Enhancing Access and Experiences along the Gunnison River

This week, the Colorado West Land Trust, Delta County, and the Western Slope Conservation Center led a group to tour the site of a new project they are partnering on to provide a new boat ramp, supporting infrastructure, shoreline access, and a wildlife habitat area on a conserved property along the Gunnison River.

These three groups recognized the potential beneath the vacant, unmaintained parcel ...

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Wildfire Resilience and Stewardship across the Landscape: Working with Private Landowners

Colorado has recently felt the increasing effects of devastating wildfires. Federal and state agencies have been working hard to prevent the risk of catastrophic wildfires on public lands, but 60% of Colorado’s land is privately owned. Wildfire isn’t contained by property lines and landowners in Log Hill Mesa set out to reduce the risk of wildfire spread on their property.

The Montgomery family partnered with Colorado West Land Trust, West Region Wildfire Council, and Log Hill Fire Protection District to protect ...

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Monument Stewards Aid with Native Seed Collection

 

The Colorado West Land Trust and Eureka! Science Museum teamed up to lead a group of volunteers, the Monument Stewards, that tackle stewardship projects along the Monument Trail including pulling weeds, watering native plants, and general maintenance of the area. The goal of this group is to instill a stewardship ethic in those who enjoy open space.

The Monument Stewards concluded their final volunteer day of the season with a native seed collection day. Horticulturalists from the ...

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Porch-side Popups and Montrose Open House

Porch-side Popups and Montrose Open House

Each fall Colorado West Land Trust hosts community events designed to help us get to know our landowners, supporters, and community members a little better.

On October 19th, the Land Trust held a Montrose Open House in the southeast portion of our region where over 35 individuals joined us to hear about CWLT’s latest efforts. We enjoyed visiting the CWLT community in this area and testing your knowledge with some trivia. We’d also like the ...

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The Lazo family conserves wildlife habitat in Delta County

Delta County Independent, July 12, 2022—Colorado West Land Trust (CWLT) recently announced that it has partnered with the Lazo family to conserve 146 acres of wildlife habitat in Delta County’s Fruitland Mesa area.

Fruitland Mesa is a plateau between the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River’s canyon to the north and Red Canyon to the south. Standing on it, one can see the West Elk Mountains to the east, Black Canyon of the Gunnison to the south, and Gunnison Gorge to ...

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Land trust names new staff and board members

 

 

 

 

 

The Business Times, June 22, 2022—Nick Jacobson has joined the Colorado West Land Trust as the newest member of the conservation department of the Grand-Junction based organization.

CJ Brafford, Gwen Cameron, Garrett Portra and Lindsey Rider also joined the Colorado West Land Trust board of directors.

“We welcome Nick to the staff and Lindsey, Garrett, CJ and Gwen to the board. Their knowledge, skills and experience will help the land trust serve the community and advance its mission,” said Rob Bleiberg, executive ...

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A decade of work pays off

The Daily Sentinel, June 15, 2022—The recent news that Great Outdoors Colorado has awarded $500,000 to complete phase two of the Monument Connector Trail is a major win for the community.

The 1.5-mile trail will go from the Lunch Loops trail head to the Jurassic Flats trail head off South Camp Road, according to reporting by The Daily Sentinel’s Sam Klomhaus.

“It’s going to connect a lot of the most important outdoor spaces we have,” Parks and Recreation Director ...

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Conservation easement will preserve Campbell Ranch in face of growing development

Montrose Daily Press, May 28, 2022—For five generations, the Campbell family has ranched along the North Fork Valley floor between Hotchkiss and Paonia, tending to hay crops and cattle — and by extension, preserving riparian areas, woods, meadows that strongly contribute to the scenic value of the entire area.

Those values are now formally protected.

The Colorado West Land Trust and the Campbells completed a conservation easement for 410 acres or ranchland at the end of April.

Easements, which are a voluntary agreement ...

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410 Acres of Ranch Land in the North Fork Valley Conserved

The Daily Sentinel, May 23, 2022—The Colorado West Land Trust has announced 410 acres of ranch land south of Colorado Highway 133 between Hotchkiss and Paonia in Delta County will now be conserved via a conservation easement.

According to a press release, the Campbell Ranch is one of the largest intact ranches in that area, and includes hay fields, pastures, scrubland, forests, wetlands and 1.25 miles of the North Fork River.

“From the West Elk Scenic and Historic Byway, one may ...

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Wetlands conserved in the Smith Fork Valley

Montrose Daily Press, December 21, 2021—Colorado West Land Trust, working with the Crawford Clipper Ditch Company and Bureau of Reclamation, on Dec. 17 conserved 42.5 acres as part of a habitat replacement project in Delta County.

The project is part of the Salinity Control Program, authorized by the Salinity Control Act, which stipulates that the loss of fish and wildlife habitats from implementation of salinity projects be replaced so there is no habitat loss.

The CCDC and Bureau began the project to ...

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