Colorado Open Lands

Landowner Assisted Projects

Nelson Property I
Patterson Ranch
Piedra River
Pineries Ranch
R Bar None Ranch
Ranch on Sweetwater
Ranch on Sweetwater II
Ranch on Sweetwater III
Reinhold Property
Tagerts Lake Ranch
Talbott Farms I
Talbott Farms II
Tapawingo
Trapper’s Run
Weil - Amended & Restated
Weil- East
Weil-North
Zephyr Meadows Ranch

2006

A/E King Ranch, Archuleta, 843
Partners: Helen Moore and Craig Moore
Conservation Values: As the San Juan River snakes south towards New Mexico, the landscape opens into a mosaic of foothill ecosystems. A/E King Ranch is nestled in between mesa and hogback in a cozy valley dotted by ponderosa pine, juniper and rippling golden grass. A/E King Ranch has provided for three generations of the Moore family and has been used for raising cattle, sheep, and goats. Only a stone’s throw from New Mexico, the Ranch is steeped in the Old West, surrounded by Ute Indian Reservation land and teems with elk, deer, black bear, and bald eagles.

Eberl Ranch, Routt, 1,455
Partners: Kirk and Grace Eberl
Conservation Values: Conservation at the top of the world! Eberl Ranch is a gem of alpine habitat. The Ranch encompasses King Mountain and includes subalpine grassland, coniferous forest, riparian shrubland and aspen forest ecosystems. The Ranch is highly visible from a distance and its preservation will forever ensure that the pristine mountain habitat and striking mountain views will remain open forever.

Talbott Farms II, Mesa County, 50 acres (84 total acres preserved)
Partners: Talbott Farms, Inc. and Mesa Land Trust; with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Conservation Values: This is the second conservation easement held by Colorado Open Lands on the Talbott Farms property, and protects another 50 acres of orchards near the Town of Palisade in Mesa County.

Situated on the East Orchard Mesa adjacent to the Colorado River, Talbott Farms is comprised primarily of peach orchards and vineyards, along with irrigated farmland, ponds, wetlands and a drainage ravine. The property’s conservation values include relatively natural habitat and open space. Its natural features provide habitat for several wildlife species, including mule deer, black bear, coyote and red fox.

The Talbott Farms II property also has scenic value because a large portion of it is visible to the general public from 34¾ Road and D¾ Road, both of which are actively used by residents of Palisade and Mesa County. The East Orchard Mesa on which Talbott Farms sits is aptly named, since adjacent properties are also being actively used as orchards and vineyards. Colorado Open Lands plans to transfer both easements to Mesa Land Trust in the near future.

Weil Amended and Restated, Elbert County, 41 acres (76 total acres protected)
Partners: Fore-Weil LLC
Conservation Values: After running Wilderness Medicine Outfitters on his property for 35 years, Carl Weil decided it was time to permanently protect the land he relies upon for his highly successful school. Following his first conservation easement donation in 2005, Weil added acreage to the existing easement, further buffering Gold Creek, enhancing wildlife habitat and ensuring the land’s scenic beauty.

Part of a distinctive high uplift plateau, Weil’s property offers unique refuge for both plants and wildlife found only in lower plains or higher mountain locations. Gold Creek wends its way through a corner of the property, its banks scattered with plains cottonwoods, coyote willow, and other trees and shrubs, along with associated wetlands vegetated with cattails, bulrushes, and rushes.

Elsewhere on the land is a ponderosa pine forest and a small native grassland. The land is further defined by rolling hills of short-grass prairie that support a diverse assemblage of plants including over 30 medicinal plants and provide food, shelter, breeding ground, and migration corridors for nesting birds, raptors, mammals and amphibians.

Weil – East, Elbert County, 44 acres
Partners: Carl Weil
Conservation Values: Situated in the unique Black Forest but comprised of nearly all native grassland, Carl Weil’s land contains many native grass species, including little bluestem, big bluestem, green needlegrass, needle and thread, prairie sand reed, blue grama, and several other native grasses. This stand has significance since most of the grasslands in the Black Forest were plowed for cropland, or otherwise converted to European pasture grasses.

Furthermore, four Colorado Natural Heritage Program-tracked butterfly species may potentially occur on this land. This is because portions of the habitats for all four species are found on the property and two of their host plants, little bluestem and big bluestem, are specifically found on this land.

Weil’s third donation culminates protection of his entire 120 acres, bringing him peace of mind for the future of this biologically unique land, bolstering his Wilderness Medicine School operations, and enhancing the scenic views of his community forever.

2005

R Bar None Ranch, Routt County, 2,885 acres
Partners: John Ricks Family Trust
Conservation Values: The R Bar None Ranch is a haven for wildlife, consisting of 3,900 acres of rolling terrain blanketed with aspen and oak woodlands and interspersed with meadow valley bottoms in the Williams Fork Mountainssouth of Hayden. The R Bar None Ranch was originally part of the larger holdings of the Papoulas Ranch that raised sheep in the area for over three generations. John Ricks purchased the property in 1990 from the Papoulas family, who continued to lease the property for sheep grazing until 2000. More recently, the property has been used for livestock grazing, and as a retreat for the Ricks family and their guests.

John Ricks began working with conservation groups as early as 1997 but, despite several attempts, was not able to reach an agreement to protect the property. In a final attempt to preserve the Ranch, John contacted Colorado Open Lands in 2003.

“Dad had been diagnosed with a rare, terminal blood disease, and it was clear to the family that part of his unfinished business was to place a conservation easement on the Ranch, but finding the right partner was a challenge” recalls Lisa Ricks, John’s daughter. “Colorado Open Lands was really willing to take a collaborative approach to the preservation of the ranch and that meant a lot to Dad.

Because of an active coal mining lease in the area, we were only able to preserve a portion of the ranch at this time. Colorado Open Lands was willing to help us work through those and other issues where the efforts of other conservation groups had been unsuccessful.”

The conservation project was moving forward when John was killed in a car accident during the summer of 2004. Rallying behind John’s wishes, however, the family made sure the easement was still completed.

The preservation of the R Bar None Ranch protects scenic views of the Williams Fork Mountains and the Sage Creek Valley from Routt County Road 37, and preserves significant habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, which is a species of special concern for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The Ranch also buffers adjacent public land holdings managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado State Land Board.

Weil – North, Elbert County, 41 acres
Partners: Fore-Weil LLC; Carl Weil
Conservation Values: Carl Weil has been running Wilderness Medicine Outfitters on his 120 acres for 35 years, and in 2005 decided it was time to permanently protect the land he relies upon for his highly successful school. Wilderness Medicine Outfitters is a unique outdoor education facility for wilderness training, wilderness medicine training, conservation education, and other outdoor skills such as identification of medicinal plants.

Because of the ownership structure, the property’s rich biodiversity will be protected in three stages. Each parcel contains a significant component of the Black Forest, a unique habitat where the ponderosa pine woodlands of the mountain front extend for thirty miles onto the plains. Collectively, Weil’s property is a miniature example of the overall ecosystem and landform.

Located one mile south of Highway 86 and the Town of Elizabeth, the land provides a scenic view of the southern horizon as seen from the highway and as such, has significant scenic value.. In addition, the southern branch of the Smokey Hill Trail crosses the property. Originally an old Indian trail, thousands of pioneers traveled this trail between 1859-1865 in search of gold.

2004

Eye of the Heart Wildlife Preserve, Gilpin County, 4 acres
Partners: Steven and Laurel Higgins
Conservation Values: This little jewel is Colorado Open Lands first conservation easement in Gilpin County. Although smaller than most conservation easements, the property contains ponds, wetlands, riparian areas, and forested woodlands that provide critical habitat for several species of wildlife and wild plants. The predominant plant communities include lodgepole pine forests, aspen forests, native grassland meadows, and willow shrublands. Some of the wetlands are fens as they contain organic rich soils, relatively rare in Colorado.

These diverse plant communities provide habitat for a variety of bird species, including turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, broad-tailed hummingbirds, mountain chickadees, Wilson’s warblers, fox sparrows, and red-winged blackbirds. Colorado Creek (also known as Lump Gulch Creek) flows through the property and supports cold-water aquatic life, including trout and native non-game fish species. The threatened greenback cutthroat trout has been introduced on the property. The habitat on the property is significant as it represents habitat for rare, endangered or threatened species such as boreal toads and greenback cutthroat trout.

It should be noted that the owners would like to combine the subject property with an adjacent property to form the private “Eye of the Heart Wildlife Refuge.” The plan is to open the Refuge to education activities for the public in the future. Once this occurs, public education would become a conservation value.

J Cross Ranch, Fremont County, 200 acres
Conservation Values: Colorado Open Lands is pleased to have completed its first conservation easement in Fremont County by permanently protecting the J Cross Ranch near Penrose. The property contains piñon/juniper woodland and grassland habitats that have the potential to provide forage, shelter, and breeding ground for several wildlife species, including elk, mule deer, coyote, Barn & Silo at J Cross Ranch desert cottontail, and dozens of migratory bird species such as the white-crowned sparrow, Say’s Phoebe, and broad-tailed hummingbird. This property also represents habitat for rare, endangered or threatened species such as the bald eagle, ferruginous hawk, mountain plover, swift fox, and northern pocket gopher.

Because a large portion of the property is visible to the general public from Highway 115, it adds to the scenic character of the local rural landscape. The current agricultural use of the Property is compatible with other land use in the vicinity.

Piedra River, Hinsdale County, 167 acres
Conservation Values: The conservation values of the land are relatively natural habitat and open space. The property consists of mixed conifer woodland (dominated by ponderosa pine), small aspen groves, and ungrazed, open-meadow pastureland on the upland ridge between the two rivers. These natural features provide habitat for several wildlife species, including elk, mule deer, black bear, coyote and red fox.

The property adds to the scenic character of the local landscape in which it lies. The San Juan National Forest is adjacent to the land, and the Weminuche Wilderness Area and the Piedra River Wild and Scenic Canyon are in the vicinity. The land is visible from several national forest roads which are open to and actively utilized by residents of Hinsdale County and the State of Colorado.

Preservation of the property will provide an opportunity for the general public to enjoy its open space and wildlife values and prevent the degradation of the scenic and natural character of the surrounding area.

Ranch on Sweetwater III, Garfield County, 17 acres
Partners: Dr. James Bolen
Conservation Values: Dr. James Bolen amended his conservation easement with Colorado Open Lands to add an additional 17 acres. This additional acreage is quite important for several reasons. It is adjacent on the north to BLM land and provides a connection to these federal public lands. It also provides a buffer along its northeast side to the Sheep Creek Upland Potential Conservation Area, an area identified by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program that protects a globally rare imperiled plant.

In addition, the donated land lies directly alongside the county road to Sweetwater Lake providing scenic value, and it also includes significant winter range for elk and mule deer. Finally, County Road 150 is the only vehicular access for public lands on the White River National Forest to the west of the Property, including Sweetwater Lake, Sweetwater Lake Campground, and numerous Forest roads and trails. While it would have been possible to locate a house on this acreage, Dr. Bolen decided to protect the integrity of the scenic views, the buffer to important public lands, and the surrounding wildlife habitat.

Talbott Farms I, Mesa County, 34 acres
Conservation Values: The Talbott property is located a few miles southwest of the Town of Palisade in Mesa County. Situated on the East Orchard Mesa adjacent to the Colorado River, the land is comprised primarily of peach orchards and vineyards, along with irrigated farmland, ponds, wetlands and a drainage ravine. The conservation values of the land are relatively natural habitat and open space. Its natural features provide habitat for several wildlife species, including mule deer, black bear, coyote and red fox.

The property adds to the scenic character of the local landscape in which it lies. The current agricultural use is compatible with other land use in the vicinity, as adjacent properties are also currently used as orchards and vineyards. A large portion of the land is visible to the general public from 34¾ Road and D¾ Road, both of which are actively used by residents of Palisade and Mesa County.

Tapawingo, Lake County, 91 acres
Conservation Values: When Terri Baker and her husband, John, found a lush, long stretch of land in southern Lake County last spring, they knew they had finally found what they were looking for. A long, somewhat narrow stretch of land straddling Lake Creek and running parallel to Highway 82, at the brisk elevation of 10,000 feet, the land offers seclusion, breathtaking views of nearby 14,000 foot peaks, a beautiful creek to ride their horses alongside, and easy access to the nearby town of Leadville. To underscore their love of this land, they adopted the name Tapawingo for it, which they have been told means ‘place of joy’ in Cree Indian.

The property contains wetlands, riparian areas, small meadows, and significant woodlands that provide food, shelter, breeding ground, and migration corridors for numerous wildlife species such as American Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Mule Deer, beaver, common muskrat, coyote, red fox and striped skunk. In addition, several ponds lie in the center of the property and the San Isabel National Forest nearly surrounds the property on its northern and southern boundaries.

The land also has high scenic value because it stretches for nearly a mile and a half along State Highway 82, and an even larger portion is visible from the highway. As with any good story, interesting challenges arose along the way right up till closing, but with a great deal of determination and commitment to forever preserving their place of joy, Terri, John and Colorado Open Lands closed on the easement on December 23rd!

2003

Michigan River Ranch, Jackson County, 2,077 acres
Partners: Bernard Gateau and Dina Bennett, with Marty Zeller of Conservation Partners
Conservation Values: When Bernard Gateau and Dina Bennett found the Michigan River Ranch in the early 1990s, they knew they had found a special, unique place. With the headwaters of the Michigan River flowing through the heart of the ranch, expansive, well-irrigated hay fields, the Rawah Wilderness to the east and the Never Summer Wilderness to the south, they knew it was a real gem.

The only thing missing was a way to permanently protect the ranch, so the couple was brought to COL by Marty Zeller of Conservation Partners, and together, the group designed a conservation easement to protect Bernard and Dina’s first love of the ranch, the abundant wildlife.

A working cattle and hay ranch since the early 1900s, one of the ranch’s unique features is the convergence of three streams that form the headwaters of the Michigan River. These streams provide significant wildlife habitat to moose, elk, migrating cranes, beaver, deer, and many other smaller species of wildlife that thrive on the ranch.

Michigan River Ranch Permanent protection of this wildlife habitat was very important to Gateau and Bennett. With virtually all future development removed through the conservation easement, the wildlife that depend upon the biologically diverse land for food, breeding, and nesting will now always be supported. The ranch’s agricultural values, found in the 800 acres of rich hay meadows, will continue alongside the wildlife habitat, as they have for the last century. Lastly, the ranch’s location along Highway 14 in eastern Jackson County means the outstanding scenic and open space values of the ranch will also be protected.

Ranch on Sweetwater II, Garfield County, 36 acres
Partners: Dr. James Bolen
Conservation Values: Following up on the generous donation of his conservation easement in 2002, Dr. James Bolen felt it important to add another 36 acres to his conservation easement. These additional 36 acres are particularly important because not only do they lie directly alongside the county road to Sweetwater Lake, but they include a stretch of Sweetwater Creek. While it would have been possible – and appealing – to locate a house along the creek, Dr. Bolen decided to protect the integrity of the creek and surrounding habitat instead. Closing on Christmas Eve, this was a most thoughtful gift to Colorado Open Lands!

2002

Ranch on Sweetwater, Garfield County, 161 acres
Partners: Dr. James Bolen
Conservation Values: After owning his ranch for barely eight years, Dr. James Bolen knew it was important to protect this special property he had been lucky to find. Through the law firm of Isaacson Rosenbaum Woods and Levy, Dr. Bolen worked quickly to donate the first of at least two conservation easements on his 400-acre ranch. As the Sweetwater area is seeing an investment and interest in higher-end home development and existing subdivision reconfiguration that would potentially stimulate development of additional housing units, his decision to protect his ranch couldn’t be more timely.

Nestled up against the White River National Forest and the nearby popular Sweetwater Lake, and only two miles south of the Flattops Wilderness, this 161-acre conservation easement protects multiple conservation values. As a highly visible, integral part of the Ranch, this conservation easement lies in an area rich with significant wildlife, including black bears, mountain lion, Horned Lark, Snowy Egret, Sage Grouse, Bald Eagle, Boreal Toad, Lynx, Western Burrowing Owl and the American Peregrine Falcon.

Containing a mix of forested and pasture land, the property is used primarily for agricultural purposes, and now in its permanently undeveloped state, will continue to lend significant scenic value to the public traveling to recreate at Sweetwater Lake. The protection of the Ranch on Sweetwater is further underscored by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program’s identification of two potential conservation areas on either side of the Ranch.

2001

Bootjack Ranch, Mineral and Archuleta Counties, 1,100 acres
Partners: Orchard Edenvale Investors LLC and Koinonia LLC
Conservation Values: Sitting at the base of Wolf Creek Pass, the Bootjack Ranch could easily be regarded as one of the most scenic mountain properties in southwestern Colorado. State Highway 160 bisects the property, which parallels the West Fork of the San Juan River.

Surrounded by the San Juan National Forest, the 1,100acre easement will preserve all of the land on the east side of the highway, which includes a mixed conifer forest that provides valuable habitat for deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion and a variety of other wildlife species. The landowner is developing a spiritual retreat and guest ranch on a portion of the property on the west side of the highway, but intends to preserve the rest of the property as open space.

2000

Claytonia¸ Saquache County, 521 acres
Partners: Jeff and Cindy Dragos
Conservation Values: Remember the line from the old radio show “Our Gal Sunday” that went something like can a girl from a small mining town in Colorado find happiness married to a wealthy and titled Englishman? Today the question is can Jeff and Cindy Dragos find happiness in the old mining town of Claytonia, just up the way from Villa Grove at the head of the San Luis Valley in Saguache County. The answer is clearly yes, especially when Cindy is a history aficionado.

There isn’t much left of Claytonia today but the Dragos’ have refurbished the best structure standing into a wonderful residence and Cindy is delving into the town’s history. The Dragos’ placed a conservation easement on approximately 521 acres of their ranch to preserve the agricultural productivity of the land, its history, and its scenic qualities. When the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) completes its two-year probationary period required under state law this coming spring, COL will transfer the easement to them.

Nelson Property II, Chaffee County, 160 acres

Partners: Conrad Nelson
Conservation Values: Two years ago, artist Conrad Nelson donated a conservation easement on her property in Chaffee County. At the time, Colorado Open Lands asked the question, what will Conrad do for encores? One of the answers was, clearly, to purchase an adjacent 160-acre property and place a conservation easement on it too.

This property possesses, in addition to excellent wildlife habitat, an incredible wetland area that is very important ecologically due to its large size and good condition. Nearby, Uncle Gus (his real name is shrouded in history) built a cabin around the turn of the century which, hopefully, can be remodeled into a livable residence. Kudos to Conrad for extending the protected open space along the flanks of Mount Princeton!

Patterson Ranch, Las Animas County, 19,000 acres
Partners: The Patterson Family, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, Great Outdoors Colorado, and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
Conservation Values: Mesa de Maya, reportedly the largest freestanding plateau in the world, dominates the landscape of eastern Las Animas County and contains a rich collection from Colorado’s past. The Ranch occupies over 19,000 acres of the Mesa including large shallow canyons and vast grasslands overlooking spectacular vistas covering three states.

In addition to the area’s striking landscape, the Ranch offers diverse remnants of southeastern Colorado’s natural and cultural history. The state’s second largest elk herd makes its home on the Mesa, as well as mule deer, bear, coyote, mountain lions and plant species found nowhere else in Colorado.

Several creeks, including the headwaters of Carrizo Creek, flow through the Ranch. Water is a critical component of the Mesa, as it is throughout Colorado, and an adequate supply of water, along with most of the springs on the Ranch, have been adjudicated. The Pattersons and their children have owned the Ranch for over 30 years and feel strongly about preserving agriculture in this part of the state.

Reinhold Property, Chaffee County, 160 acres
Partners: Kathy and Paul Reinhold
Conservation Values: Nestled along the Sawatch Range north of Buena Vista, are 160-acres belonging through the generations to the family of Kathy and Paul Reinhold. Because of the importance of the property to the family, the Reinholds chose to preserve this family retreat with a conservation easement.

Threading through the property, Frenchman Creek supports a narrow but significant riparian area. The uplands located above the creek may very well support two native plant communities of special concern. In this situation, the conservation goals of the family support the needs of these plant communities for special protection. It’s going to be a long term relationship that’s mutually beneficial to the members of the people and plant families.

1999

East Lake Creek I and II, Eagle County, 400 acres (520 total acres preserved)
Conservation Values: Years ago, Colorado Open Lands was fortunate to receive a conservation easement on 120 acres at the head of East Lake Creek in Eagle County. In 1999, the family donated a second easement on an adjacent 400-acre parcel further protecting this incredible valley for wildlife habitat and agricultural production and as a family retreat.

ER Ranch, Routt County, 1,528 acres
Partners: ER Ranch CO, LLC, Alfred and Barbara Fisher
Conservation Values: Spread along the eastern flank of the Flat Top Mountains, ER Ranch ranges in elevation from 9,000 to 9,800 feet. Stands of aspen and Douglas fir are found on the ranch along with open grassy meadows and sagebrush areas. The conservation easement protects valuable riparian corridor lands along Egeria Creek, as well as significant headwaters that feed into Egeria Creek. The attendant wetlands along Egeria Creek provide for substantial biodiversity and an important local flyway for migratory birds.

Additional wildlife value exists on the Ranch thanks to the 15-acre Crossan Reservoir, which provides a year-round water source for wildlife and livestock. The Ranch is considered transitional elk range and may even provide elk calving areas, as well as summer, fall and spring range for mule deer. Finally, the Ranch’s location along Routt County Road 3 means that it offers outstanding scenic value to the general public that travel along the county road.

King Creek Ranch, Routt County, 3,300 acres
Conservation Values: Privacy, limited recreation, and an opportunity to enjoy the natural environment – those were the goals envisioned by the owners of King Creek Ranch. For Colorado Open Lands, the goal was to preserve 3,300 acres of prime elk habitat and significant ranchlands, and the opportunity to work with landowners who cared for the health of the land.

Bisected by the ruggedly spectacular Egeria Canyon, King Creek Ranch harbors a wide variety of natural, scenic, and wildlife resources. Located on the eastern flank of the Flat Tops at the headwaters of Egeria Creek, the Ranch contains five vegetative communities. A day’s ride around the ranch will take you through sage/grasslands, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, aspen, and riparian/wetlands vegetation. The White River elk herd uses much of the ranch for winter range and for calving.

1998

Eagle Meadows Ranch, Eagle County, 1,610 acres
Partners: Landowners and Eagle Valley Land Trust
Conservation Values: Grateful for the gift of 1,610 acres of land in Eagle County, Colorado Open Lands spent close to two years learning about the property’s natural resource values and evaluating what long term strategies would be best for the land. Consistent with the original donation, we worked diligently with the owner of the adjacent ranch and the Eagle County Land Trust to structure a purchase agreement permitting a small number of carefully planned homesites with the balance of the property protected by a conservation easement. The conservation easement will preserve critical elk and deer winter range, as well as other scenic qualities of the property.

Nelson Property I, Chaffee County, 320 acres
Partner:
Conservation Values: After you’ve placed a conservation easement on your farm in Lancaster County Pennsylvania and sold it, what do you do for an encore? For artist Conrad Nelson, you get married, move to Buena Vista, buy a 320-acre parcel on the flanks of Mount Princeton, build a new home, and preserve that land too with a conservation easement.

So now, for the traveling public looking up towards Mount Princeton the scenic grasslands are undisturbed. For the wildlife in the area, particularly the elk, who come down from the adjacent San Isabel National Forest land, additional winter range has been protected.

1997

King Ranch, Eagle County, 160 acres
Partner: Landowner
Conservation Values: Tucked up above the town of Minturn in Eagle County is a small valley with a spectacular view of Battle Mountain just on the other side of the Eagle River. Pushing further up the winding private road, you come to an open meadow with a pond and two cabins.

The owner of both an 80-acre parcel in the lower valley and the 80-acre upper meadow wanted to preserve these parcels in perpetuity, so she donated a conservation easement to Colorado Open Lands. These two parcels have six different vegetative communities between them. Anyone staying in the area is bound to see a lot of wildlife walking past the door.

Zephyr Meadows Ranch, Grand County, 505 acres
Partner: Landowner
Conservation Values: The owner of the 505-acre Zephyr Meadows Ranch have kept open the option that the guests at a nearby Bed & Breakfast might someday use the property. Knowing that the county’s skyrocketing land values might someday overwhelm future landowners, the landowner established a conservation easement that permits the property to be used for non-motorized, recreational uses with the owner’s permission. In the meantime, the guests will always be assured that the view in this quiet valley will be preserved.

1996

Beaver Creek, Eagle County, 1,500 acres
Conservation Values: This conservation easement was the first of its kind in the country. Donated by Vail Associates to Colorado Open Lands in the spring of 1996, this 1,500-acre open space in Beaver Creek preserves a variety of uses, including a golf course and ski-ways, while also preserving elk habitat. Designed to forever protect this valuable open space in the midst of a highly developed area, the conservation easement specifically allows only those uses permitted under the Planned Unit Development approved by the Eagle County Commissioners in 1995.

Captain’s Rock Ranch, Clear Creek County, 548 acres
Partners: Brent and Ann Redstone; American Farmland Trust
Conservation Values: When Evans Ranch (of which Captain’s Rock is a part) was threatened in 1982 with development but no public funds were available to acquire the property, Colorado Open Lands purchased Evans Ranch with the assistance of the Gates Family Foundation. Directing efforts to preserve the 3,200-acre ranch, Colorado Open lands initiated a process of site analysis, land management evaluation and wildlife survey resulting in what is now known as a “protective development.” Ultimately, the plan retired 1,100 residential home lots and created five permanently protected ranches, all collectively managed for both agriculture and wildlife (see write-up on Evans Ranch in 1985).

Bounded on the west side by National Forest land and on the other three sides by conservation easements, Captain’s Rock Ranch was the last remaining puzzle piece in the Evans Ranch conservation project, an effort begun more than 10 years earlier in partnership with the American Farmland Trust. Captain’s Rock Ranch ranges in elevation from 8,200 – 9,200 feet and will now permanently protect beautiful vistas, lush mountain meadows surrounded by ponderosa pine stands and excellent elk habitat. The publicly-owned lands to the west of the ranch, along with the adjacent conservation easement lands, now benefit from the protection of wildlife habitat on Captain’s Rock Ranch, thus ensuring the viability of the larger environment.

Ladder Canyon Ranch, Mesa County, 1,600 acres
Partner: John Moss
Conservation Values: The 1993 Colorado Wildlife Landowner of the Year, John Moss, donated two conservation easements on 1,600 acres of his Ladder Canyon Ranch, one in 1995 and the other in 1996. The ranch, located on Piñon Mesa near the Colorado National Monument, is a dramatic feature on Colorado’s western slope.

The ranch is a haven for wildlife, a paradise for hunters, and a valuable resource for school children, thanks to Moss’ extensive work with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to enhance the wildlife habitat on the ranch. His improvements increased winter forage for deer and elk and provided water for cottontail rabbits, blue grouse, waterfowl and numerous non-game species. Mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, ring-tailed cat, golden eagle, northern harrier, red-tailed hawk, wild turkey and numerous other species call Ladder Canyon Ranch home.

Love Meadows, Chaffee County, 9 acres
Conservation Values: The 9-acre Love Meadows is located in the central Rockies. The Colorado Division of Wildlife had long dreamed of purchasing this lovely ranch with its abundant wildlife, particularly mountain goats and bighorn sheep.

In 1996, Ladd Wuthrich donated seven acres of the meadow to the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation (CWHF). The CWHF, with the assistance of several individuals and Great Outdoors Colorado, purchased the remaining two acres. A wildlife viewing and observation facility was constructed on the property on Chaffee County Road 162 in the summer of 1997. Colorado Open Lands held the easement until it could be transferred to the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Tagerts Lake, Pitkin County, 35 acres
Partners: Lee Lacy, Jon and Sharon Mulford
Conservation Values: Kudos to Jon and Sharon Mulford of the Wilderness Land Trust for their work with landowner Lee Lacy to preserve 35 spectacular acres along Independence Pass on Colorado Highway 82 with a conservation easement. Independence Pass is known for its incredible beauty. This easement reduces the development potential on a property surrounded by a National Forest that includes a designated wilderness area. After a great deal of work, the Wilderness Land Trust passed the easement to Colorado Open Lands. We were pleased to assist our fellow land trust and to help achieve Lee Lacy’s preservation goal.

1995

Centennial Ranch, Ouray County,
Partners: Vince Kontny and the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
Conservation Values: Vince Kontny wanted to preserve his Centennial Ranch near Ridgway for many reasons. He wanted to respect and maintain the ranch’s history and preserve it as a working cattle ranch. He wanted to have a personal hideaway on his property, next to the Uncompaghre River. He wanted to give the new Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust its first easement.

Working with our staff and board, the donation of this easement was used as a means to educate a wider audience about the benefits of conservation easements. An article on the Centennial Ranch conservation easement written by Tom Compton, President of CCALT, was run in a number of rural newspapers across the state with a combined circulation of over 700,000.

In June 1997, COL officially transferred the Centennial Ranch conservation easement to the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. Colorado Open Lands had agreed to hold the easement until CCALT was officially two years old, as is required by Colorado law.

Lazy H/11 Ranch, Garfield County, 209 acres
Partners: Dr. Carter and Louise Jackson
Conservation Values: Every time you drive the Roaring Fork Valley between Glenwood Springs and Aspen, you can say thanks to Dr. Carter and Louise Jackson for preserving a special piece of that valley’s spectacular beauty. By donating a conservation easement on this 209-acre prime development land, the Jacksons have created a southern open space buffer for the people of Glenwood and have preserved forever the scenic beauty of this valley for residents and visitors alike.

The Jacksons’ four daughters concurred in their parent’s decision. Sandy Jackson, the youngest of the four who lives in Leadville said: “We had discussed at one point what would happen if the ranch ever went. We all decided that we would never come to Glenwood again, because that’s home. That chunk of land is home.” On behalf of everyone who loves the Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado Open Lands extends a big “thank you” to the Jacksons for their significant generosity.

1993

Trapper's Run, Eagle County, 189 acres
Conservation Values: Colorado Open Lands facilitated a successful land transfer from a private land developer to the Town of Vail. The property was the last remaining, undeveloped parcel of land within the town limits. It is located on a steeply wooded hillside and was zoned for 38 residential home lots. Lengthy negotiations resulted in securing the 189 acres for public open space. A trail head has been constructed on the site, the beginning of a twelve mile trail.

1986

Johnhill Ranch, Clear Creek County, 42 acres
Partners: Barbara Hartley
Conservation Values: In January 1986, Colorado Open Lands received a conservation easement on the Johnhill Ranch by assignment from the Trust for Public Land which had originally taken the easement in 1982.

This ranch is just east of the Evans Ranch and contains beautiful pasturelands bisected by Bear Creek, with views towards Mt. Evans. Colorado Open Lands wishes to express its gratitude to the Hartleys who have been generous and consistent supporters of our organization.

1985

Evans Ranch, Clear Creek County, 2,652 acres
Partners: American Farmland Trust, Gates Family Foundation
Conservation Values: Colorado Open Lands directed the efforts to preserve the 3,200-acre Evans Ranch that was assembled in the 1860's by John Evans, second territorial governor of Colorado.

In 1982 the ranch was threatened with development and no public funds were available for acquisition. Colorado Open Lands, with the assistance of the Gates Family Foundation, acquired the ranch.

A thorough process of site analysis, land management evaluation and wildlife survey resulted in what is now known as a “protective development.” The plan retired 1,100 residential home lots and created five permanently protected ranches, all collectively managed for both agriculture and wildlife.

The publicly-owned lands that surround the ranch have benefited from the protection of wildlife habitat on the ranch, thus ensuring the viability of the land and quality of the experience for the citizens of Colorado, all at no public expense.

1984

Pineries Ranch, El Paso County, 1,100 acres
Conservation Values: At the request of the owners of the Pineries Ranch, Colorado Open Lands worked with Denton, Harper, Marshall, a landscape architecture firm, in the development of a preservation program for the 5,500-acre property. This ranch was, in 1986, the largest remaining ranch in the Black Forest area 20 miles northeast of Colorado Springs.

As a result of Colorado Open Lands’ efforts, divergent objectives among the owners were reconciled in the adoption of a preservation master plan, and a conservation easement was granted on a portion of the ranch. The easement was granted to the Palmer Foundation, a Colorado Springs land conservation organization.