Area projects receive total of $132,930 in GOCO funding

The Daily Sentinel, December 11, 2021—Trail-building, watershed restoration and riverside improvements will occur locally thanks to a combined $132,930 in conservation service corps grants awarded to four projects in Mesa County.

The Great Outdoors Colorado board approved the grants Thursday, as part of more than $6 million in new funding to support 38 projects across the state focused on things such as land acquisition and stewardship, planning efforts and community access to the outdoors and planning efforts. The money comes from ...

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County cuts Christmas tree for a good cause

The Daily Sentinel, December 7, 2021—A collaborative effort between landowners and partnering agencies has given many the opportunity to cut a Christmas tree on private land in the Glade Park Area.

On Dec. 2, Mesa County cut its Christmas tree from the conserved Ladder Canyon Ranch. The county’s tree-cutting event was part of a larger, multi-year effort by Colorado West Land Trust and the owners of Ladder Canyon Ranch to reduce wildfire risk, improve wildlife habitat, connect kids to nature, and ...

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Monument Stewards volunteers support native vegetation along connector trail

The Daily Sentinel, September 9, 2021—When the Monument Connector Trail was completed in early 2020, there were plans to support the paved path from the riverfront to the Lunch Loops Trailhead with a group of volunteers. Then COVID-19 hit.

Libby Collins, Western Colorado Land Trust [sic] project manager, said at first they had to shut down volunteer programs, but the Monument Stewards, the group’s name, were able to figure out a way to get the plans back on track.

“The pandemic hit, ...

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Colorado West Land Trust receives GOCO grant

The Daily Sentinel, March 17, 2021–Colorado West Land Trust was the beneficiary of a large grant from Great Outdoors Colorado on Tuesday.

The GOCO board awarded a $133,700 grant to the land trust to support added staff capacity as the community and organization responds to the pandemic.

A recent merger expanded CWLT’s service area to six counties, including Delta, Gunnison, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel, which required more staff to adequately support the area’s public and private conserved lands.

This grant is ...

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Colorado West Land Trust announces conservation of 1,200 acre ranch

The Daily Sentinel, January 26, 2021–Meek Ranch, which covers more than 1,200 acres along the West Elk Scenic and Historic Byway, has been conserved by the Colorado West Land Trust, it announced Monday.

The ranch is located on the western slope of the West Elk mountain range and includes pasture land for cattle, as well as mountain shrublands and woodland and more than two miles of riparian habitat.

This conservation will ensure the large open spaces, ranchland and habitat will never be ...

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Colorado West Land Trust, a pioneer in land conservation, turns 40

Photo by CHRISTOPHER TOMLINSON/The Daily Sentinel

Article by DAN WEST Dan.West@gjsentinel.com

The Daily Sentinel, December 30, 2020–Coming into the Grand Valley from the east, your first view is of acres and acres of orchards and vineyards spreading out to the west. It’s a familiar sight to residents and a taste of what this area has to offer to visitors.

One of the first ...

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40 Stories in 40 Weeks: 2002 Annual Report, Letter from the Executive Director

What is your vision for our community twenty years from now?

At the Mesa Land Trust, our vision is really quite simple. Look around the community today. Notice the wildlife habitat along the Colorado River, the orchards & vineyards in the East Valley, the irrigated farmland north and west of Grand Junction.

See the landscape of working ranches and large blocks of habitat in Glade Park, Unaweep Canyon, or in Plateau Valley. Appreciate the undeveloped lands that separate the Grand Valley’s municipalities. ...

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40 Stories in 40 Weeks: Land Trust transfers Jurassic Flats open space to city

Sept. 10th Daily Sentinel, by Dan West

The 16-acre parcel of conserved open space called Jurassic Flats on the Redlands was officially transferred from the Colorado West Land Trust to the city of Grand Junction last week.

The parcel at the northwest corner of Monument and South Camp roads is used informally by hikers and was purchased by the Colorado West Land Trust last year. Last fall, the city signed a lease agreement for the parcel.

“Our parks and recreation system has many ...

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40 Stories in 40 Weeks: Looking Ahead, Three Sisters Park Acquisition (2011)

The Land Trust is excited to be working on a new kind of conservation project for the organization – Buying a property that will ultimately become a public park.

The 130 acre Three Sisters property offers a rare opportunity to acquire a strategic parcel that will improve access to an extremely popular non-motorized trail system, protect a scenic corridor leading to the Colorado National Monument, and provide recreational and environmental education opportunities

Bordered by BLM and City of Grand Junction land, Three ...

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40 Stories in 40 Weeks: Mesa Land Trust Earns National Recognition

GRAND JUNCTION, CO–Mesa Land Trust will publicly announce its recent accreditation award at a press event on Tuesday April 7, 2009 at 12:30 pm. The media is invited to attend for news coverage and photos.

In becoming accredited, Mesa Land Trust joins the ranks of just 53 other conservation trusts nationwide that have attained this honor. Awarded by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., accreditation is limited to groups that meet national standards for excellence, uphold the ...

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