Udall Welcomes Finalization of Easements to Make Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area Possible
Mark Udall welcomed news today that the final easement to establish the newest unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System — the Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area — has been finalized. The easement, announced today by the U.S. Department of the Interior, completes Costilla County landowner and conservationist Louis Bacon’s donation of easements covering a total of nearly 170,000 acres to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
"This is the final piece of the puzzle that ensures this incredible Colorado land will be protected for generations to come," Udall said. "I remain thankful for Mr. Bacon’s donation of his conservation easements and the unique partnership he forged with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a nonprofit land trust to conserve one of the most pristine private landholdings in the southern Rockies. The Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area will ensure that this scenic gem will continue to provide abundant wildlife and clean water for future Coloradans to enjoy."
Today’s announcement formalizes an easement between Bacon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the 90,000-acre Blanca Ranch, the northern portion of the Trinchera Ranch complex, which is the largest contiguous, privately owned ranch in Colorado. Blanca Ranch includes part of the Blanca Peak massif, including Little Bear, Mt. Lindsey and Ellingwood peaks, and supports significant numbers of elk, mule deer, mountain lions and Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Trinchera Ranch is where the popular public hunting program, Ranching for Wildlife, was established.
For more information about the USFWS’s partnership work in the San Luis Valley or the proposed Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Mountain-Prairie’s homepage at: www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/.