This is just awesome news! This area has been “out of bounds” for nearly all people for as long as I can remember. It’s diverse attractions for outdoor recreation are hard to list. Or imagine as far as that goes. Great work Division of Wildlife!

LEADVILLE, Colo. – A four-way partnership between the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW), Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas, and private landowners has resulted in a perpetual conservation easement on 3,200 acres of important wildlife habitat and scenic open space in Lake County.

Owners of the Moyer Ranch entered the agreement to keep the land as a working ranch and preserve its vital wildlife habitat.  In addition, about a third of the ranch will be open to seasonal access to hunters and anglers.

A conservation easement is a legal property interest that compensates a landowner for relinquishing certain development rights as a way to ensure the long-term protection of the land.  The Moyer family received approximately $4.8 million in return for conceding future development rights on the property.  The Division of Wildlife and GOCO each contributed $2.4 million.  The Moyer family donated additional considerations including previous conservation considerations reached with the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas in 2007.

“We are very pleased we were able to be a part of the cooperative effort to protect this important wildlife habitat,” said DOW Area Manager Jim Aragon.  “The Moyer family’s desire to protect the land, the wildlife resource, and to continue with their land stewardship and ranching heritage was key to getting this project done.”

“This has been such a great project,” said Bruce Goforth of the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas.  “It will preserve the agriculture, wildlife habitat and water resources on the last, large, working ranch in Lake County.  And the water preserved will continue to flow down the Arkansas River, ensuring water quantity, quality, and good fish habitat for many miles.”

The Moyer Ranch has diverse wildlife populations including bighorn sheep, deer, elk, mountain lions, black bears, and an abundant variety of birds, small mammals, and other non-game wildlife.  The property also features several pristine feeder streams that connect to the Arkansas River.

According to Tom Martin, the local wildlife officer, the DOW’s conservation easement consists of multiple parcels. Most of the tracts are contiguous but some overlap others, and many are irregular shapes located on the steep hillsides.

Approximately 1,350 acres will be open for hunting and fishing. Hunting access will be limited to rifle season deer, elk, and bear; and limited archery and rifle hunting for bighorn sheep.  Public fishing access will be allowed on portions of Iowa and Empire Gulches.

In addition, the Moyer Family and Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas have agreed to allow fishing access on a stretch of Arkansas River upstream from the Hwy. 24 overpass at Hayden Meadows for nine-tenths of a mile to the Crystal Lake State Trust property.  Access points, parking areas, and signs still need to be posted, but the DOW hopes to have that done in the next few months. The result will be that the public will have fishing access to a contiguous stretch of the Upper Arkansas River that is over seven miles long.

COLORADO’S WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTION PROGRAM

Habitat loss is a primary cause for the decline of many wildlife species in Colorado.  As highly desirable lands are altered or converted to other uses, wildlife habitat can become degraded, destroyed, and fragmented. Habitat conversion and loss can also reduce opportunities for hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation.

The primary use of funds from the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Protection Program is to address the loss of critical big game winter range and migration corridors, but also to preserve other wildlife habitat as well.  Wetlands and riparian corridors along with important habitat for threatened and endangered species, and species of special concern are also a priority for acquisition.

By combining funding sources, including Habitat Stamp funds, GOCO funds, Game Cash funds, Wetlands Program funds, Federal funds and others, the DOW is able to bring together an array of species protection and land conservation tools and incentives not otherwise available. The preferred strategy uses perpetual conservation easements that provide incentives to private landowners that protects wildlife habitat and for beneficial wildlife management practices.

Conservation easements are used to guarantee that landscapes remain intact and to provide fundamental wildlife benefits on a long-term basis. All conservation easements must have an accompanying management plan that is approved by the landowner and the DOW.

Since 2006, sales of Habitat Stamps have been instrumental in protecting more than 60,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the state.  The DOW used some funds to purchase land, but most land is preserved through permanent conservation easements held by the DOW and various non-profit partnerships.

The primary focus is protecting important winter range and migration corridors for deer and elk, but acquisitions and easements have also protected critical habitats for sage grouse, opened up fishing access for anglers, and provided hunting access.

A nine-member citizen’s committee appointed by the Governor oversees the habitat stamp program.  The committee has reviewed dozens of proposals to protect critical wildlife habitat.  Proposals are reviewed and ranked according to wildlife benefits, public access, and cost.  Final approval comes from the Colorado Wildlife Commission.

Public access is not required, but projects that provide hunting and fishing access and those with matching funds from partners get additional consideration.

For more information, call (303) 291-7217.  Additional information on the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program timeline for the 2009 enrollment period and a copy of the application is available at http://wildlife.state.co.us/LandWater/PrivateLandProgram/WildlifeHabitatProtectionProgram/

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For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.