crawford. The Ranch lies within a matrix of public lands and is bordered by land administered by the Bureau of Land Management to the west and south, with the Gunnison National Forest boundary located closely to the east. Approximately 65 acres of the property are irrigated hay meadows, with the remainder in cottonwood stands and hills covered in pinion and juniper. The ranch is primarily used for agricultural purposes, including hay production and livestock grazing. It is visible from several public roads including Cottonwood Creek Road and Crawford Road, as well as the West Elk Wilderness Area.
2008
Ayer Ranch, Montrose County, 520 acres
Partners: Jim and Susan Ayer, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Ayer family members are longtime Montrose County ranchers. Homesteaded by Jim’s grandfather in 1905, the property has been used over the past century primarily for cattle grazing. The portion of the Ayer Ranch protected last year is interspersed with BLM lands, and is situated less than two miles from Black Canyon National Park.
The majority of the property lies on Fruitland Mesa, but the easement also protects a section of Iron Canyon, a locally significant landmark. With pinion–juniper woodlands, mixed mountain shrublands, and riparian plant communities, the easement area preserves habitat for a variety of species, including bald eagle, Gunnison sage-grouse, peregrine falcon, and ferruginous hawk. The conservation easement ensures that the property will remain open and available for the Ayer family’s continued agricultural use.
Curry Property, Delta County, 80 acres
Partners: Tom, Richard, and Marilyn Curry, North Fork River Improvement Association, Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The protection of the Curry property near Hotchkiss is part of a larger effort to mitigate human impact on the North Fork of the Gunnison River from commercial in-stream sand and gravel mining. North Fork River Improvement Association (NFRIA) has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers for several years to assess the restoration potential of nine sites along the Gunnison River from Paonia to Hotchkiss. Impacts from gravel mining, including the leveling of the riparian area, made the Curry property an ideal candidate for restoration.
The conservation easement secures the property against future mining activities, and will allow NFRIA, the Army Corps, and the Curry family the ability to improve stream stability, riparian habitat and ecosystem function, while continuing to meet demands for traditional uses of the river, such as recreation and agriculture. The easement also protects scenic views of the North Fork River from the West Elk Scenic Byway and preserves habitat for several Colorado Species of Special Concern, including river otter and peregrine falcon.
Eyre Ranch, Delta County, 111 acres
Partners: Jaelene Eyre, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Eyre Ranch is located on Redlands Mesa approximately 3 miles east of the Town of Cedaredge. The landscape is comprised largely of pinion-juniper woodland, but also contains areas of dryland pasture, irrigated hay meadows, and sagebrush shrubland. The property’s rolling topography, native rangelands, open agricultural fields, and wet swales provide rural scenic views from several County roads, including Cedar Mesa Road.
The Eyre Ranch lies within an area encompassing an extensive patchwork of public lands and conserved private lands. This patchwork sustains significant habitat necessary to support viable populations of the state’s many wide-ranging wildlife species, including economically important species such as deer and elk. The property also contains habitat for Bald Eagle and greater sandhill crane, both State of Colorado species of special concern. Finally, the conservation easement preserves USDA NRCS “farmlands of unique importance.”
Hubbell Ranch, Delta County, 117 acres
Partners: Gary Hubbell, Doris Hubbell, Ralph Hubbell, Connie Hubbell, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Hubbell Ranch is located just west of Crawford near the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River on Grand View Mesa. The small property is almost entirely irrigated, having been improved for agriculture in the early 1900s, and is nearly completely comprised of prime soils. The Ranch’s cultivated fields and gently-rolling topography contribute to the scenic character of the area, and the property is visible from Colorado 92, the “West Elk Scenic and Historic Byway,” and Delta County public roads.
The Hubbell Ranch serves as an important foraging area for Bald Eagles that are known to frequent the property during the winter to prey on rodents and carrion. The property is also located within the migratory flyway of Rocky Mountain populations of greater sandhill cranes. It is likely that kettles of hundreds of sandhill cranes rest overnight and feed on or near the property, especially during the fall. The easement ensures that habitat for these and other wildlife species is permanently protected.
Long Gulch Ranch, Delta County, 50 acres
Partners: Burke Family, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Long Gulch Ranch conservation easement preserves pinyon-juniper woodlands and mixed mountain shrublands in the Clear Fork Creek drainage southeast of Crawford. The property provides habitat for several State Species of Concern as well as big game species that are important, not only to the biodiversity of the region, but also to the local economy. The property provides scenic views of open space to members of the public recreating on nearby public lands (BLM and Gunnison National Forest) or driving along Clear Fork and Long Gulch roads.
The Burke Family uses the Ranch for crop production and livestock grazing, and thus the easement will also preserve the Ranch as a productive agricultural property and contributor to the local economy of the region. The Long Gulch Ranch easement adds to the existing acreage of protected land in the area, as the Ranch’s east boundary adjoins approximately 140 acres of private land that is also under easement.
Todd Ranch, Delta and Montrose Counties, 282 acres
Partners: Danny and Monita Todd
Conservation Values: Straddling two counties, the Todd Ranch is situated on the westernmost end of Fruitland Mesa and will help the West Elk Scenic and Historic Byway keep its name by continuing to provide uninhibited views of this picturesque agricultural property. The north rim of Red Canyon, a local landmark, lies within the property and it is visible from the nearby Gunnison National Forest as well as the Black Canyon National Park. The ranch also provides habitat for a number of ecologically and economically important species and provides connectivity for wildlife within a mosaic of public and private lands.
Triangle F Ranch, Delta County, 120 acres
Partners: Gail Frank, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Triangle F Ranch is located on Rogers Mesa just west of the Town of Hotchkiss. Rogers Mesa is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the North Fork Valley because of its excellent soils and irrigation water. It is also an attractive location for residential development, given its close proximity to town and its scenic and currently rural setting. Due to residential pressure, the Triangle F Ranch is the largest intact parcel remaining on Rogers Mesa south of CO highway 92.
The Triangle F Ranch contains prime and unique soils and is cropped for hay and alfalfa. Used for beef cattle production, the landowner also breeds, trains and sells performance horses on the property. The conservation easement on the Triangle F Ranch will help retain the open feel of Rogers Mesa, and will ensure continued agricultural activity in the area.
2007
Aspenstand, Delta County, 133 acres
Partners: Hamilton Family, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Aspenstand conservation easement preserves 133 acres of beautiful meadows and aspen forests in the Upper Surface Creek Valley northeast of Cedaredge. There are two springs and a quarter-mile reach of Milk Creek, a pristine mountain stream. Nearly 1,000 acres surrounding the Aspenstand property have conservation easements, adding to the relevance and importance of this newly protected acreage. This part of the south edge of Grand Mesa is biologically diverse and offers deer and elk winter habitat that isn’t as climatically harsh as the main part of the Mesa. Wildlife species use the Aspenstand property extensively.
A family partnership has stewarded the property for many years, and several generations enjoy vacationing there. Family members are very pleased to be able to keep this family treasure in its current undeveloped state through the conservation easement. Their goal is to maximize the natural habitat values of their property, and seasonal livestock grazing in small numbers has proven to be an effective habitat management technique. This easement contributes to an emerging large-scale conservation landscape along the south rim of Grand Mesa.
East Roatcap Ranch, Delta County, 80 acres
Partners: Mary McCarney, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: This ranch is located directly adjacent to (on the east side of) the McClures’ Roatcap Ranch and contains a one-half mile portion of East Roatcap Creek which flows through the center of the property. The ranch is surrounded by BLM lands on its north and east boundaries.
Although owned separately, the Roatcap Ranch and the East Roatcap Ranch are operated agriculturally as one unit. Historical uses of the property include hay production, livestock grazing, and recreational hunting. Going further back, the ranch was once occupied by the Ute Indian tribe which camped and hunted for game in the area. Wildlife is still abundant on the ranch, which contains habitat for elk, mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, bald eagle, ferruginous hawk and northern pocket gopher.
Flying U Ranch (Phase II), Delta County, 110.5 acres (230.5 acres total)
Partners: Kurt and Shari Ulrich, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: This is the second conservation easement on the Flying U Ranch, located on Fruitland Mesa, southwest of Crawford, Colorado. The property has a combination of irrigated cropland and relatively natural habitat such as piñon-juniper woodlands and sagebrush shrubland. As a result, the Flying U Ranch helps support a resident mule deer herd and serves as severe winter range for elk.
The property is highly scenic and provides spectacular views of the West Elk Range and Needle Rock, a prominent local landmark. The Flying U Ranch also provides pastoral views from Black Canyon Road, the only road accessing the north rim of the Black Canyon within Black Canyon National Park.
J Cotter J Ranch, Delta County, 116 acres
Partners: Theron Johnson, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The J Cotter J Ranch lies above Bell Creek along the north edge of Bone Mesa, one of the most intact agricultural areas in the North Fork Valley. A mosaic of public and private lands on the mesa has provided benefits to wildlife and agriculture for more than 100 years. The ranch contains about 50 acres of irrigated hay meadows on the mesa top, while dry pasture for livestock descends into the Bell Creek valley bottom. There are 40 acres of naturally-vegetated riparian wetlands and springs along one-half mile of Bell Creek, tributary to the North Fork of the Gunnison River.
In addition to the agricultural productivity provided by irrigated hay crops and year-round livestock pasture, the ranch provides critical wildlife habitat. This winter area for elk and deer is connected to the West Elk Wilderness migration corridor through Bell Creek drainage across Lamborn and Stewart Mesas. Bell Creek is a year-round stream that provides habitat for beavers, waterfowl and songbirds. Wildlife species of special interest present on the ranch include bald eagles, sandhill cranes, ferruginous hawks, and northern leopard frogs. “With this conservation easement I hope to be able to improve the wetland areas and increase waterfowl use of our ranch,” said Theron Johnson.
Lamborn Valley Farm, Delta County, 97 acres
Partners: Lucia Vorys, Lamborn Valley Farm, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Lamborn Valley Farm is a fixture in the Paonia community, with an organic garden and twenty-acre orchard that supply produce and value-added products such as jams and breads through the Farm’s “Old River Road Trading Post” farming cooperative and “Lamborn’s Ladle,” a restaurant specializing in locally-grown organic foods. Each year, the Lamborn Valley Farm’s learning center educates an average of 40 school children and 15 college-age interns about organic crop production and livestock management. The Farm also hosts educational workshops for adults from all over the country, including workshops by Solar Energy International.
The Conservation Values of the Property include Relatively Natural Habitat and Open Space. The Farm contains an approximately 3,000-foot reach of the North Fork of the Gunnison River and its naturally-vegetated riparian corridor and irrigated fields that provide food, shelter, breeding ground, and migration corridors for several wildlife species, and a significant winter concentration area for American elk. The property also provides stunning gateway views entering the Town of Paonia from Colorado Highway 133 the “West Elk Loop Scenic Byway”. Lucia Vorys and the Lamborn Valley Farm donated the conservation easement to Colorado Open Lands to safeguard the agricultural, educational, open space, and wildlife values of the property in perpetuity.
Red Bluff Ranch II, Delta County, 92 acres
Partners: Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Red Bluff Ranch lies a few miles west of the town of Cedaredge in western Delta County where it is clearly visible to the general public from several county roads. Cedaredge is located within the scenic Surface Creek Valley, on the south side of Grand Mesa National Forest.
The area was originally a seasonal hunting location for Ute Indians. In the late 1800s to early 1900s, the property was likely homesteaded and fruit orchards established. During the 1930s, the ranch became one of several properties owned by Palmer and Company, a large fruit producing company. For the past 18 years, the property has been used more for livestock production and less for fruit production.
Roatcap Ranch III, Delta County, 150 acres (300 total acres protected)
Partners: Mike and Joy McClure, Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: This year, the McClure family donated another conservation easement on their Roatcap Ranch, which lies a few miles northwest of the Town of Paonia in eastern Delta County. The ranch derives its name from its proximity to the confluence of the east and west branches of Roatcap Creek. From a broader perspective, the ranch sits on Stucker Mesa on the Colorado Plateau between the Grand Mesa National Forest and the Gunnison Gorge in the Gunnison River watershed.
The land protected this year lies directly adjacent to (south of) the previous easements, completing protection of the entire ranch in perpetuity. Used primarily for irrigated crop production and seasonal livestock grazing, the ranch is clearly visible to the general public from BLM lands that border it to the west and south. East of the ranch is a stunning view of the West Elk Mountains.
2006
Bar K Ranch, Gunnison County, 160 acres
Partners: Bar K Ranch, Inc., Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, with funding from the Conservation Resource Center
Conservation Values: This parcel of the Bar K Ranch is a private inholding in the Gunnison National Forest along the West Muddy Creek drainage located between Paonia and Marble. Originally homesteaded as a school site for the children of settlers in this remote area in 1922, the parcel was acquired by Pasco Spadafora and added to his 2,500-acre sheep ranch sometime in the mid-1930s. Spadafora worked the ranch and surrounding National Forest grazing permits until his death in the late 1970s.
Roger Cesario, a principal of Bar K Ranch, Inc., and a descendent of Spadafora, summarized the motivation behind partnering with Colorado Open Lands to preserve the property: “As oil and gas development in this part of the state booms, parcels like this become ever more valuable as refuge for wildlife. We have great habitat and plenty of animals from birds to big game, and we want to see the land stay largely as it is today.”
The property consists primarily of aspen forest and open meadows, punctuated with stock ponds and riparian vegetation. The preservation of the property also contributes to the scenic and natural character of the surrounding National Forest land, which is open to and utilized by the general public.
Eden Ranch, Delta County, 65 acres
Partners: Jim Wetzel and Nancy Wood; West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: Eden Ranch, owned by Jim Wetzel and Nancy Wood since 1995, lies within the western extent of Redlands Mesa in central Delta County, between the Lawhead Gulch and Currant Creek drainages. Redlands Mesa is situated on the Colorado Plateau between the Grand Mesa and the Gunnison Gorge in the Gunnison River watershed.
The property, located about five miles southeast of the Town of Cedaredge, is visible to the general public from Highway 92 and several county roads. The ranch is currently used for agricultural purposes, and although it is not currently irrigated, the property has irrigation water rights and irrigation infrastructure in place. The soil on the property is considered to be prime farmland.
The vegetative communities on the property consist of piñon-juniper woodlands and sagebrush shrublands. The ranch is situated between two major elk winter concentration areas and lies within elk severe winter range. Resident mule deer, the primary prey of mountain lions, are numerous year-round on the property and areas adjoining, especially Lawhead Gulch during winter. Game species are of economic importance to Delta County, and contribute significantly to the biodiversity of the region.
Flying U Ranch,Montrose County, 120 acres
Partners: Kurt and Shari Ulrich, West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: “Our desire to preserve our property stems from our wish to have a few places in this area that aren’t split up into three and five-acres parcels” said Kurt Ulrich, speaking about his partnership with Colorado Open Lands. “I may never see what this area looks like when it is built out, but we want to know that we have made a contribution to seeing this place preserved as best we can.”
Located on Fruitland Mesa, southwest of Crawford, the Flying U Ranch consists of a combination of irrigated cropland and relatively natural habitat such as piñon-juniper woodlands and sagebrush shrubland.
Over the past decade, the Ulrichs have made significant improvements to the irrigation infrastructure on the property, increasing efficiency and crop yield. Several ponds have been added to capture and re-use irrigation water, providing supplementary habitat benefits. The property’s combination of open fields, woodland cover, and shrublands on subtle topography with year-round drinking water provides nearly ideal range for big game ungulates such as resident mule deer and migrating elk.
The property also supports a variety of uncommon non-game species such as raptors. Black Canyon Road, which is the primary access to the north entrance of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, abuts the Flying U Ranch to the north and west. The openness of the property provides spectacular views of the West Elk Wilderness and Needle Rock near Crawford.
Milstein Farm, Delta County, 79 acres
Partners: Jeff and Karen Milstein, West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: Redlands Mesa sits north and west of the Town of Hotchkiss Colorado, between the Grand Mesa and the North Fork of the Gunnison River Valley. Over the past decade, a series of small farms and ranches have been preserved on the mesa top by the Black Canyon Regional Land Trust, creating a network of conserved properties working the fertile mesa soils.
The Milstein Farm is no exception, containing soils ranked of “national importance” by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and ample water rights for irrigation purposes. Roughly 3/4 of the property is cultivated as hay crops or used as pasture, and the remainder is kept as relatively natural habitat, including juniper woodlands, semi-desert shrublands, and riparian vegetation.
The property, with its adjacency to other protected lands, contributes to the scenic nature of the landscape in which it lies, and is visually accessible to the public from Redlands Mesa Road and 2900 Road.
Puma Reserve, Delta County, 120 acres
Partners: Marilyn Mundy, West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Puma Reserve is located on, and largely encompasses, the top of Fry Mesa, situated just a few miles north and east of Paonia. It is adjacent to several thousand acres of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
Consisting primarily of natural vegetation, it is a haven for wildlife, including elk and mule deer, mountain lion, many species of migratory songbirds and several species of raptors. Much of the property burned in the Roatcap fire of 1993, and this has rejuvenated the mountain shrub community on the property to the benefit of wildlife populations.
The landowner’s strong desire to maintain and improve habitat conditions on the property resulted in special restrictions within the conservation easement limiting agricultural activities to designated areas on the property.
The Puma Reserve is visually accessible to the general public from Delta County Road 701 (Stevens Gulch Road) and Colorado Highway 133. Colorado Highway 133 is designated as part of the West Elk Loop Scenic Byway.
Roatcap Ranch II, Delta County, 70 acres (150 total acres protected)
Partners: Mike and Joy McClure; West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: This year the McClure family donated a second conservation easement on their Roatcap Ranch, which lies a few miles northwest of the Town of Paonia in eastern Delta County. The ranch derives its name from its proximity to the confluence of the east and west branches of Roatcap Creek. The ranch sits on Stucker Mesa on the Colorado Plateau between the Grand Mesa National Forest and the Gunnison Gorge in the Gunnison River watershed.
The parcel protected this year lies directly adjacent to last year’s easement on its east boundary. The ranch is clearly visible to the general public from BLM lands that border it to the west and south. East of the ranch is a stunning view of the West Elk Mountains. The ranch is used primarily for irrigated crop production and seasonal livestock grazing.
Smith Ranch, Montrose County, 90.5 acres
Partners: Mick and Karen Smith, West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Smith Ranch is located on Fruitland Mesa southwest of Crawford, near the north entrance to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The easement protects both irrigated cropland and relatively natural habitat including sage shrublands and piñon-juniper woodlands.
The property helps sustain resident herds of mule deer and elk, and provides habitat for migratory songbirds, eagles and owls, as well uncommon species such as the sandhill crane that use the property during migration. The easement also protects views from Black Canyon Road that accesses the National Park.
Karen Smith discussed the project, saying “Mick and I were motivated by the thought of this land being subdivided in the future by subsequent owners. While we don’t have thousands of acres to offer for protection, we hope that others in our area will continue to protect smaller parcels, and that the end result will be a network of protected properties on the mesa.”
Mick and Karen’s vision is beginning to materialize, as this project contributes to more than 1,500 acres of protected private lands in the vicinity of the Smith Ranch.
Sunswept Farm II, Delta County, 120 acres (235 total acres protected)
Partners: Steve Wolcott and Linda Lindsey; West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: This year, the owners of Sunswept Farm donated a second conservation easement on their property, which lies a few miles northwest of the town of Paonia in eastern Delta County. Another 40 acres of the farm was already protected by a conservation easement conveyed to the Black Canyon Regional Land Trust in 2004.
Sunswept Farm sits on Stucker Mesa on the Colorado Plateau between the Grand Mesa National Forest and the Gunnison Gorge in the Gunnison River watershed. The property is clearly visible to the general public from Stucker Mesa Road, which borders the farm to the east, and from BLM lands that border the farm to the west.
The property is used primarily for irrigated crop production and for raising elk. The landowners also host a four-day community event each summer called “The Dreamtime Festival” which consists of a series of educational and interactive workshops on various topics such as art, music, spirituality, and environmental sustainability.
Wood Family Ranch, Gunnison County, 110 acres
Partners: Mike and Kathy Wood, West Elk Mine Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Wood Family Ranch is located in the Muddy Creek drainage just north of Paonia Reservoir, adjoining Paonia State Park and the Gunnison National Forest.
Much of the property is visible from Colorado Highway 133, part of the West Elk Loop Scenic Byway, and Paonia State Park. The prominent sandstone outcrops and forested hills of the Ranch complement views of the Raggeds Wilderness high country.
The property features diverse vegetation communities for its size, including piñon-juniper woodlands, big sagebrush shrublands, mixed mountain shrublands, mixed conifer woodlands, montane grasslands, and riparian areas that provide forage, cover, breeding ground, and migration corridors for a wide array of wildlife species.
2005
Red Bluff Ranch I, Delta County, 98 acres
Partners: Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Red Bluff Ranch lies a few miles west of the town of Cedaredge in western Delta County where it is clearly visible to the general public from several county roads. Cedaredge is located within the Surface Creek Valley, on the south side of Grand Mesa National Forest.
The area was originally a seasonal hunting location for Ute tribal people. In the late 1800s to early 1900s the property was likely homesteaded and fruit orchards established. During the 1930’s the ranch became one of several ranches owned by Palmer and Company, a large fruit producing company. Since 1989 the property has been used more for livestock production and less for fruit production.
Roatcap Ranch I, Delta County, 80 acres
Partners: Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Roatcap Ranch lies a few miles northwest of the town of Paonia in eastern Delta County near the confluence of the East and West branches of Roatcap Creek. The ranch sits on Stucker Mesa on the Colorado Plateau between the Grand Mesa National Forest and the Gunnison Gorge in the Gunnison River watershed.
The ranch is clearly visible to the general public from BLM lands that border it to the west and south. East of the ranch is a stunning view of the West Elk Mountains. The ranch is used primarily for irrigated crop production and seasonal livestock grazing.
Sunswept Farm I, Delta County, 75 acres
Partners: Conservation Assistance Program
Conservation Values: The Sunswept Farm, used primarily for irrigated crop production and for raising elk, lies a few miles northwest of the town of Paonia in eastern Delta County. Forty acres of the farm is already protected by a conservation easement conveyed to the Black Canyon Regional Land Trust in 2004.
The farm sits on Stucker Mesa on the Colorado Plateau between the Grand Mesa National Forest and the Gunnison Gorge in the Gunnison River watershed. The property is clearly visible to the general public from Stucker Mesa Road, which borders the farm to the east, and from BLM lands that border the farm to the west.
2001
Sunrise Canyon Ranch, Delta County, 1,005 acres
Partners: Homer Noble & Edward Gaylord
Conservation Values: Owned by Homer Noble and Edward Gaylord for many decades, the long-time friends decided to protect their ranch and its unique qualities by donating a conservation easement to Colorado Open Lands before putting it up for sale. The ranch’s canyon contains four miles of the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River, lies only a stone’s throw from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and provides a significant buffer to BLM land.
With stunning red, orange and yellow colored cliff walls on the north side, views of high peaks to the northeast, and the Smith Fork meandering through the ranch with productive hay fields alongside it, Sunrise Canyon Ranch offers incomparable beauty, solitude, fascinating geology, and a haven for wildlife to future owners.