Land conservation is more important than ever, as changes in the climate and increased urbanization have brought about habitat loss.
According to Hoodline, one ranch owner in Colorado did their part to support land conservation while also securing the future of their 675-acre property through a significant donation that placed the property under a conservation easement.
A conservation easement is a legal agreement that permanently limits how landowners can use their land to protect its conservation value.
Legend Trail Ranch in Northern Colorado is found in the Laramie Foothills region, an area targeted by the Larimer County Open Lands Master Plan as essential for land conservation. In particular, the ranch's proximity to U.S. Hwy 287 makes it a vital parcel of protected lands in Larimer County.
Significant conservation work has already happened in the Laramie Foothills region. For example, Great Outdoors Colorado funded the Mountains to Plains Project in 2004, which was, at the time, the largest Great Outdoors Colorado grant of all time — an $11.6 million request plus an estimated local match totaling $13.7 million. Overall, through the years and various projects and partnerships, 140,000 acres of land in the Laramie Foothills have been protected.
This protected land connects the plains to the mountains, providing a key corridor for wildlife movement in the region, which is just one reason conservation of this area is so important. Additionally, current and future projects aim to collect seeds to restore prairie land and manage invasive plants and weeds, thereby protecting native species, conserving natural resources, and economically benefiting those living in the area.
Legend Trail Ranch offers up working agricultural lands, rock outcroppings, and rolling grasslands for conservation. With the conservation easement, Legend Trail Ranch can not only continue using the land for growing hay, grazing cattle, and other agricultural uses, but also protect local ecosystems, biodiversity, wildlife habitats, and the land's incredibly scenic views.
As Hoodline reported, the ranch's landowner, Cheryl Rennels, shared, "My goal has always been to preserve the agricultural way of life I grew up in and currently enjoy. Partnering with Larimer County permanently conserves what I value: agriculture lifestyle, livestock, wildlife and the beauty of the Livermore Valley."
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