Colorado Open Lands
Denver Metro CCA Projects
Allis Ranch
Arapaho Ranch
Bear Tooth Ranch
Belmar Park
Boulder Creek
Bromley Property
Camp Rollandet
Catherine Anderson Property Double S Park
Eldorado Canyon
Frazier
Gateway Mesa
Heine Wildlife Sanctuary
Heil Valley Ranch
Heron Pond
Highline Farm
Indian Hills
East Metro Open Space Project
Maul Property
Mirador Ranch
Miramonte
Miramonte II
Pine Cliff Ranch
Red Canyon Ranch
Reffel
Slyziuk Property
South Platte Park
St Philip Church
Sugarloaf Mountain
Weil
Weil Amended & Restated
Weil East
Williams Wildlife Preserve
2009
Mirador Ranch, Jefferson & Gilpin Counties, 202 acres
Partners: Mirador Ranch, LLC and the Nelson-Gruchy Family
Conservation Values: A total of 400 acres in size, this
beautiful ranch lies next to the north boundary of Golden
Gate Canyon State Park. The easement protects the
western and southern portions of the ranch, including
a small piece in Gilpin County. Because of its unique
location, the ranch provides a critical buffer to the State
Park from encroaching residential development.
Mixed conifer woodlands, wet meadows, and aspen
woodlands grace the ranch, along with three drainages that
flow into Ralston Creek and ultimately into the South Platte
River. These natural features provide critical habitat for a
diversity of wildlife species, including black bear, elk and
mule deer. In addition, several rare plants have been found
on the property, including threatened or vulnerable specieis of orchids and lilies.
2008
Highline Farm, Arapahoe County, 19 acres
Partners: The Duke Family and Trust for Public Land, with funding from City of Greenwood Village, Arapahoe County and Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: The property, one of the last two undeveloped parcels of its size in the area, consists of open meadows and a small wetland that provide habitat for a variety of wildlife species, primarily small mammals and birds. The property also serves as valuable open space for the scenic views of the Rocky Mountains it provides to recreationists along the Highline Trail, which forms the eastern boundary of the property. The Trail serves as a tremendous amenity for residents of not only Greenwood Village but the greater Denver metro area for walking, jogging, biking, and horseback riding.
The easement is a part of the County’s South Platte Greenway Legacy Project. The property, which has been owned by the Duke family since 1952, lies a few miles south of another Colorado Open Lands easement (the 18-acre Cat Anderson property) and the Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve, which is 55 acres of protected open space owned by the City of Greenwood Village.
Miramonte II, Boulder County, 153 acres (304 total acres preserved)
Partners: Miramonte Colorado LLC, Conservation Partners, Isaacson Rosenbaum
Conservation Values: Phase two lies directly east of the existing easement, and encompasses a large portion of Advent Gulch and the private road that leads from Hwy 72 to the cabins on the property. The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad - the same line used by the Winter Park ski train - forms the northern boundary of this year’s conservation easement.
The property affords stunningly scenic views of the Indian Peaks Wilderness and Longs Peak. In addition to critical habitat for other wildlife species, the property contains severe winter range for elk, which is very significant in light of the fact that the availability of severe winter range is typically the limiting factor for elk survival.
2007
Catherine Anderson Property, Arapahoe County, 18 acres
Partners: Catherine Anderson, The Conservation Fund
Conservation Values: A long-time supporter of Colorado Open Lands, Catherine Anderson decided that it was time to protect an important urban gem for future generations. Eighteen acres is a lot in the city, and Anderson’s property is packed with history, wildlife habitat, public recreational opportunities, and scenic importance.
For starters, the house and farm buildings on the property are listed under the National Register of Historic Places as Hopkins Farm. The Highline Canal Trail, a highly popular public-use trail for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians, runs through the property. Luckily, you don’t have to walk the Highline Canal to see the property, since it is also visible from Quincy Avenue. The Anderson property also offers significant wildlife habitat with wetlands, a pond, and acres of natural areas that offer feeding and nesting areas to waterfowl such as the Hooded Merganser, as well as shorebirds, hawks and neo-tropical migrants.
Miramonte, Boulder County, 150 acres
Partners: Miramonte LLC, Conservation Partners, Isaacson Rosenbaum
Conservation Values: This mountain property is located in southwest Boulder County a few miles west of Eldorado Springs along State Highway 72 (Coal Creek Canyon Road) in between the small towns of Crescent Village and Pinecliffe. The property is surrounded by public lands on almost all sides, with the Gross Reservoir to the north, Walker Ranch Open Space to the northeast, Eldorado Canyon State Park to the east, and the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest to the west. There are stunningly scenic views of the Indian Peaks Wilderness and Longs Peak.
A distinctive feature of the property is that a portion of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad traverses the property, which is the same line used by the Winter Park ski train. Only a small portion of the track is visible, as most of it is enclosed by several tunnels. The property was under immediate threat from residential development, as several subdivisions have been established on the south side of the highway. In addition to critical habitat for other wildlife species, the Miramonte property contains severe winter range for elk. This is particularly significant because the availability of severe winter range is typically the limiting factor for elk survival.
2006
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.
Weil Amended and Restated, Elbert County, 35 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.
2005
Camp Rollandet, Denver County, 7 acres
Partners: City and County of Denver and Camp Fire Girls USA with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: After extensive negotiations and general worrying, the City and County of Denver successfully negotiated the purchase of this historic property owned by Camp Fire Girls USA. A $450,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) made the purchase possible for Denver, which intends to continue the property’s use for environmental education along with its historic name. Along with the grant from GOCO came a requirement to donate a conservation easement to ensure perpetual protection of the land.
Located along Sheridan Boulevard, a heavily used thoroughfare, these seven acres contain an enclave of upland prairie open space and wooded areas within a heavily urbanized area. A wooded ravine on the Property serves as natural habitat and a corridor for several small mammals and birds including fox, deer, rabbits, raccoons, and coyote. Protection of the property now provides an opportunity to preserve and restore wildlife habitat and native plant biodiversity.
Public access to the property will be permitted but controlled to assure that passive recreational and educational uses are low impact. Programs and activities will be conducted in a manner to preserve and protect the natural conditions on the property and to showcase a sustainable eco-system within an urban setting.
Weil – North, Elbert County, 41 acres
Partners: Carl Weil; Fore-Weil, LLC
Conservation Values: Carl Weil has been running Wilderness Medicine Outfitters on his 120 acres for 35 years. In 2005, he decided it was time to permanently protect the land he relies upon for his highly successful school of wilderness training and conservation education.
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. Weil’s property is an 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. 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
Frazier, Adams County, 153 acres
Partners: the landowners, with funding from Adams County, Great Outdoors Colorado and the Conservation Fund
Conservation Values: Together with the landowners and funding partners, Colorado Open Lands has protected the Frazier property, approximately 153 acres of open agricultural cropland located a few miles southeast of the city of Brighton in Adams County.
The land provides relatively natural habitat and open space as predominant conservation values. It lies directly adjacent to Barr Lake State Park, a state recreation and wildlife area that is heavily used by the residents of Adams County and the state of Colorado, especially for bird watching. Due to its proximity to Barr Lake, the property supports many species of birds, especially raptors such as eagles and hawks.
The property adds to the scenic character of the local rural landscape in which it lies by providing a degree of openness and contrast from the residential development of the surrounding areas. The current agricultural use of the property is compatible with other land use in the vicinity, as the adjacent land to the north is also currently used for dryland crop production.
The entire acreage is visible to the general public from both 128th Avenue and Piccadilly Road, which are open to and actively utilized by residents of Adams County. 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.
2003
Bromley Property, Adams County, 124 acres
Partners: Great Outdoors Colorado, Adams County, Trust for Public Land
Conservation Values: The property will be significantly modified to create an open space park for the citizens and visitors of Adams County. Once finished, the property will contain significant natural, scenic, open space, educational, and recreational values. In particular the property contains (or will contain) three lakes that will provide fishing opportunities, riparian habitat, and flood management for the county.
In addition, the South Platte River runs through the eastern portion of the property and contains wetlands, riparian habitat, and wildlife movement corridors. The property also contains the Grange Hall Creek floodplain and Lower Clear Creek Ditch. Once completed, the property will have recreational trails, wildlife viewing areas, and public access to the South Platte River Trail.
Eldorado Canyon, Boulder County, 113 acres
Partners: Landowners Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor
Conservation Values: Tucked away in Eldorado Canyon, this property is characterized by open prairie shrubland and pine woodland habitats that provides habitat for elk, deer, black bear and lion. Of particular interest is the exceptionally high breeding bird diversity throughout the property.
The property is dominated by a rugged steep-walled canyon and is also highly visible from both the State Park and public open space land. Thanks to Brad and Amy’s conservation easement donation, this oasis can continue to be enjoyed by the many hikers that visit the State Park and County open space.
Heine Wildlife Sanctuary, Jefferson County, 3.7 acres
Partners: Karin Heine
Conservation Values: Karin Heine put her money where her heart is, buying a heavily wooded piece of land and turning it over to the critters living there. After five years of planting berries, trees, and shrubs, Heine’s sanctuary nourishes everything from butterflies and bluebirds to foxes and deer.
But it will never accommodate the 16 houses that could have been built on the site. Classes from Alpine Valley School and other schools in the area tour the sanctuary and the local Girl Scouts and neighborhood kids are regular contributors to the welfare of the site.
Heron Pond, Denver County, 21.07 acres
Partners: Colorado Open Lands and the City and County of Denver
Conservation Values: Heron Pond, currently containing environmentally toxic materials, is in the process of being remediated by the City. Once finished, the property will provide valuable urban open space along the South Platte River.
A wildlife viewing area will be provided and visitors will find educational information about the ecology of the South Platte River floodplain ecosystem. The City is also restoring the wetland, riparian, and upland communities on the property. Once completed, the property will contain open space, scenic, wildlife habitat, and passive recreational values for residents and visitors of Denver.
Indian Hills, Jefferson County, 3 acres
Partners: The landowners
Conservation Values: In addition to a resident population of owls, Indian Hills provides important wildlife habitat for mule deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, cottontail and coyote, and serves as habitat for several species of hawks.
In the family for 26 years, the couple that own the land have had a lifelong love of the outdoors, but have also watched the land around them develop over the years. Wishing to see it remain open and forever protected from development, they considered their options and ultimately decided to donate a conservation easement to Colorado Open Lands.
Maul Property, Adams County, 155 acres
Partners: Great Outdoors Colorado, Adams County, The Conservation Fund
Conservation Values: The property is owned in fee by Adams County and contains significant open space, scenic, agricultural, and wildlife values. The open space and scenic values can be seen by the public from Piccadilly Road and Barr Lake State Park.
The Park is a regionally significant birding area and home to a nesting pair of Bald Eagles. Records have shown that 339 of the state’s 442 bird species have been sighted at Barr Lake. Many of these species, particularly raptors, use the open farmlands, including the Maul property, to hunt and roost.
In addition to the large number of bird species, the area contains red fox, deer, and other small mammal species. The property also is used for dryland agricultural activities that will continue under the County ownership.
Reffel, Adams County, 27.8 acres
Partners: Adams County, Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: In November, Colorado Open Lands worked on a second project with Adams County to close on a 27.8-acre easement on the Reffel Property. This parcel is owned in fee by Adams County and was acquired in part with a grant from the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund. It was yet another smooth process.
The property will become part of the larger 88th Avenue Open Space Park. The Reffel property acts as a buffer from the neighborhood development to the larger open space park. The property contains one pond and a wooded area. It also captures urban runoff, which is then filtered through the wetlands located on the property.
In the future, a parking lot and trailhead will be created that will link up with the South Platte River Trail System. Passive recreation such as hiking and picnicking will be available to the public.
2001
Slyziuk Conservation Easement, Douglas County, 138 acres
Partners: The Slyziuk Family
Conservation Values: In the early 1990s, at the same time that Colorado Open Lands was working on the preservation of the adjacent Red Canyon and Pine Cliff Ranches, and had also recently protected a third adjacent property, the Allis Ranch Preserve, Colorado Open Lands began developing a relationship with long-time owners, Harry and Wilmeta Ziegler, of a fourth neighboring property.
In 1992 when the Zieglers decided to move, they contacted Colorado Open Lands to see if there was interest in purchasing their ranch. Colorado Open Lands subsequently purchased their property, and the next step was to find a conservation buyer. Jeff Selby, who knew Colorado Open Lands after purchasing the first homestead on Allis Ranch, knew Ken and Kiki Slyziuk were looking for a special place to live.
Jeff recommended that they contact Colorado Open Lands about purchasing the Ziegler Ranch. When the Slyziuks decided to purchase the property, they also indicated that they would place a conservation easement on it in the future. Colorado Open Lands has preserved four properties contiguous to one another in Western Douglas County that total 4,650 acres in a rapidly growing area.
2001
Double S Park, Douglas County, 100 acres
Partners: The landowners
Conservation Values: As many of the surrounding parcels were split into 5 and 10-acre lots, the owners of Double S Park were acquiring more land for long-term protection. In 2001, they decided to donate a conservation easement to permanently protect the property’s open space and wildlife values.
Double S Park provides scenic views of ponderosa pine woodlands and hay meadows from a county road, and ephemeral pools on the property, a rarity in the area, support mule deer, waterfowl, and other wildlife species.
2000
Belmar Park, Jefferson County, 6 acres
Partners: The landowners and the City of Lakewood, with funding from Jefferson County
Conservation Values: Beginning in the fall of 1999, Colorado Open Lands began discussions with Jefferson County about how we could assist the County with several of their land preservation/acquisition projects.
The outcome of the discussions was that Colorado Open Lands entered into a contract with Jefferson County to work directly with the City of Lakewood to acquire a portion of four separate parcels adjacent to Belmar Park – Lakewood’s Flagship Park.
From the beginning, the project was complicated because the negotiations involved four different landowners, each with different personal and financial objectives. Furthermore, one of the four landowners was a development group and had recently purchased property for development purposes.
Our first step was to meet with the developers to see if they would consider a partial sale of their land. Coming up with a solution for the remaining three parcels proved to be quite challenging as the solutions reached for each had to work individually as well as collectively.
Colorado Open Lands ultimately crafted an agreement that involved a 1031 Tax Free Exchange between two of the landowners and the City. In essence, as soon as the City acquired one landowner’s parcel in fee, the second landowner immediately exchanged a portion of their property for a portion of the City’s newly acquired property.
At the end of the four hour closing, the City owned the north half of two parcels next to the park, the one landowner who wished to sell was able to, and the adjacent landowners owned the southern half of the two parcels that they had wished to own.
1999
Gateway Mesa, Douglas County, 200 acres
Partners: Chuck and Janice Hewitt, Town of Castle Rock
Conservation Values: Chuck and Janice Hewitt had hoped spend their retirement years on 200 acres overlooking the Castlewood Canyon in Douglas County. When that dream could not be realized, they made sure the land they loved would be protected as a nature preserve and available for public educational opportunities.
By donating a conservation easement to Colorado Open Lands and selling the property below market value to the Town of Castle Rock, they preserved this unique landscape and valuable viewshed from intense development in the area.
Heron Pond Deed Restriction, Denver and Adams Counties, 25 acres
Partners: City and County of Denver
Conservation Values: Turning a 25-acre Superfund site into a restored natural area for the benefit of the people who live in Denver’s Globeville area is a challenge indeed. Starting in 2000, the City and County of Denver will reseed the area consistent with a Management Plan prepared by ecologist, Alan Carpenter, to ensure that the vegetation will attract native species long gone from the area. Colorado Open Lands holds the Deed Restriction that limits human activities on the site, thus preserving the natural area forever.
Pine Cliff Ranch, Douglas County, 3,440 acres
Partners: Rath Falck, David and Laura Merage
Conservation Values: Thirteen years after receiving the donation of Pine Cliff Ranch, and six years after J. Rathbone “Rath” Falck’s passing, Colorado Open Lands conveyed the property to David and Laura Merage. Symbolic of the same commitment of Pine Cliff that drove Rath, David and Laura promptly placed a conservation easement on the ranch, thereby ensuring its perpetual protection.
The preservation of Pine Cliff Ranch is the result of two committed landowners, Rath Falck and David and Laura Merage. Special provisions were made in the easement to protect the rich riparian corridor along Garber Creek. The easement stipulates that the abundant surface and subsurface water rights remain on the ranch in perpetuity.
In the end, Colorado Open Lands served as an interim steward that helped two dedicated landowners realize their dream for the 3,440-acre ranch. The gift of Pine Cliff Ranch to Colorado Open Lands set the stage for the donation of three more conservation easements on contiguous properties resulting in a total of 4,530 acres preserved as open space in the West Plum Creek Valley.
Red Canyon Ranch, Douglas County, 242 acres
Partners: Herb LaMee
Conservation Values: When Herb LaMee purchased Red Canyon Ranch on the southern border of Pine Cliff Ranch in Douglas County, he knew that he was going to further extend the protected open space at Pine Cliff Ranch by placing a conservation easement on his property too. Aware that Douglas County is the fastest growing county in the U.S., LaMee not only preserved his own open space, but has given his neighbors the gift of scenic open space forever.
1997
Bear Tooth Ranch, Jefferson County, 496 acres
Partners: The landowners
Conservation Values: Home to black bears and deer, Bear Tooth Ranch lies in a pristine valley in the foothills two miles northwest of Golden. The Dakota hogback runs to the east of the ranch and White Ranch Open Space Park is on the north and west. Public trails border the area.
The ranch was part of 3,000 acres owned by the Coors family in Jefferson County for about 80 years. Today a limited number of carefully located homes will be developed adjacent to the 496 acres protected by the conservation easement.
South Platte Park, Arapahoe County, 19 acres
Partners: The landowners and South Metro Land Conservancy, with funding from the City of Littleton, Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: Thanks to a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado, funds from the City of Littleton, and strong support from the South Metro Land Conservancy, a critical 19-acre buffer was added to South Platte Park to separate the park from commercial development to the east.
One of the first natural flood plain parks in the nation, South Platte Park is the result of three decades of partnership between the City of Littleton, South Suburban Park and Recreation District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Littleton citizens, and numerous private property owners.
Extensively gravel-mined for more than 30 years and now reclaimed, the 100-year flood plain park is home to more than 225 species of birds and 23 species of fish. Besides this rich diversity of resident and migratory wildlife, the park also enjoys over 300,000 people visitors a year!
Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder County, 225 acres
Partners: Boulder County, with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: Sugarloaf Mountain is a significant natural landmark, rising 8,917 feet and visible from almost any location in the 750 square miles that comprise Boulder County. Mining on and around Sugarloaf Mountain began in 1860 and continued until the 1930s.
Since its mining days, Sugarloaf Mountain has been a popular destination for hikers, tourists, and other recreationists who arrived by the steel rails of the nearby Switzerland Trail. Though the railroad is now gone, these uses continue today.
In 1989, the Black Tiger Gulch fire burned part of the mountain. While temporarily reducing Sugarloaf’s aesthetic values, the fire enhanced the ecological values of the mountain as regeneration occurred.
The top 225 acres of the Mountain were purchased with funds from Boulder County Open Space and Great Outdoors Colorado. Sugarloaf Mountain’s natural, scenic, and open space conservation values made it a logical candidate for acquisition into the Boulder County Open Space System.
1996
Allis Ranch Preserve, Douglas County, 830 acres
Partners: The landowners
Conservation Values: In an unincorporated portion of western Douglas County experiencing rapid 35-acre development, Colorado Open Lands purchased 830 acres of land. Recognizing the agricultural and wildlife values, Colorado Open Lands designed and implemented a "protective development" to preserve the property of 10 carefully located home sites.
Today the Allis Ranch Preserve has preserved 96% of the land from further development through a conservation easement, preserved 1.5 miles of riparian corridor and critical wildlife habitat, secured 638 acres of productive agricultural lands, and established a land management plan that will allow the 10 residential land owners to be active stewards of this special place.
Heil Valley Ranch, Boulder County, 1,240 acres
Partners: Boulder County with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: Colorado Open Lands played a key part in the execution of a cutting-edge Colorado conservation easement. What made the easement on a 1,240-acre portion of Heil Valley Ranch in Boulder County so unique was not just the conservation values it preserved, but also that this easement was one of the first to be placed on property purchased, in part, with funds from Great Outdoors Colorado and owned by a local government.
When the voters of Boulder County approved a sales tax to purchase open space in November 1993, one of the most sought-after properties was Heil Valley Ranch. Located north of Boulder and west of the North Foothills Parkway (SH 36), this property, as well as neighboring properties, has long been recognized for its significant scenic beauty, natural resources, and cultural values. Together these properties acquired by Boulder County have been designated as the North Foothills Open Space. They are a spectacular scenic and wildlife habitat resource for the public.
St. Philip in-the-Field Episcopal Church, Douglas County, 18 acres
Partners: The landowners
Conservation Values: On July 21, 1996, under a bright blue Colorado sky, Colorado Open Lands donated approximately 18 acres of land to the St. Philip in-the-Field Episcopal Church and Bear Cañon Cemetery. As soon as the ink was dry on the Deed, Ben Contreras of St. Philip’s and George Nickson of the Cemetery Association signed a Deed of Conservation Easement on the acreage, located just north of the Allis Ranch Preserve and west of Pine Cliff Ranch, and donated it to Colorado Open Lands.
The gift of land to the Church and the Cemetery Association was made in the name and spirit of James Rathbone Falck, who had donated land both to the Church and Colorado Open Lands many years previous. This second gift will almost double the usable land for the Church and the Cemetery. The easement will permit construction of specified structures in the future if the Church wishes to do so but creates a buffer of open space between the adjacent Allis Ranch Preserve and the Church and Cemetery. The transaction culminated almost three years of cooperation and negotiations between the three entities.
1992
East Metro Open Space Project, Arapahoe County, 960 acres
Partners: City of Aurora, City & County of Denver and Arapahoe County, with funding from Great Outdoors Colorado
Conservation Values: What do you get when you put a current landfill, future landfill site, SuperFund Site, privately owned land with a retired missile silo, and a reservoir with significant public usage in one project? Possibly a headache, but ultimately a happy ending.
With the entryway to the Aurora Reservoir identified as a future landfill site by the City and County of Denver, the City of Aurora was concerned about protecting the reservoir as an important asset to their community. City officials decided to consult with Colorado Open Lands to help negotiate a complex alternative that would protect this important public entryway to their reservoir.
Ultimately encompassing five publicly owned properties and one privately owned parcel, the project protected the scenic qualities of the entrance to the Reservoir, consolidated future landfill development, helped coordinate future development of the private parcel, and protected the Reservoir’s downstream creek corridor.
1991
Williams Wildlife Preserve, Jefferson County, 12.75 acres
Partners: Ernestine Williams
Conservation Values: Colorado Open Lands first met Ernestine Williams in 1991, when she contacted us about helping her preserve her land in Wheat Ridge. She and her husband bought five acres “way out” along Lena Gulch in 1936. Over the years, they added one parcel after another to their holdings until they owned 12.75 acres.
What a contrast it is now to drive on busy West 38th Avenue in Wheat Ridge and then turn in to the oasis of peace and tranquility that is the Williams property. Ernestine boarded horses on her land and kept Nubian goats, chickens, a dog, a cat, and peacocks. She didn’t let age, or the necessity of lugging around an oxygen tank, deter her from spending time with her animals. Ernestine recognized that the growth around her house was changing the character of the property she owned. Ernestine died a few years ago, but she wisely left her property to two old friends who still board horses and raise goats…and wild creatures that live along Lena Gulch.
1987
Arapaho Ranch, Boulder County, 690 acres
Partners: The Evans Family
Conservation Values: The Arapaho Ranch near Nederland has been preserved as a wildlife refuge through the grant of two conservation easements in 1987 and a third one in 1991. The 690-acre ranch encompasses the main portion of the valley floor between the towns of Nederland and Eldora.
A combination of geological and geographical factors has resulted in tremendous plant and animal diversity on the ranch. Over 200 varieties of plants and wildflowers and over 140 species of birds have been identified on the property. Through the conservation easement, the Evans family wanted to ensure that future development of the site was restricted to a small number of sites, and that gravel mining, which had occurred in the past, did not reoccur.
1985
Boulder Creek, Boulder County, 145 acres
Partners: Flatiron Industrial Park and the City of Boulder
Conservation Values: Colorado Open Lands developed a unique partnership between the Flatiron Industrial Park and the City of Boulder to implement a plan to resolve a myriad of conflicting issues surrounding a three mile stretch of Boulder Creek. This land had been extensively mined for gravel and was zoned for industrial development after reclamation, but was also identified as a major open space corridor in the Boulder Comprehensive Plan.
Through extensive negotiations, Colorado Open Lands developed a tightly crafted compromise plan responsive to the needs and concerns of all the constituencies. As a result, the City of Boulder was able to acquire valuable open space land, fully reclaimed, for 20% of the fair market value in a package which resolved competing objectives for open space, transportation, flood control and recreation.