Conserving the land, water, and way of life in Colorado's San Luis Valley since 1999

JUNE NEWS FROM RiGHT

Summer Momentum and Conservation Milestones

Upcoming Community Events

Join us in Antonito, CO, July 10th-11th, for Working the Llano Sin Agua, a regenerative agriculture summit and range school hosted by the Wright-Ingraham Institute and Conejos County Conservation District. The event will explore dryland resilience, land stewardship, and regenerative practices through workshops, field visits, and conversations with local producers. RSVP for this free event HERE!

On Saturday, July 19th, from 12–4:30pm, join the Mosca-Hooper Conservation District for the 2025 SLV Farmer-to-Farmer Field Day in Monte Vista. Tour local farms, explore innovative water conservation practices, and connect with fellow producers. Lunch, transportation, and Spanish interpretation will be provided. Email Marta at moscahoopercd1@gmail.com to attend!

A note from our Executive Director

June is quite possibly my favorite month in the San Luis Valley (although I do start missing the snow around now) – the sun is shining, the wind has (mostly) stopped, we get the occasional afternoon thunderstorm bringing rain that smells SO good, the birds are chirping, and the flowers are POPPING! It’s a reminder of how much life there is in this high-elevation desert, and of the cycles we all go through seasonally. May and June also tend to be incredibly busy months for us here at RiGHT, so we really need that reminder of why we work so hard – to protect these spaces where wildflowers can bloom, birds can forage, wildlife and working lands can thrive. I’m proud to share many of our recent accomplishments in this month’s newsletter. I’m also incredibly grateful for our team, our community, all of you, and this beautiful valley we call home.

More Acres Conserved

We’re proud to share the permanent conservation of two incredible properties, bringing RiGHT’s total conserved acreage to over 37,000!

Just outside of Antonito, JRA Farm is an 80-acre historic vara that includes irrigated farmland, lush wet meadows, and over half a mile of the Rio San Antonio. Its conservation protects important wildlife habitat for elk and migratory birds, while also honoring the region’s agricultural and cultural heritage.

In Rio Grande County, the newly conserved 1,120-acre Picture Rock Ranch features over 120 acres of wetlands and more than 2.5 miles of riparian habitat. Surrounded by public lands and neighboring conserved properties, this working ranch helps secure critical water resources and habitat for wildlife.

Partners in the Outdoors Grant

RiGHT has received a Partners in the Outdoors Grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which will advance collaborative stewardship planning on private lands. This work focuses on improving forest health, reducing wildfire risk, and protecting critical headwaters by coordinating with private landowners, the Colorado State Forest Service, and other key partners. By aligning conservation efforts across property boundaries, the project strengthens landscape-scale resilience and supports long-term sustainability for the region’s lands and waters.

Keep It Colorado Spring Summit

In May, all of RiGHT’s staff attended the 2025 Keep It Colorado Spring Summit in Gunnison, where we engaged in field trips, workshops, and discussions on conservation strategies with colleagues from across the state. Additionally, several team members participated in a special training on Colorado Water Law, deepening our understanding of legal and policy tools in order to better protect water resources in the San Luis Valley.