Category Archives: MLC Updates

MLC Hosts the Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Posted on December 9, 2011

Join Montezuma Land Conservancy for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival “On Tour” at the Dolores Community Center January 27th, 2012 at 6pm.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is a collection of films from the annual festival held in Nevada City, CA which is now is now its 9th year! The Wild& Scenic Film Festival was started by the watershed advocacy group, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) in 2003. The festival’s namesake is in celebration of SYRCL’s landmark victory to receive “Wild & Scenic” status for 39 miles of the South Yuba River in 1999. The 3 day event features over 100 award-winning films.  Read more...

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Humiston Farm: Postcard View in the Mancos Valley Protected

Posted on August 3, 2011

Glen Humiston stands on the Humiston family farm on the south side of Mancos. Humiston heirs and the Montezuma Land Conservancy recently worked together to secure a conservation easement on the property.

On May 26th an agriculturally productive farm in the Mancos Valley was protected forever by the Humiston Family, in partnership with Montezuma Land Conservancy.  With its gambrel barn and green fields framed by the peaks of the Southern San Juan Mountains, this scenic property embodies the slogan, “Where the West Still Lives,” which appears on a welcome sign as travelers enter the Mancos Valley.  Read more...

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Free Easement Seminar — Thursday, February 24, 3:00-5:30pm

Posted on February 10, 2011

“Keeping it in the family: How conservation easements can benefit your family and your land”

Please join MLC and two independent financial advisors to learn how conservation easements can help families hang onto their land and realize tax benefits.  The seminar will be held at the Lewis-Arriola Community Center at 21176 County Road S, just west of Hwy 491.

Topics to be covered at the seminar include:  Read more...

  • Protecting our Rural Way of Life
  • Options and Flexibility of Agricultural Conservation Easements
  • Cash From the State Tax Credit for Your Easement
  • Tax issues of Conservation Easements
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Ivins Ranch Conservation Easement Completed!

Posted on December 2, 2010

Ivins Ranch, Dolores County Colorado

Today, the Ivins Family conveyed a conservation easement on their 6,750 acre ranch in central Dolores County. The completion of this and the Crescent Ranch conservation easement represent more than 11,000 acres of protected land in the Groundhog Glade area!  Read more...

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Dolores River Land Protection

Posted on November 18, 2010

One recent easement conserves 147 acres of ranch land, hay fields and pasture. The Property contains senior water rights and soils designated as Farmland of Statewide Importance by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is bounded on two sides by the San Juan National Forest and occupies the Dolores River Valley floor, and upland forested slopes and includes ¾ mile of the Dolores River.    The river supports approximately 20 acres of woodland riparian habitat within the property boundaries.   The importance of riparian areas for southwestern migrating and nesting birds is well documented; they support a higher diversity of birds than all other western habitats combined.   In addition to conserving agricultural lands and protecting important wildlife habitat the easement protects scenic views. The property is bisected by the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, an All-American Road as designated by the National Scenic Byways Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.  More than 75% of the Property is visible from this roadway.

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RSL Ranch 2010 Conservation Easement Closes

Posted on November 18, 2010

Rick and Helen Lee on their property on Haycamp Mesa

The new RSL Ranch conservation easement embodies the rich qualities of the landscape in our area. It includes irrigated farmland, grazing land for cattle, and ponderosa forest for timber production. At the same time it includes important forest habitat for wildlife along with riparian habitat along Lost Canyon Creek and scenic views from an access road to the San Juan National Forest. Rick and Helen Lee, representing the current generation of the ownership RSL Ranch have partnered with Montezuma Land Conservancy, Great Outdoors Colorado and the Farm and Ranch Protection Program to conserve the core of this historic family ranch.  The ranch has been in the family since 1874 and a portion of the property is registered as a Centennial farm.  Rick Lee talked about how this family history led him to consider a conservation easement,  Read more...

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MLC Celebrates the 2010 Holiday Season

Posted on November 16, 2010
MLC Staff at Christmas time

MLC Staff from left to right: Juniper, Amber, Dave, Robyne, Nina, and resident pets Sid and Happy

As the 2010 Holiday season approaches, the MLC staff look forward to celebrating a year of achievements!

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2010 Dolores River Festival

Posted on June 5, 2010

We had a great time at this year’s Dolores River Festival at Joe Rowell Park on Saturday, June 5th. It was a beautiful day, and we set up our booth.

We raffled off a great fly fishing package for two on the Dolores river on one of our landowner’s private stretches of river. It is prime fishing territory and the lucky winners got a guided fly fishing tour with all equipment provided.

For more info about the Dolores River Festival, see www.doloresriverfestival.com.

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1st Annual Members Picnic – A tasty good time!

Posted on July 14, 2009
Picnic200906

This gallery contains 17 photos.

A good time was had by all at MLC’s first annual Member Picnic. Special thanks to Val and Deanna Truelsen for generously hosting the event, to Dan and Anita Fernandez for grilling, to Geisinger Feed and Grain and the Dolores Food Market for providing discounted local beef and condiments, and to staff and board for the delicious side dishes. The cherry cobbler was a particular hit!

Members were treated to lunch, magnificent scenery, and perfect weather. Val led a tour along the abandoned railbed of the Rio Grande Southern and later Galloping Goose railroad,  to a natural spring that feeds a series of wetlands at the site of an abandoned fish hatchery.  MLC member Al Schneider identified plants – there were numerous wildflowers blooming – and we saw baby spotted sandpipers.  Read more...

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