Dear Friend,
This year has been a big one for the Colorado River.
Between the amazing amount of moisture we’ve gotten here at the Headwaters to the unprecedented agreement between the seven Colorado River states to conserve the Colorado River for many years to come, we have a lot to celebrate!
But as always, conservation isn’t a quick or final process. It takes a lot of work by a lot of stakeholders to even get into the conversation, and even then, the result might not be seen or felt for many more years.
Colorado Headwaters Land Trust is doing our part to support the Colorado River and the River communities from Grand Lake all the way through seven states and into Mexico. We protect the lands along the Colorado River at its start, setting an example for other groups all the way down to do the same. By protecting the land, we protect the water, the animals, the plants, and the quality of life we all look for in these mountains.
Your support of Colorado Headwaters Land Trust is support of the entire Colorado River and its communities.
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As many know, Colorado River is at the top of the Most Endangered Rivers list by the water protection nonprofit American Rivers. While it’s specifically the stretch of the River in the Grand Canyon, those 277 miles are just a piece of the entire length of the Colorado River, which runs nearly 1500 miles from the Kawuneeche Valley to Baja California. Every new development, canal, and bypass draws from the Colorado River and threatens its flow.
Some of our conservation easements don’t touch the Colorado River directly, or even the Fraser River, but if you use water in Grand County, you are using Colorado River water. It’s on us to show the rest of the Colorado River communities how to protect and value the Colorado River.
With that in mind, we are finally in the home stretch of securing the Granby Highlands-Trails Conservation Easement on 780 acres of land bordering the Colorado River by the Town of Granby. The easement will include two river miles of the Colorado, forever protecting that stretch from degradation and development.
We would not be able to achieve this conservation project without your generous support.
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This summer we continued our annual events, the Wildflower Walk at the Jones Creek Ranch Conservation Easement on June 25, and Songs and Stars on August 12 at the Grand Lake Lodge with musical entertainment by Burnt Orange, a great local duo from the Fraser Valley. Thanks go to Doreen Sumerlin and Mike Crosby for leading our Wildflower Walk, and to Dave Schlichting and the Grand County Astronomy Club for leading our view of the night sky (despite some light cloud cover). We are so excited to see these events continue to grow next year.
Come out and learn how conservation helps not only the natural world, but our own lives here in the mountains!
We were thrilled to participate again in Plein Air @ Altitude on September 02 and 03, with Fraser Valley Arts. This year artists painted on the Silver Spur Ranch (the McCoy Conservation Easement) and the Granby Highlands-Trails Conservation Easement project, producing beautiful artwork of these rare views in the county.
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Coming up is National Public Lands Day, a day to show your support and enthusiasm for our public lands (and Grand County has a lot!). Come out to volunteer across the county, and to party in Polhamus Park in Granby that evening, on Saturday, September 23.
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The Headwaters Book Club, our collaboration with Headwaters Trails Alliance, is also going well. We had a wonderful time at the Headwaters River Journey in June discussing beavers.
Our next meeting is on October 19, at Cozens Ranch Museum to discuss local history with the Grand County Historical Association. Read and bring your favorite book about local history!
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We are also planning a winter event, so stay tuned! We hope to see you before the year’s end, but you don’t need to wait until then to show your support for us!
Your tax-deductible donation will help us continue protecting the land, water, and natural resources we all love so much in Grand County. To make your gift, please visit our website, or call our office: (970) 887-1177.
With your help, we can continue conserving Grand County’s land and resources, educating others about the value of open spaces, and bringing the community together over protecting the land we love in Grand County.
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Jeremy D. Krones
Executive Director
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Paula Metcalf Stuart
President, Board of Directors
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PO Box 1938, Granby CO. 80446 - (970) 887-1177
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