Conservation forces have combined to protect most of the critical waterfowl habitat in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Since 1997, Ducks Unlimited has helped to lead a focused conservation effort by a broad partnership to protect, restore and enhance the wetlands of the valley.
Ducks Unlimited’s goals in the valley were:
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focus our efforts on the wetlands most important to breeding and migrating waterfowl: wetlands that contain the most reliable water, year around, and build on existing blocks of secured habitat.
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protect 25,000 acres and their associated water rights through conservation easements and fee title acquisitions.
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restore and enhance 12,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands.
Here’s DU’s progress to date:
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protected 20,000 acres
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restored or enhanced 29,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands
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nvested $8.3 million in this landscape secured through public grants and private contributions.
The broad partnership of organizations and individuals working in the valley includes The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Rio Grande Headwaters Trust (RiGHT), and private landowners and water users.
We continue to work with partners and local landowners to protect some remaining key parcels as we shift our efforts in the San Luis Valley from active program delivery to stewardship of the protected habitat base.
The diversity of interests that have collaborated on this effort is a model for similar landscapes across the country. Together we have accomplished much by recognizing shared goals of conserving water, maintaining wildlife habitat and open space, and retaining working agricultural lands.
The task ahead for DU’s efforts in Colorado is to repeat this level of conservation success in the headwaters and floodplains of the North and South Platte Rivers.