Great Sand Dunes National Park

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

A Success in Private and Public Partnership

Location: Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic

Project Summary: The 97,000-acre Baca Ranch (and senior water rights associated with such ranch) were acquired by the Nature Conservancy for ultimate disposition to the US to create the Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Park.

Resource Challenge

The local community played a key role in rallying support to oppose the out-of-basin water transfer plan, and the Nature Conservancy played a pivotal role in negotiating with the Seller for the sale of the Baca Ranch, as the US was unable to appropriate funding immediately for this project. Through the Nature Conservancy's internal loan program, it was able to acquire the ranch from the Seller and allow the US to appropriate funds over several years for ultimate ownership.

Examples of Key Partners

The partnership consisted of The Nature Conservancy, the USFS, the NPS and USFWS, and many local ranchers and conservation activists who rallied together in support of this historic project. Without this combined effort, the Seller's efforts to transport the Baca Ranch water rights out of the San Luis Valley Basin may have resulted in the disappearance of the Great Sand Dunes and ecological systems they support.

Results and Accomplishments

Through this multi-party partnership of private landowners, land and water conservation groups and the federal government, the future of the Great Sand Dunes and the senior water rights supporting its ecosystems have been protected for future generations to enjoy as part of the Great Sand Dunes National Park (Americas's 58th national park) and the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.

Innovation/Highlight

In the West, ranchers and environmental/conservation groups do not always see eye-to-eye about land uses. But for this project, individuals were willing to put past differences behind them for a common conservation goal. The success would not have been possible without the participation of everyone involved.

Project Contact

Charles Bedford
State Director
The Nature Conservancy of Colorado

,
(303) 444-2950
cbedford@tnc.org

Becky Hall
Attorney
Packard Dierking LLC
2595 Canyon Blvd, #200
BoulderCO 80302
303-447-0450
becky@packarddierking.com

Website: http://nature.org/success/bacaranch.html

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Current Conservation Programs