La Plata Open Space Conservancy has received a $50,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado to help finance a conservation easement for a 67-acre piece of property along the Animas River.
Jim Johnson, property owner, has a deep connection to the land and wanted to ensure its ecological integrity and vibrant ecosystem would be preserved for decades to come, said Jennifer Zahratka, executive director of LPOSC, in a news release.
The Johnson Property, located along U.S. Highway 550, just north of Durango in the Animas River Valley, includes 10 acres of wetlands, including a half-mile stretch of riverfront along the Animas River, and an oxbow – a naturally formed pond from a former stream path, according to the release from GOCO.
“Given the increasing development pressures along the Animas River Valley, protecting this property through a conservation easement, is a gift to the entire community,” said Jennifer Zahratka, LPOSC executive director. “At minimum, it will safeguard critical riparian habitat and water quality for fish and wildlife, and support water resources for downstream water and recreation users throughout the region, in perpetuity.”
The land provides important habitat for migratory birds, deer, elk and a range of aquatic species, and serves as a wildlife corridor between nearby public and private lands.
Additionally, the wetland ecosystem helps maintain water quality, watershed health and ecological connectivity in the region.
Johnson declined to comment, citing the ongoing process of formalizing the easement, projected to take several months, and a desire to maintain the privacy of the land and the wildlife.
The grant is part of Keep It Colorado’s Transaction Cost Assistance Program, which repurposes GOCO funds to nonprofit land trusts for the specific purpose of financing conservation easement transactions.
GOCO is an independent board that redistributes a portion of Colorado’s lottery proceeds into the preservation and enhancement of the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces. Voters approved its formation in 1992.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
