Western Land Group, Inc. 

Public Lands Specialists

January 21, 2003

Western Land Group Assists the
Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust and
Landowners in Protecting the Flying X and Middle Creek Ranches

Arvada – The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) today announced the closing of their purchases of two perpetual agricultural conservation easements in the Saguache Creek corridor west of Saguache , Colorado , one on the 1,140-acre Flying X Ranch and another on the 1,500-acre Middle Creek Ranch. These projects represent CCALT’s second and third conservation easements in the Corridor, focusing on the protection of productive agricultural land, and directly contributing to the well-being of the adjacent federal lands and its associated wildlife and riparian habitat.

Saguache Creek, Flying X Ranch

“These projects result from local landowner interest in preserving the corridor, CCALT’s long-term commitment to the landowners and, in large part, the financial support of a diverse group of funders over the last several years,” said Lynne Sherrod , CCALT Executive Director.  In 1998, a small group of ranch owners from the Saguache Creek corridor approached the CCALT for assistance in protecting the landscape from impending subdivision.  After several initial meetings, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) awarded CCALT with a capacity building grant to support a workshop on conservation easements and additional meetings with landowners.  In 1999, these efforts resulted in local landowner consensus on a mission statement advocating protection of the existing private ranch land from subdivision and development. 

On behalf of several landowners, CCALT, with assistance from Western Land Group, a private consulting firm specializing in complex real estate transactions, began to seek funding support for the acquisition of both conservation easements.  GOCO provided $1,523,000 in three separate grants which were matched with funding provided by the Federal Farmland Protection Program, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the San Luis Habitat Partnership Program of the Colorado Division of Wildlife.  In July 2001, CCALT closed on the 1,521-acre Coleman Ranch conservation easement purchase.  In October and December 2003, CCALT closed on the Flying X Ranch and the Middle Creek Ranch easement purchases.  "Saguache Creek Corridor is the longest remaining undeveloped pass in Western Colorado ," said GOCO Acting Executive Director Diane Gansauer.  "This was a compelling opportunity to protect the relatively few private ranches left in the area."

Middle Creek Ranch

“Selling a conservation easement on our place allows us to protect the way of life in this valley,” said Ed Nielsen, owner of the Flying X Ranch.  “while at the same time enabling us to pay for updates to infrastructure and make other investments which will supplement the income of the ranch.” 

A recent analysis on the cost of community services in Saguache County found that agricultural uses generate surplus county revenue that helps offset deficits incurred by residential uses.  Private preservation of Saguache County ’s agricultural lands through donated or purchased conservation easements therefore directly benefits the County’s budget.

Gary Hill, owner of Middle Creek Ranch explained, “Our easement sale helps us keep the ranch in the family.  We’d be happy to see more people in the valley do it to keep this country the way its been for generations.”  Both the Nielsen and Hill families donated between 1/4 and 1/3 of the value of the easements to the CCALT.

The successful purchase of easements in the Saguache Creek corridor has provided the catalyst for preservation of much of the other private land in the area.  With the completion of the Coleman, Flying X, and Middle Creek Ranch projects, other agricultural landowners in the corridor have expressed interest in protecting their properties.  “The more we work with the landowners in this area,” said Tim Wohlgenant, Western Land Group, “the more we are convinced that the Saguache Creek area represents a unique opportunity for protection of a working landscape.”   

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