COL in the Upper Colorado River Region
About Colorado Open Lands
Colorado Open Lands (COL) is a 501c3 nonprofit land trust with a mission to preserve the significant open lands and natural heritage of Colorado through private and public partnerships, innovative land conservation techniques and strategic leadership. We work to protect Colorado’s critical wildlife habitat and migration corridors; waterways and riparian areas; scenic views and open space; and working agricultural lands. To date, Colorado Open Lands has protected over 730,000 acres of land, including more than 3,500 miles of waterways.
While over 70% of the conservation easements we hold are on agricultural lands, COL holds the most diverse portfolio of conservation easements in the state, from a 13-acre urban farm in the Denver Metro area to an 80,000-acre ranch in the San Luis Valley. Colorado Open Lands’ staff has experience in working with all types of landowners and situations, and prides itself on being advocates for landowners. We take a long-term approach in each community we work in, understanding that successful conservation is about more than land and water—it is about people.
Colorado Open Lands also supports landowner-initiated projects on conserved lands as well as restoration projects on public lands that positively impact private lands. Lastly, COL offers a suite of programs to deepen Colorado’s land ethic. These include a year-long leadership program for young professionals, workshops for teachers to increase their outdoor education knowledge, a shopping guide for items created on conserved lands and more!
Local Staff and Contacts
Colorado Open Lands is thrilled to work with landowners and partners in Grand and Summit Counties to retain the area’s valuable natural attributes: critical cold-water aquatic habitat, wetlands, vital water rights, working ranches, scenic open space, and world-class rafting and fly fishing. In the last two years, Colorado Open Lands has hired three full-time staff members to support land and water protection and restoration work in the Upper Colorado region.
Courtney Bennett is our Upper Colorado River Senior Conservation Project Manager. Courtney has over 15 years of experience working in land conservation, most recently for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. She brings a deep-seated land ethic that stems from her time spent outdoors in her home state of Colorado. Contact Courtney with inquiries about whether conservation is the right option for your family and your land! [email protected]
Hannah Reid is our Upper Colorado River Land and Water Steward. Hannah’s previous endeavors include working at a dude ranch and at Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Her stewardship work at COL involves annual site visits and assistance with land management practices. Contact Hannah if you have a question about your existing conservation easement with COL. [email protected]
Ryan Holt is our Restoration Landscape Coordinator. Ryan has a deep passion for restoration, having focused his education and career on rangeland monitoring, riparian restoration, and forestry management projects on public lands. Among many other tasks, Ryan liaises with the federal government on restoration project funding and permitting. To learn more about COL’s restoration initiatives, click here: https://coloradoopenlands.org/land-restoration/
Opportunities to get involved
If you’d like to learn more about Colorado Open Lands, we have several opportunities to engage!
Join Colorado Open Lands for a community picnic in Grand County! We are excited to share a conservation update, connect with neighbors, and introduce our team. Come enjoy good company, learn about local land and water protection efforts, and celebrate the landscapes we all love. A buffet lunch and drinks will be provided.
The picnic is on Friday, July 24, 2026 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm at the Grand Lake Yacht Club, 1128 Lake Avenue in Grand Lake. Attendees must register here in advance: https://pp.events/bwQyGgnR
If you can’t make it to the Yacht Club event, the next best way to learn about our land and water conservation efforts is to see them in action. We offer a variety of hikes, tours, webinars, and events throughout the year. Find them here: https://coloradoopenlands.org/events/
We also offer a monthly email newsletter with the latest updates on conservation successes and upcoming opportunities to get involved. Subscribe here: https://coloradoopenlands.org/subscribe/
Finally, Colorado Open Lands has a podcast, Landlines, which takes a deeper look at the people, partnerships, and ideas that power land and water conservation in Colorado. Find out where to get Landlines here: https://coloradoopenlands.org/podcast/
Want to learn more, but not sure where to start? Drop us a line at [email protected] with your inquiry and someone will get back to you shortly.
We’re grateful to the Middle Park Conservation District for highlighting Colorado Open Lands in this newsletter! We believe that through partnerships with organizations like theirs, as well as a strong base of community support, we can make an impact on the Upper Colorado River region that will last for generations.