Colorado Open Lands
Wet Mountain Open Space CCA Projects
3R Ranch II
3R Ranch III
Allee Ranch
Allee Ranch II
Bennett Ranch
Bennett Ranch II
Canyon Ridge
Christenson
Christenson II
Christenson III
Christenson IV
Christenson V
Dasher Ranch
Dasher Ranch II
Hidden Springs Ranch
Laughlin Ranch
Medill Farm
Owl Canyon Ranch
Owl Canyon Ranch II
Owl Canyon Ranch III
Owl Canyon Ranch IV
Owl Canyon Ranch V
Roper Ranch
Roper Ranch II
Pigg Land & Cattle Ranch I
Pigg Land & Cattle Ranch II
San Carlos Ranch I
San Carlos Ranch II
San Carlos Ranch III
San Carlos Ranch IV
Triangle C Ranch
Williams Property
2009
Laughlin Ranch II , Pueblo County, 578 acres
Partners: Thomas Laughlin
Conservation Values: Thomas Laughlin’s family moved into the area west of Pueblo in the 1880s to homestead a cattle ranch. With its native prairie lands and woodlands, the ranch provides scenic open views of the Wet Mountains and serves as valuable habitat for numerous species. Additionally, it provides a critical buffer for the St. Charles River, which has been identified as a critical conservation priority. Thomas is happy that his conservation easement will allow him to pass the ranch on to his son intact. According to Thomas, he “didn’t want a big outfit coming in and buying it up like they did next door. I wanted to keep this for my grandkids.”
Owl Canyon Ranch V , Pueblo County, 225 acres
Partners: Charles Hanson
Conservation Values: Owl Canyon Ranch V protects the northwestern portion of the entire ranch and is visible from nearby San Isabel National Forest. The ranch is densely covered with pinion juniper and provides key habitat for a wide range of species due to its location at the intersection of the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Central Shortgrass Prairie ecosystem types. In addition to providing wildlife migration corridors and habitat, the property supports an agricultural operation and buffers other protected lands owned by Hanson.
2008
Canyon Ridge, Pueblo County, 40 acres
Partners: Linda Roper
Conservation Values: This magnificent property includes a portion of the North St. Charles River Canyon and provides outstanding views of the Wet Mountains located immediately to the west. The canyon and uplands provide excellent habitat for a variety of species including wild turkey and black bear as well as mule deer, elk and pronghorn antelope. A great blue heron rookery exists in the canyon bottom, along with a small beaver pond. The walls of the canyon are roost and hibernacula sites for bats, and nest sites for golden eagles and prairie falcons.
The property is adjacent to a 280-acre ranch which is also protected with a conservation easement held by Colorado Open Lands, thereby extending and buffering existing protected land. The Canyon Ridge property is managed in conjunction with the adjacent protected property as part of a cattle grazing operation. Protection of this property will serve as a buffer against a new 514-acre subdivision to the north and will ensure that this special place will remain intact.
Christenson Ranch V, Pueblo County, 217 acres (1,377 total acres protected)
Partners: Roy and Shannon Christenson
Conservation Values: Another spectacular addition to the protected acres of Christenson Ranch, this year’s phase protects open meadows, pinyon juniper forest and a small spring in the eastern foothills of the Wet Mountain Range. The property’s elevation spans from 7,300’-7,620’ and provides seasonal habitat for elk, deer, black bear, and wild turkey, among other species.
The total protected area now amounts to 1,377 acres of wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, and working ranch lands in this pristine corner of southeast Colorado.
Laughlin Ranch, Pueblo County, 780 acres
Partners: Tom Laughlin
Conservation Values: The Laughlin Ranch is used for ranching and crop production and has been in the same family since it was homesteaded in the late 1880s. Bordered on one side by the St. Charles River, the Ranch serves as winter range for elk, year-round range for pronghorn, and winter range for mule deer. Permanent protection of the Ranch now ensures the land’s ecological viability.
Situated in a grassland basin edged by juniper woodlands, protection of this beautiful ranch adds significantly to the scenic character of the local rural landscape. All of the Laughlin Ranch is visually accessible to the general public from Waterbarrel Road (County Road 221), which runs through the Property for approximately five miles.
Medill Farm, Pueblo County, 156 acres
Partners: Larry and Melissa Medill
Conservation Values: The Medill Farm is located on the southern edge of Rye and serves as a buffer to this growing community. The farm embodies the rural character of the area and will continue to be an active agricultural property, currently used for hay production and cattle grazing. The property contains Medill Hill, a notable local land feature visible to the public from Rye, Highway 165 and various local roads.
Not only are the Hill and surrounding meadow, riparian area, and hayfields quite scenic, they also provide a refuge for local wildlife populations, including black bears and swift fox. The property also offers severe winter range and concentration areas for mule deer and supplies winter range for elk.
Owl Canyon Ranch IV, Pueblo County, 240 acres (900 total acres protected)
Partners: Charles Hanson
Conservation Values: Owl Canyon IV protects the southeast side of the hogback that distinguishes the area for miles around. The property provides key habitat for a wide range of species due to its location at the intersection of the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Central Shortgrass Prairie ecosystem types.
In addition to providing migration corridors and habitat, the property supports an agricultural operation and buffers other protected lands owned by Hanson, adjacent to San Isabel National Forest.
2007
Dasher Ranch II, Pueblo County, 540 acres
Partners: David Dasher; WMOSC
Conservation Values: David Dasher wants to ensure his historic homestead ranch remains forever open and available for agricultural use. The last conservation easement phase on his ranch complements and bolsters the 300 acres already protected and the significant wildlife habitat and scenic features of the first phase. Among other wildlife, the ranch provides important winter range for wild turkey, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and elk, as well as overall range for black bear. This year’s phase protects the mesa and associated bottomland that rise toward San Isabel National Forest.
Owl Canyon Ranch III, Pueblo County, 220 acres
Partners: Charles Hanson
Conservation Values: This is the third conservation easement on Owl Canyon Ranch. The additional 220 acres protects land adjacent to San Isabel National Forest, wildlife habitat and sweeping views of the hogback of land in the foreground of the Wet Mountains. The Ranch abuts two properties already under protection and is significant because it includes habitat for rare, endangered or threatened avian species. Two of these species, the bald eagle and Mexican spotted owl, have been documented to nest just south of the Ranch.
2006
3R Ranch III, Pueblo County, 440 acres (1,960 total acres preserved)
Partners: Reeves and Betsy Brown, Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition; with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado and the Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program
Conservation Values: This is the third conservation easement the Browns have donated to Colorado Open Lands, and adds significant acreage to that already protected. Located along the east slope of the Wet Mountains, the 3R Ranch possesses significant agricultural lands used for crop production and cattle grazing. In particular, this portion of the Ranch includes irrigated, agricultural lands that have been designated as Prime Farmland and Farmland of Statewide Importance by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
In addition to the Ranch’s agricultural value, a large portion of it is visually accessible to the general public from the 3R Road, which is open to and actively utilized by residents of Pueblo County and the State of Colorado. The Town of Beulah lies just 2 miles west and the City of Pueblo lies just 20 miles east of the Property.
With a foreseeable trend of intense development in the vicinity of the 3R Ranch in the near future, protecting this significant property is a critical part of maintaining the region’s quality of life along with its agricultural and rural character. The long-term goal of the Browns is to maintain the agricultural viability of their ranch by eventually preserving the entire 10,000 acres through a series of conservation easements.
Allee Ranch II, Pueblo County, 300 acres (750 total acres protected)
Partners: Dale & Ila Allee; WMOSC
Conservation Values: The second phase of conservation easement on Allee Ranch adds to the already protected 400 acres and the significant wildlife habitat and scenic features of the first phase. Allee Ranch is prominently visible from State Highway 78 from Pueblo to Beulah. The land rises up in a hogback formation visible against the backdrop of San Isabel National Forest. This year’s phase protects another half mile of Wales Canyon—a spectacular canyon with habitat for a substantial variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles. The Allees continue to ranch their land and support the stewardship of the significant resource they own.
Bennett Ranch II, Pueblo County, 160 acres (320 total acres protected)
Partners: Thomas Bennett
Conservation Values: The second and final phase of Bennett Ranch protects additional canyon and mesa lands. The landscape east of the Wet Mountains is a mosaic of gently sloping grass and shrublands interspersed with deep narrow canyons. The Bennett Ranch includes a high plateau with summer grazing grounds for the Bennett’s cattle operation and a section of the North St. Charles River lying far below in the canyon bottom.
The canyon supports a wide variety of birds and mammals that utilize the river and the habitat provided by the steep canyon walls to create unique micro ecosystems. The combination of the uplands and canyon provide habitat for a heron breeding area or “heronry” as well as bat caves and winter and summer range for elk and deer.
With geologic striations and pines reaching up from the canyon bottom, the view from the canyon rim is breathtaking.
Christenson Ranch IV, Pueblo County, 240 acres, (1,160 total acres protected)
Partners: Roy & Shannon Christenson
Conservation Values: The Christenson Family continues to add to their protected land with another conservation easement. Used for seasonal livestock grazing, the Christenson property provides important habitat for wildlife as well as a scenic landscape visible from public roads.
In addition, the ranch is located in close proximity to several other conservation easements, creating a large expanse of protected properties, which collectively strengthen and buffer each other. Of special interest is Gleason Canyon, a portion of which is located on the Christenson property.
Dasher Ranch, Pueblo County, 300 acres
Partners: David Dasher
Conservation Values: Dasher Ranch has been in David’s family since it was homesteaded in the early 1900s. The easement protects 300 acres of scenic views, wildlife habitat, and native prairie. The property has stunning views of the east slope of the Wet Mountains and San Isabel National Forest and provides important winter range for wild turkey, pronghorn, mule deer and elk, as well as overall range for black bear.
Hidden Springs Ranch, Pueblo County, 116 acres
Partners: Joel & Christina Ohlsen
Conservation Values: Sitting at the foot of San Isabel National Forest, Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness area and the Wet Mountains is Hidden Springs Ranch. The property supports four natural plant communities, aquatic habitat, migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians and game species such as mule deer, elk, black bear and mountain lion. A stretch of Muddy Creek runs through the property in a picturesque canyon with a steep rocky rim. Forest and meadow are interspersed with oak thickets and wet areas supported by hidden springs, the Ranch’s namesake.
Owl Canyon Ranch II, Pueblo County, 160 acres (320 total acres protected)
Partners: Charles Hanson
Conservation Values: This is the second conservation easement on Owl Canyon Ranch. The additional 160 acres protects land adjacent to San Isabel National Forest, wildlife habitat and sweeping views of the hogback of land in the foreground of the Wet Mountains. The Ranch abuts two properties already under protection and is significant as it represents habitat for rare, endangered or threatened species such as bald eagles and Mexican spotted owls, which have been documented just south of the Property.
Roper Ranch II, Pueblo County, 140 acres, (280 total acres protected)
Partners: Roper Ranch, LLC
Conservation Values: The Roper Ranch has been in the family since the original homesteaders settled the property in the 1890s. This year’s phase protects spectacular canyon and mesa land. This scenic property, located between the Turtle Buttes on the north and the North St. Charles River canyon on the south, rises up towards the eastern slope of the Wet Mountains. In addition to its scenic qualities, the Ranch supports a heronry, bat hibernacula, winter range for elk and deer and aquatic habitat that draws migratory birds.
The Roper Ranch sits opposite the Bennett Ranch, whose owner also completed a conservation easement in 2006; together the two families have protected the entire North St. Charles River canyon bottom within their ownerships.
San Carlos Ranch IV, Pueblo County, 700 acres (2,860 total acres protected)
Partners: Louis and Peggy Fass
Conservation Values: Louis & Peggy Fass completed the protection of their entire San Carlos Ranch with a donated conservation easement this year. The property has excellent open space, agricultural, scenic, and wildlife values and is contiguous to two other protected properties along the St. Charles River Corridor. Louis and Peggy have become strong advocates for land conservation in the Wet Mountain Open Space Area and we look forward to continuing our work in this area with their help.
According to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program Environmental Review, the San Carlos Ranch is potential habitat to rare and endangered species such as the Round-Leaf Four O’clock, Eaton’s Lip Fern, bald eagles and piping plover. The Fass family continues to run a cattle operation on their land, utilizing neighboring protected properties to augment their grazing range.
Williams Property, Pueblo, 195 acres
Partners: Susan and Rick Williams
Conservation Values: The Williams property is located in an important transition zone between the Central Shortgrass Prairie and the Southern Rocky Mountains. As such, the habitat of the property is important for summer, fall, and winter ranges for elk, bear, mountain lion, wild turkey and the Mexican spotted owl, among many other species. Protection of this property continues the conservation work started by 3R Ranch, just a half mile from the Williams Property and also abuts public land.
2005
Allee Ranch, Pueblo County, 400 acres
Partners: Dale & Ila Allee; WMOSC
Conservation Values: The Allee Ranch features prominently in the landscape visible from State Highway 78 on the drive west towards Beulah, Colorado. The land rises up in a hogback formation visible against the backdrop of San Isabel National Forest. The conservation easement protects the head of Wales Canyon—a spectacular canyon with habitat for a substantial variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles.
Dale Allee and his family run a cattle operation using the upland 1,500 acres as summer pasture and a lower parcel further east as winter range. Their property is bordered north and south by protected land and significantly adds to the growing list of protected property east of the Wet Mountains.
Bennett Ranch, Pueblo County, 160 acres
Partners: Thomas Bennett
Conservation Values: The landscape east of the Wet Mountains is a mosaic of gently sloping grass and shrublands interspersed with deep narrow canyons. The Bennett Ranch includes a high plateau with summer grazing grounds for the Bennett’s active cattle operation and a section of the North St. Charles River lying far below in the canyon bottom.
The canyon supports a wide variety of birds and mammals that utilize the river and the habitat provided by the steep canyon walls to create unique micro ecosystems. The combination of the uplands and canyon provide habitat for a heron breeding area or “heronry” as well as bat caves and winter and summer range for elk and deer.
The view of the canyon from the rim is breathtaking with the geologic striations of the rocks and the pines reaching up from the canyon bottom. This year’s easement is the first phase of two that will protect Bennett’s entire ownership along the river canyon.
Christenson III, Pueblo County, 320 acres (920 acres total preserved)
Partners: Roy & Shannon Christenson, WMOSC
Conservation Values: The Christenson Family continues to add to their protected land with another conservation easement, bringing the total acreage conserved to 920 acres. Used for seasonal livestock grazing, the Christenson property provides important habitat for wildlife as well as a scenic landscape visible from public roads.
In addition, the property is located in close proximity to several other conservation easements, creating a large expanse of protected properties, which collectively strengthen and buffer each other. Of special interest is Gleason Canyon, a portion of which is located on the Christenson property.
Owl Canyon Ranch, Pueblo County, 280 acres
Partners: Charles Hanson; WMOSC
Conservation Values: This is the first conservation easement phase on the Owl Canyon Ranch that protects a rising hogback of land highly visible from State Highway 78. The Ranch abuts two properties already under protection, adding a significant portion of Wales Canyon to the protected landscape of the eastern slopes of the Wet Mountains.
The owner has developed a relationship with a local environmental education organization that brings school aged children to the Ranch for outdoor activities and for hands-on learning. The land provides habitat for mammals and birds as well as winter habitat for elk and deer. The owner also runs a cattle operation and grazes his cattle during the summer months.
Roper Ranch, Pueblo County, 140 acres
Partners: Roper Ranch, LLC; WMOSC
Conservation Values: The Roper Ranch has been in the family since the original homesteaders settled on the property in the late 1890s. The Ropers run a cattle operation using the upland portion of their ranch for summer grazing grounds.
This scenic property, located between the Turtle Buttes on the north and the North St. Charles River canyon on the south, rises up the eastern slope of the Wet Mountains.
The Roper Ranch sits opposite the Bennett Ranch, whose owner also completed a conservation easement phase in 2005; together the two families will protect the entire North St. Charles River canyon bottom. The canyon supports a heronry, bat hibernacula, winter range for elk and deer and aquatic habitat that draws migratory birds.
San Carlos Ranch III, Pueblo County, 700 acres
Partners: Louis & Peggy Fass, WMOSC
Conservation Values: Louis & Peggy Fass continue to add to their protected land with another conservation easement, bringing the total acreage conserved to 2,160 acres. The property has excellent open space, agricultural, scenic, and wildlife values.
According to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program Environmental Review, the property is potential habitat to rare and endangered species such as the Round-Leaf Four O’clock, Eaton’s Lip Fern, bald eagles and piping plover. The Fass family continues to run a cattle operation on their land utilizing neighboring protected properties to augment their grazing range.
2004
Christenson II, Pueblo County, 280 acres (600 total acres preserved)
Partners: The Christenson Family
Conservation Values:The initial easement, done in 2003, includes portions of Gleason Canyon. Used for seasonal grazing for livestock, the property also provides important habitat for local populations of mule deer, elk, black bear, coyote, fox, mountain lion and other species of wildlife. In addition, it is located in close proximity to several other conservation easements in the vicinity, creating a large expanse of protected properties, which collectively strengthen each other.
Pigg Land & Cattle Ranch II, Pueblo County, 480 acres (640 total acres preserved)
Partners: The Pigg family, the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition, with financial support from Great Outdoors Colorado and the Natural Resources Conservation Services
Conservation Values: Protection of the Pigg Ranch means that its excellent open space, agricultural, scenic, and wildlife values are permanently protected, and future landowners can continue using the ranch for seasonal livestock grazing. Protection of the ranch also means that the local populations of deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, coyote, fox, turkey, golden and bald eagles, and numerous other species of wildlife can remain in the area.
Furthermore, the property can be seen by the public from Burnt Mill Road and provides outstanding views of the Wet Mountains located immediately to the West. Last but not least, rare and/or imperiled wildlife and plant species also exist on the property.
San Carlos Ranch II, Pueblo County, 1,040 acres (1,460 total acres preserved)
Partners: The Fass family, the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition, with financial support from Great Outdoors Colorado and the Natural Resources Conservation Services
Conservation Values: Very similar to the adjacent Pigg Ranch, Louis and Peggy Fass’ ranch has excellent open space, agricultural, scenic, and wildlife values. Their ranch also contains similar habitat, views, and agricultural characteristics as the adjacent Pigg Ranch.
The protection of the San Carlos Ranch makes a significant and exciting contribution towards permanently preserving the agricultural heritage of Pueblo County. The San Carlos Ranch is located in close proximity to other protected properties, including the Pigg Ranch. Protection of the San Carlos Ranch further ensures that a large expanse of viable agricultural land is protected, providing for greater wildlife movement along contiguous corridors and increasing the open space and scenic values of the area.
2003
3R Ranch II, Pueblo County, 440 acres
Partners: Great Outdoors Colorado, the Brown Family, and the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition
Conservation Values: This is the second easement on the 3R Ranch; the first encompasses 1,040 acres directly adjacent to this easement. The property has excellent wildlife, open space, scenic, and agricultural values and protects approximately one mile of the St. Charles River corridor. The ranch also contains similar habitat, views, and wildlife species as on the Pigg and San Carlos Ranches.
Colorado Open Lands is honored to have a strong relationship with the Browns. Their strong influence in the community has led to greater interest in conservation easements and resulted in several families contacting Colorado Open Lands to protect their properties. Much of the momentum and success of the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition project is the result of the Browns commitment to land conservation. Colorado Open Lands is fortunate to have such strong supporters and spokespeople in the area.
Christenson, Pueblo County, 320 acres
Partners: Landowners Roy and Shannon Christensen
Conservation Values: Used for seasonal grazing for livestock, the Christenson property also provides important habitat for local populations of mule deer, elk, black bear, coyote, fox, mountain lion and other species of wildlife. In addition, the property is located in close proximity to several other conservation easements in the vicinity, creating a large expanse of protected properties, which collectively strengthen each other.
Pigg Land & Cattle Ranch I, Pueblo County, 280 acres
Partners: Donated by the Pigg family working through Colorado Open Lands and the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition (WMOSC) Grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)
Conservation Values: Protection of the Pigg Ranch means that its excellent open space, agricultural, scenic, and wildlife values are permanently protected, and future landowners can continue using the ranch for seasonal livestock grazing. Protection of the ranch also means that the local populations of deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, coyote, fox, turkey, golden and bald eagles, and numerous other species of wildlife can remain in the area.
Furthermore, the property can be seen by the public from Burnt Mill Road and provides outstanding views of the Wet Mountains located immediately to the West. Last but not least, rare and/or imperiled wildlife and plant species also exist on the property.
San Carlos Ranch I, Pueblo County, 420 acres
Partners: Donated easement by the Fass family working with Colorado Open Lands through the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition grant from Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: Very similar to the adjacent Pigg Ranch, Louis and Betty Fass’ property has excellent open space, agricultural, scenic, and wildlife values. The Ranch also contains similar habitat, views, and agricultural characteristics as the adjacent Pigg Ranch.
2001
3R Ranch, Pueblo County, 1,080 acres
Partners: Colorado Open Lands, Reeves and Betsy Brown, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado, and the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service Farmland Protection Program
Conservation Values: Concerned about growing development pressures and the loss of agricultural land in western Pueblo County, 3R Ranch landowners, Reeves and Betsy Brown, brought together a group of landowners in early 1999 to meet with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust to discuss options for preserving their lands along the east slope of the Wet Mountains.
CCALT, in turn, solicited the support of Colorado Open Lands to begin strengthening the group and to explore the potential for developing a large land protection project. With Colorado Open Lands’ assistance, this group of landowners organized themselves into the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition and, in 2000, mounted a multi-year land protection that would involve donations and purchases of conservation easements.
Grants from the funders listed above enabled Colorado Open Lands to purchase the first of what may be several conservation easements on the 10,000-acre ranch. This first easement will permanently protect the north end of the ranch, including approximately two miles of the St. Charles River canyon and stream corridor, as well as over 500 acres of prime, irrigated land.
This conservation easement prohibits any subdivision, while permitting agriculture and other forms of land/natural resource use that are considered compatible with the protection of the wildlife, scenic and open space values of the land. The long-term goal of the Browns is to maintain the agricultural viability of the ranch by eventually preserving the entire 10,000 acres through a series of conservation easements.
1999
Triangle C Ranch, Pueblo County, 340 Acres
Partners: Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition, Ron Cutler, Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: Ron’s extremely generous sale to Colorado Open Lands permanently protects the land and significant water rights from development while allowing his cutting-horse breeding operation and hay operations to continue. Colorado Open Lands purchased the easement with a small grant from GOCO. Ron’s generosity and leadership will surely provide added momentum to an already active community conservation program.
Colorado Open Lands was asked by the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust to help develop solutions to land protection challenges faced by local landowners around Beulah and Rye. Together COL and CCALT have helped the group, now named the Wet Mountain Open Space Coalition, develop a funding strategy for purchasing conservation easements and have assisted landowners in refining personal land conservation goals. The 1999 WMOSC highlight is Ron Cutler’s generous bargain sale of a conservation easement on the Triangle C Ranch.