COL continues its successful partnership with the Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT), which has a mission to protect shortgrass prairie for flora and fauna. On this latest phase, we have partnered to add 320 acres of protected land to the 67-square-mile Heartland Ranch property, a great example of landscape-scale preservation of shortgrass prairie.
Heartland Ranch is located in Bent County approximately 23 miles southeast of Las Animas. It consists of gently rolling grasslands, rock-covered mesas, lush canyons, springs, cottonwood trees, and juniper woodlands. Elk, mountain lion, mule deer, pronghorn, black-tailed prairie dog, ferruginous hawk, swift fox, and plains leopard frog roam the property. SPLT also manages a resident bison herd.
Photo courtesy of Southern Plains Land Trust.