Another piece of the Colorado conservation puzzle was set in place in 2005 when the Getz Ranch Inc., and Ducks Unlimited teamed with Wetlands America Trust, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust to complete the protection of 960 acres of critical habitat on the Getz Ranch in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. The valley contains the largest concentration of wetlands in Colorado.
“I’m thrilled to see this land protected,” says Alan Getz, a life-long rancher whose family first purchased the ranch in 1905. “It’s been a long road, but I felt it was my responsibility to ensure this ranch is never turned into a subdivision. It was definitely worth the effort.”
The Getz Family has a long history of land conservation, dating back to the creation of the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge in the mid-1950s. A significant portion of the Refuge was once part of the Getz Ranch. “The land raised more ducks than cattle,” said Alan. “When our family sold the land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we knew it was the right thing to do.”
The Getz Ranch shares a property boundary with the 14,000-acre Refuge and lies within the critical Rock Creek Corridor. This Corridor contains some of the highest quality, contiguous wet-meadow and short-emergent wetland habitat in the San Luis Valley. The ranches in this corridor provide essential early season shallow water habitats, nesting cover, and fall migration habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Residual vegetative cover in and around the irrigated wet-meadow habitats will provide nesting areas for a variety of waterfowl including Mallards, Green-winged and Cinnamon Teals, and Gadwall and a variety of non-game waterbirds.
Mike Blenden, manager of the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, shares Alan’s enthusiasm. “The permanent protection of the Getz Ranch is critical in maintaining the ecological integrity of this portion of the Rio Grande River Corridor. It is encouraging to see private landowners working with organizations such as Ducks Unlimited to protect their land while keeping wildlife habitat under private stewardship. The results are absolutely wonderful.”
A number of ranchers have participated in protecting this critical area via conservation easements.
Colorado Wildlife Commissioner Rick Enstrom highlighted the importance that partnerships play in wetland conservation on private lands. “The Getz easement is a great example of state and federal government agencies, non-government conservation organizations, and landowners working together to leverage conservation dollars and accomplish on-the-ground habitat conservation. Conservation easements allow landowners like the Getz’s the opportunity to preserve their legacy in agriculture and wildlife.”