COLORADO Year in Review 2020 IENDS, R F Sincerely, DEAR How Pandemic Has Shown by a Ned Defi a Year Expected

Home , Aiken Canyon Preserve, Fishers Peak, Southwest Colorado

COLORADO Year in Review 2020 IENDS, R F Sincerely, DEAR how pandemic has shown by a ned defi A year expected. anyone not the 2020 that this was say to safe it’s I think What a year! refuge provided walks and neighborhood trails, local backyards, Urban parks, and the outdoors. nature on science, rely much we loss biodiversity world’s on the science and shocking new res, drought wildfi record Meanwhile, lockdown. and an escape during nature. conserve and act on climate us to for further the urgency highlighted and people to help nature work nd hope in our hopeful. I fi feel to of reasons still plenty are cult times, there these diﬃ Despite awareness nd hope in the increasing I fi and interact. travel, live, we normal” in the ways “new and in the evolving change, adapt to and enthusiasm we pressure and the new injustice, and racial the environment between and the connections change of climate explore my daughter watching nd hope in fi And I always these injustices. address people—to young seeing—especially from are just about anything. carry her through optimism and adaptability and seeing her relentless all these changes, and learn through working all been we’ve Though team. committed and nd hope in our passionate I also fi in Colorado, Conservancy Nature at The Here to ability of our team’s I am so proud people and nature. wins for great accomplish been able to have we March, home since from transferring year—from we did this some of what we’ll share report, wins. In this conservation to achieve ways nd new and fi pivot Fund and much more. Yampa River with our round of projects rst funding the fi park, to state our next become to Peak Fishers fi ve-year completion of our the between transition a marks year This years. ve on the past fi our perspective also share We’ll we’ve been and what we’ve back at where Looking shaping the future. vision for of a new plan and the development strategic and beyond. years, ve fi the next into us forward that takes us a foundation done will give your about the work reading enjoy hope that you cult times. We and diﬃ support during these strange your for thank you We 2021! and happy a healthy you Wishing donations helped support this year. Sincerely, Carlos E. Fernández Director State After a storm, a storm, After on the cover the La Plata the sunset over more Mountains is even beautiful. © Allen Karsh/TNC left 2019 this page Contest Photo right Carlos Fernández to Aspens © Lauryn Wachs/TNC; Wilderness in the Mt. Zirkel Eckert © Alan W. The mission of The Nature of The Nature The mission is to conserve Conservancy on the lands and waters which all life depends. The Nature Conservancy Nature The in Colorado OF TRUSTEES BOARD Chair: Stuart Brown Burt Chair: Carol Vice Quintana Annette Treasurer: Alexander Bruce Janelle Blessing K. Collinge Sharon H. Dean Warren Dines Bruce Elaine Feeney Gart Ken ord Shannon Gi ngton Hu Terry Jorgensen Richard McKissick Kristin Art Reimers Sachs Greeley Scott Cynthia Susan Sturm Suzanne White Joseph Zell

2 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 PROTECT TRANSFORM INSPIRE nature and people in Colorado by conserving our most the way we take care of nature with science-based research and innovative Coloradans to understand why we need nature and threatened lands, forests, and rivers; using nature to approaches to inform practices and policies. join together to protect it. make our cities healthier; and tackling climate change.

The Nature Conservancy tackles the most pressing environmental problems that are facing people and nature in Colorado today, replicating good ideas to save places and improve people’s lives. Using science to guide us, and backed by our 50-year legacy, we are leading and convening partners for conservation across the state. Learn more about our work at Nature.org/Colorado. PROTECT—SMITH RANCHO In June, we closed on a conservation easement that permanently protected 4,080 acres of land in the Yampa River valley. This sagebrush-speckled landscape provides critical habitat for deer and elk, as well as for two birds listed as “species of special concern” for 3 Colorado: Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and greater sage grouse. This adds up to a big conservation legacy. With the Smith family, we have protected a total of over 16,000 acres, which form a network of protected lands with our other projects and partners in the area. TRANSFORM—LANDPKS HABITAT APP TNC worked to expand and improve a mobile phone app that gives land managers the information they need to make decisions that improve land and wildlife habitat for the future. The LandPKS app supports ranch management decisions to conserve and restore the condition of grazing lands, increase resilience to drought, and manage business responsibly. INSPIRE—METRO DNA PARTNERSHIP TNC is leading a Regional Conservation Assessment with the Metro Denver Nature Alliance to identify places to protect, connect, restore, and enhance for people and nature in the metro Denver region. The aim is to ensure that all people have equitable access to nature, that nature can continue to thrive in urban settings, and that planning and decision-making for the area include community voices and science experts.

left to right © Rebekah Cardonsky/TNC; © Jason Houston; © Nick Hall

acres under producers to fulfill their water needs. needs. their water producers to fulfill management planning processes, bringing management planning processes, to recreational, and municipal stakeholders implementing several stream and watershed and watershed stream implementing several projects and managementidentify water solutions. over $4 million in gifts and pledges $4 million in gifts and and funded over of projects in 2020. round our first agriculture, the economy, and nature. We secured We nature. and economy, the agriculture, together agricultural, environmental, together agricultural, environmental, to restore a transition zone at Morgan Bottom, a Bottom, zone at Morgan a transition to restore floodplain on the Yampa River, to protect native native to protect River, floodplain on the Yampa agricultural while allowing fish and riparian areas planning. We established learning landscapes established planning. We practices for grazing lands. improved grazing land management developing, testing, and sharing tools for testing, developing, and financial outcomes on their lands by by and financial outcomes on their lands at four pilot sites encompassing 110,000 acres sites encompassing 110,000 at four pilot to promote more resilient land management to promote We worked with ranchers to improve ecological with ranchers to improve worked We • in designing and a leading role played We • alongside partners and landowners worked We 734,921

Celebrating Five Years Years Five Celebrating Wins of Conservation river miles with improved buyer in 2020, securing its protection while securing its protection buyer in 2020, newest state park! (Read more on page 10.) state newest including 6,512 acres of the McStay Ranch, home Ranch, home acres of the McStay including 6,512 wildlife with corridors providing lands, conserved generating funds for future conservation. and improve river function for communities, function for communities, river and improve to some of Colorado’s best greater sage grouse greater sage best to some of Colorado’s to migrate. the Purgatoire River. TNC bought the ranch in the Purgatoire River. habitat. This property connects to a network of habitat. This property connects to a network with local stakeholders to boost river flows flows river to boost with local stakeholders 50,000 acres of prairie and red rock canyons on and red rock canyons acres of prairie 50,000 Land. This 19,200-acre ranch is now Colorado’s Colorado’s ranch is now Land. This 19,200-acre Colorado, in partnership with the Trust for Public in partnership with the Trust Colorado, We conserved 20,326 acres in northwest Colorado, Colorado, acres in northwest 20,326 conserved We 2015 and transferred it to a conservation-minded and transferred 2015 drought, and increasing demand, we focused drought, and increasing demand, we with and worked solutions on transformative local communities. local communities. flow and function 550 To protect our water supply from climate change, our water protect To • in 2019 Fund River the Yampa launched We • • • near Trinidad, purchased Fishers Peak We • contains Ranch, which JE Canyon protected We

acres protected

directly and with partners plan. We are proud to share highlights from are proud to share highlights plan. We state, and helped usher in the next generation of and helped usher in the next state, marked the culmination of our five-year strategic strategic the culmination of our five-year marked continues into the future. of conservation by building a network of resilient, building a network of conservation by priority landscapes connected lands in our highest conservation leaders through our internships. in Colorado. We also continued stewarding the also continued stewarding We in Colorado. around the important places TNC has protected the past five years and the important work that five the past Over the past five years, we continued our legacy years, five the past Over McStay Ranch © Galen Guerrero-Murphy/TNC The view toward Bakers Peak from McStay Ranch © Galen Guerrero-Murphy/TNC Greater sage-grouse sage-grouse Greater Ranch © Galen Guerrero-Murphy/TNC McStay from Peak Bakers toward view The Ranch © Galen Guerrero-Murphy/TNC McStay © Lauryn Wachs/TNC launch Fund River Yampa © Joe Kiesecker/TNC;

OOIN BC OOIN 388,000 At The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, 2020 The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, At

4 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 Celebrating Five Years of Conservation Wins

23,254 acres of forest directly restored by TNC, and 53,330 acres of management inﬂuenced by science and planning By restoring forests to their natural state of resilience and recovery, we protected critical habitat for wildlife and safeguarded the water supply on which 70 percent of Coloradans depend.

• We improved the health of Colorado’s forests through forest restoration and prescribed ﬁre, and we trained 508 partners and increased community awareness. 5

• We helped form the Upper South Platte LANDS | WATER | OUTREACH | POLICY | CLIMATE Partnership, a group of more than a dozen forest, ﬁre and water groups that all work to restore forests and reduce risks from large wildﬁres. By working collaboratively, our organizations were able to have a larger impact.

• We influenced forest management and state policies across Colorado through our science and policy eorts. We have published eight peer-reviewed journal articles since 2015, which help provide the scientific basis for forest restoration to land managers across the state. solutions that conserve water. Switching crops water. solutions that conserve drought and water scarcity, we are working to scarcity, drought and water director for TNC in Colorado. “This partnership “This partnership Colorado. director for TNC in supports local agriculture, while also helping the supports local agriculture, while also Hawkins. says dry future,” events, working with AmeriCorps members events, address water use and community resiliency,” says says resiliency,” use and community address water and partnering with local farmers, Jude and Jude and partnering with local farmers, cultivation replicable for others in the region. cultivation replicable for others community at every step of the process. By By of the process. step community at every community building a classroom, hosting crop switching and what it could mean for water mean for water and what it could crop switching protect this overburdened river and find solutions river this overburdened protect his wife Addie orchard are aiming to make may benefit both rivers and the rural communities and the rural rivers benefit both may region think about its options in an increasingly region think about its options Celene Hawkins, Western Colorado water project Colorado water Western Celene Hawkins, Crop switching is one example of our work Crop switching that depend on them. As climate change increases people and nature. that benefit both throughout the Colorado River Basin to find throughout the Colorado River use in southwest Colorado.” use in southwest will enable us to learn more about the benefits of will enable us to learn MORP also believes in involving the local in involving MORP also believes “We are excited to support MORP’s eorts to support MORP’s to are excited “We “I see this as a community-based project that project “I see this as a community-based e¥ciency eorts. The 36-acre property located The 36-acre property e¥ciency eorts. a reliable income from their fruit for the first the first a reliable income from their fruit for orchard culture and economy back to this region. back to economy orchard culture and contemplating more than a decade ago. The contemplating more than a decade ago. for native pollinators, wildlife and plants. By By plants. wildlife and pollinators, for native preserving the past,” says MORP co-director MORP co-director says preserving the past,” heritage while providing local farmers with heritage while providing historic, wide-spaced orchards provide habitat orchards provide wide-spaced historic, partners plan to demonstrate water conservation water partners plan to demonstrate reviving apple production, we can increase the reviving apple production, we can increase for the area.” manage sustainably water rare heirloom apples and turning them into a rare heirloom apples and turning them in orchards while saving Montezuma County’s County’s Montezuma in orchards while saving Colorado’s fruit-growing heritage and restore an heritage and restore fruit-growing Colorado’s testing irrigation strategies and looking into irrigation strategies testing food and provide to best of how understanding on water the community as an “orchard hub” and time in a generation. than other common crops in the area, and common than other the on-the-ground eorts that MORP began the on-the-ground eorts that MORP just north of Cortez provides a place to launch a place provides north of Cortez just value-added product, such as juice or cider. cider. value-added product, such as juice or MORP both on the purchase of property to serve to serve on the purchase of property MORP both Growing Apples Apples Growing a River to Save The Nature Conservancy has partnered with unique the area’s This work will preserve Jude Schuenemeyer. “Apples use less water use less water “Apples Schuenemeyer. Jude “Bringing back apples is not only about is not “Bringing back apples ¥¦§ economy along the Dolores River in southwestern in southwestern along the Dolores River economy gave way to hay, alfalfa and other crops that were and other alfalfa to hay, way gave more lucrative—and also more water-intensive. more lucrative—and main fruit crop. But over time, apple orchards But over main fruit crop. Colorado. In fact, apples were once Colorado’s In fact, apples were once Colorado’s Colorado. Our partners at the Montezuma Orchard Montezuma Our partners at the Rivers © Christopher Hawkins/TNC; The Schuenemeyer family © Courtesy of the Schuenemeyers; Orchards provide habitat for native pollinators. © iStockphoto pollinators. native habitat for provide Orchards of the Schuenemeyers; © Courtesy family Schuenemeyer The Hawkins/TNC; © Christopher Rivers

Heritage apples © Rand Peterson : Dolores River near Gateway, Colorado © Mark Skalny Celene Hawkins standing in the conﬂuence of the San Miguel and Dolores Dolores and Miguel San the of conﬂuence the in standing Hawkins Celene Skalny Mark © Colorado : Peterson Gateway, Rand near © apples River Heritage Dolores ¤ Restoration Project (MORP) hope to preserve Project (MORP) hope to preserve Restoration In the early 1900s, apples were a big part of the In the early 1900s,

6 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 Growing Apples to Save a River

“In everything we do, we have to look forward quite a bit. We think of things in 100-year cycles—one hundred years from now, what are we going to make the 7 world look like, and how are we going to impact that in a positive way? That’s

what you do with orchards, you think long-term.” LANDS | WATER | OUTREACH | POLICY | CLIMATE

– Jude Schuenemeyer, co-director of MORP Black Bear at Fishers Peak at Fishers Black Bear captured camera A game a black bear of this image near Fishers a pond enjoying Colorado’s Now Peak. park, the area state newest array hosts an impressive © TNC of wildlife. Zoom Conversation with Environmental Environmental with Conversation Zoom Kids for Learning Kids (ELK), for Learning Students with Environmental talk online with Carlos Fernández one of our partners, eld. ELK cultivates fi environmental in the about careers in a and service leadership, science, for a passion and Adams in Denver, of learners community diverse © Erin Reilly/TNC Counties. Arapahoe Signing O Peak on Fishers Signing O signs Carlos Fernández director state Colorado Colorado to Peak Fishers transfer to the papers while using a picnic outdoors and Wildlife Parks maintain social distancing. © TNC table to See the latest Colorado Colorado See the latest us at Follow photos! instagram.com/co_nature

OUR YEAR IN PHOTOS Sunset at JE Canyon Ranch Sunset at JE Canyon Ranch in southeast JE Canyon 50,000-acre The than 850 plant and more is home to Colorado of this transfer animal species. Our successful opens buyer a conservation-minded to property in this land protection opportunitiesup new for © Carrie Segil/TNC area. critical grassland 2020 8 8 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 Aspen Tree Planting Students at Blu Lake Staff and volunteers plant aspen seedlings outside Our partners at the Bluff Lake Nature Breckenridge to create an experimental wildfi re Center off er fi eld trips and outings Peregrine Falcon buff er. © Audrey Wheeler/TNC for children in Denver’s underserved A peregrine falcon spreads its neighborhoods to get close to nature. wings. These predators are © Courtesy of Bluff Lake Nature Center the fastest fl ying birds in the world, reaching speeds up to 200 miles per hour when they dive toward prey. © Janet Haas

Wildfi re Smoke near Empire This year’s wildfi re season saw the two largest fi res ever recorded in Colorado. Breaking these records is a reminder that the eff ects of climate change—more drought and increasing severity and frequency of wildfi res—are already all around us. © Audrey Wheeler/TNC

Trees for a Healthy, Livable Denver A community tree-planting in the Globeville, Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods of Denver. Planting trees improves community health and well-being by providing shade and cleaner air. © Kevin Mohatt

park, and Fishers Peak is slated to open some is slated Peak park, and Fishers peregrine falcon flying high above or the hognose or the hognose peregrine falcon flying high above peoples to traders on the Santa Fe Trail, to the peoples to traders on the Santa Fe skunk prowling for grubs wouldn’t understand understand for grubs wouldn’t skunk prowling is part of our shared legacy. is part of our shared legacy. develop a master planning process for the a master develop engage with nature and support conservation. 25 through Trinidad, Interstate driving down children of coal miners living in its shadow. It shadow. children of coal miners living in its connects the mountains to the plains. Fishers connects the mountains to the plains. Someday in the future, if you find yourself Someday the real estate transfer was completed faster faster completed transfer was the real estate now are possible. We was than we dreamed in 2021. trails to the public think to yourself: “We did that.” And while the did that.” think to yourself: “We massive scale of the property and its complexity, and its complexity, scale of the property massive resilient and connected landscape in southeast southeast resilient and connected landscape in life and dierent backgrounds to come together, to come together, life and dierent backgrounds what you mean, the fact that they’re still there still what you mean, the fact that they’re working with CPW and other partners to and other working with CPW will serve as an anchor in our eorts to create a as an anchor in our eorts to create will serve west for well over 10,000 years, from indigenous from years, 10,000 for well over west Colorado that can adapt to a changing climate. Colorado that can adapt you can look up at the clis of Fishers Peak and Peak you can look up at the clis of Fishers Home to an amazing diversity of life, this landscape to an amazing diversity Home Peak has observed the human history of the of the human history the has observed Peak It has already inspired people from all walks of of all walks It has already inspired people from but wondered if TNC might be able to help. but wondered if TNC might be able planning process to meld outdoor recreation planning process to meld outdoor recreation partnership with the City of Trinidad, Great partnership with the City of Trinidad, second-largest state park: Fishers Peak. park: Fishers Peak. second-largest state owners, educators and nonprofits had an idea. owners, experienced in the past. experienced in the past. economy and more a stable quality of life, quality and more a stable economy in motion. The City of Trinidad was calling calling The City of Trinidad was in motion. in early 2019. The partners studied the ecology studied The partners in early 2019. acres of a ranch on the south side of town and town acres of a ranch on the south side of and conservation of native plants and animals, plants and animals, and conservation of native and transferred the ranch to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Despite the in 2020. and rare habitats on the land, initiated a and rare habitats on the land, initiated turn it into a park, maybe more people would turn it into a park, maybe to discuss the future of their community. of their community. to discuss the future not the cycles of boom and bust they’d cycles they’d the and bust not of boom visit Trinidad. They thought it was a long shot a long shot visit Trinidad. They thought it was Nature Conservancy’s o¥ce set great things set o¥ce Nature Conservancy’s One fall morning in 2017, a phone call to The a phone call to The in 2017, One fall morning Outdoors Colorado, and Colorado Parks and Parks and Colorado Outdoors Colorado,

Fishers Peak with the City of Trinidad in the foreground © Cameron Davidson; A view from above Fishers Peak Peak Fishers above from A view Davidson; © Cameron in the foreground of Trinidad with the City Peak Fishers Davidson © Cameron ©ISH¦§S P¦ ©ISH¦§S Park State Newest Colorado’s If they could find a way to buy a few thousand to buy a few thousand If they could find a way Wildlife, purchased the full 19,200-acre ranch Wildlife, purchased the full 19,200-acre TNC and The Trust for Public Land, in TNC and The Trust Three years later, that ranch is now Colorado’s Colorado’s that ranch is now Three years later, They wanted a firmer foundation for a strong for a strong a firmer foundation They wanted A small group of city leaders, local business A small group of city leaders,

10 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 OU¥§¦CH Inspiring Future Conservation Leaders

For our work to truly have a lasting impact, we Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) must make sure that future generations learn program with state director Carlos Fernández to value and steward nature. to discuss career opportunities at nonproﬁts.

Children today are more removed from nature We joined the Denver Museum of Nature & than ever. They spend more time on screens and Science for their annual Girls & Science event in in structured activities, and less time playing early March, where our GIS specialist Carleisha outside than previous generations. Hanns presented her conservation mapping “Nature makes me feel more connected work to girls and their families. to my community. And the outdoors Getting outside reduces stress and anxiety, improves health, and fosters independence. Our partners at the Catamount Institute brought gives me a feeling of peace.” Many people in the conservation movement youth volunteers to our Aiken Canyon Preserve can pinpoint a connection to nature stemming near Colorado Springs to do trail maintenance 11 – Elk high school student from childhood. Helping more children access while following COVID-19 safety guidelines. In

and enjoy the outdoors can teach them the additional, TNC sponsored several elementary LANDS | WATER | OUTREACH | POLICY | CLIMATE importance of protecting it for a healthy future. school ﬁeld trips to the Blu Lake Nature Center north of Denver. At our Carpenter Ranch Preserve To do this, The Nature Conservancy is near Steamboat Springs, middle schoolers with aiming to help connect more young people Rocky Mountain Youth Corps assisted with to nature—especially those who wouldn’t construction and maintenance projects over otherwise get opportunities in the outdoors the summer while learning about nature. due to economic and other circumstances. As we work to navigate this continually changing Despite the unique challenges of 2020, we’ve reality, we remain dedicated to reaching the made an impact this year. Our outreach next generation of conservationists and making moved into the digital sphere, where we were sure that children from all backgrounds get to able to connect inner-city students from the experience nature.

Blu« Lake © Courtesy of Blu« Lake Nature Center; GIS specialist Carleisha Hanns talks to families at Girls and Science. © Erin Reilly/TNC

decade ago and involved millions of messages decade ago involved and and articles in hundreds of op-eds events, generations,” says Carlos Fernández, state director state Carlos Fernández, says generations,” create jobs, and expand recreational access while create jobs, for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. parks, national forests, and other federal lands. other and national forests, parks, our amazing outdoor places for future protecting key publications and tireless work by our publications and tireless work by key reinvigorate our outdoor recreation economy, our outdoor recreation economy, reinvigorate reauthorize and fully fund LWCF started a started reauthorize and fully fund LWCF and sta. trustees members, ﬁve years for urgent improvements to our national years for urgentﬁve improvements to Congress, thousands of meetings and of meetings thousands to Congress, Peak as the next state park, TNC sta are park, TNC sta state next as the Peak LWCF as well as additional funds over the next the next funds over as well as additional LWCF parks will help in our national and investing Fund TNC’s national campaign to permanently TNC’s As Colorado prepares to open Fishers As Colorado prepares to open Fishers A New State Park Park State A New “Fully funding the Land and Water Conservation the Land and Water funding “Fully Wins Worth Worth Wins Celebrating summer, provides permanent, full funding for provides summer, appropriated even half that amount. appropriated even States has received some LWCF funding. It has some LWCF States has received conservation across every state and several and several state conservation across every contributed to the conservation of many places many contributed to the conservation of of one public resource, oshore oil and gas, by by and gas, of one public resource, oshore oil lands and waters. the nation’s conserving another, from oil and gas revenues into land and water into land and water from oil and gas revenues from oshore oil revenues could be designated could be designated from oshore oil revenues Congress rarely Unfortunately, for LWCF. here in Colorado, including Great Sand Dunes including Great here in Colorado, we have seen success at both the state and federal level to protect our lands and waters and provide and provide and waters our lands to protect federal level and the state seen success at both we have for conservation projects. much-needed funding Advocating for policy change is essential for reaching our conservation goals. Over the past year, Advocating year, for policy past the Over change goals. reaching our conservation is essential for territories. Nearly every county in the United Nearly every territories. Outdoors Act, this signed into law which was

Governor Jared Polis signs a bill for state park funding in front of Fishers Peak. © Carlos Fernandez/TNC; The Sangre De Cristo mountains above Great Sand Dunes National Park © Nick Hall Sand Dunes National Park Great mountains above De Cristo Sangre The © Carlos Fernandez/TNC; Peak. of Fishers park funding in front state a bill for signs Polis Jared Governor Warnke © Todd Colorado in Telluride, Trail Gorge the Keystone seen from San Miguel River The POIC® POIC® was passed in 1965 as a way to balance the use passed in 1965 as a way was National Park. Great American Great Act Outdoors To date, LWCF has invested more than $18 billion has invested date, LWCF To The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) (LWCF) Conservation Fund The Land and Water That changed this year. The Great American The Great That changed this year. According to the law, each year up to $900 million According to the law,

12 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 guidance for river conservation throughout the state. The bills “Loaned Water for Instream Flows” (HB20-1157) and “Augmentation of Instream Flows” (HB20-1037) provide new tools to help water users and conservationists work together to keep water in rivers and beneﬁt ﬁsh and wildlife.

In addition, over $7 million was included in the budget for the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Water Plan Grants, which fund river health, conservation, and agricultural water infrastructure projects across the state. An additional $4 million was allocated to stream and watershed management planning to support local community eorts to keep their rivers healthy and ﬂowing. TNC is involved in a number of these community projects around Colorado. 13

“These bills demonstrate how our unique, LANDS | WATER | OUTREACH | POLICY | CLIMATE partnership-driven approach can create lasting conservation victories that ﬁt Colorado’s water supply needs for people and nature,” says Aaron Citron, natural resources policy advisor for TNC working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife build needed trails and infrastructure. It in Colorado. “It is critical that TNC is increasing to complete a thorough planning process to represents the excitement this project has its strategic policy engagement to meet the goals balance environmental conservation with created statewide. of the Colorado Water Plan, expand incentives visitation and recreation. for land conservation, increase the pace and “Having this investment in our next state park scale of science-based forest management, and While state budgets were strained this year will allow us to provide even more of Colorado’s ensure that the state’s bold greenhouse gas due to COVID-19, the new state park remained outdoors to our residents and visitors,” says Dan emissions targets outlined in the 2019 Climate a bipartisan priority for Colorado’s legislature Prenzlow, director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Plan to Reduce Pollution are met.” and Governor Jared Polis. Senate Bill 003 ensured that $1 million was made available River Protection speciﬁcally for Fishers Peak. While more Several bills that passed during the Colorado is needed, this initial investment will help legislative session will provide funding and

says Bruce Alexander, Trustee for TNC in for TNC in Trustee Bruce Alexander, says across the state. across the state. address the causes of Colorado’s carbon carbon of Colorado’s address the causes and sharing recommendations. In addition, and sharing recommendations. bipartisan reputation to bring together reputation Coloradobipartisan the urgency voice business leaders to for action common ground and create solutions that partner with the business community,” partner with the business community,” have a broad impact on future climate eorts have pollution and help meet those goals. those goals. meet pollution and help health, business and outdoor recreation sectorshealth, business and outdoor recreation reductions by identifying priority strategies identifying priority strategies reductions by leaders, we helped create a Healthy Colorado we helped create a Healthy leaders, for emissions the group advocates initiative, Colorado Forum, a group of influential business a group of Colorado Forum, Colorado and member of the Colorado Colorado and member of the Colorado together influential voices for climate, we can together influential voices to make further policyto make that advancements with the Partnering deserves. that this moment the needle on climate action in Colorado. to move work for all the dierent interests.” we brought together industry leaders from the the leaders from we brought together industry By building these connections and bringing By Forum. “We’re coming together to find coming together to find “We’re Forum. Initiative on climate change.Initiative Through this We are also leveraging TNC’s expertise and expertise and TNC’s leveraging are also We “It’s exciting to see The Nature Conservancy exciting “It’s

Advancing Climate Solutions some of the most ambitious goals in the country some of the most for cutting greenhouse gas pollution. The Colorado greenhouse gas pollution. for cutting health organizations to inﬂuence state agencieshealth organizations to inﬂuence state percent by 2050, compared with 2005 levels. compared with 2005 levels. 2050, percent by reduce emissions 26 percent by 2025 and 90 reduce emissions 26 percent by 50-state climate strategy, here in Colorado climate strategy, 50-state nontraditional partnerships, and using nontraditional partnerships, carbon. nature to store Climate Action goals to Plan sets for our state with a broad coalition of environmental and with a broad coalition of environmental we are advancing state policies, fostering fostering policies, we are advancing state Now that this bill has passed, we are working Now In 2019, we supported a successful state bill to set bill to set state we supported a successful In 2019,

extreme storms and weather; heat waves and and and weather; heat waves storms extreme ever before. Many of the predictions that were of the predictions before. Many ever and much, much more. climate action. This is the pivotal decade for climate action. This is the pivotal our planet are coming true, and faster than are coming true, and faster our planet future. As part of The Nature Conservancy’s future. As part of The Nature Conservancy’s projected. They include severe wildﬁres in projected. They include severe making change at a global scale to shape our record high temperatures; harmful air pollution;record high temperatures; harmful made in the past regarding how it could aect regarding how made in the past landscapes ranging from Australia to Colorado; landscapes ranging from Australia Solar panel array © Dave Lauridsen Planting aspen seedlings above the town of Breckenridge © Audrey Wheeler/TNC; Collecting ponderosa pine seeds from from pine seeds ponderosa Collecting Wheeler/TNC; © Audrey of Breckenridge the town Planting aspen seedlings above Lauridsen © Dave Solar panel array © Lauryn Wachs/TNC the state around burn scars replanting use for Ranch to Scout Ben Delatour But there is still time to band together and take time to band together and take But there is still

Acting on climate change is more urgent than CI°¥¦

14 COLORADO YEAR IN REVIEW 2020 15 LANDS | WATER | OUTREACH | POLICY | CLIMATE

such as absorbing and storing carbon in forests, wetlands, and grasslands. Research led by led by Research and grasslands. wetlands, carbon in forests, and storing such as absorbing of percent 37 up to can provide solutions that nature-based shows Conservancy Nature The In 2°C. below global warming keep the planet to need across we reductions the emission wildlife. solutions that benefit people and climate natural and testing studying we’re Colorado, LAND PROTECTION sink. carbon a natural are of intact grasslands of acres of thousands hundreds Colorado’s grasslands, protecting By carbon is released. stored farming, for When land is converted plants and animals. native habitat for and conserving the ground carbon in keeping are we WETLANDS RESTORING that promote build structures to in the Gunnison Valley with ranchers TNC has worked This erosion. and preventing flow water down slowing plants by wetland of rare regrowth grouse. Gunnison sage the endangered for carbon and builds habitat stores REPLANTING FORESTS of acres 150,000 currently are There on the landscape. cause “burn scars” wildfires Severe severity. fire due to back on their own grow that won’t Range Front Colorado’s on burn scars and more faster forests replant to how researching scientists, we’re with regional Partnering pine the use of ponderosa and testing sites select to science using innovative by strategically trees). of seedlings (young seeds instead Adaptation Climate WILDFIRES SLOW PLANTING ASPEN TO homes protect to fuel breaks act as natural to of aspen trees the potential testing are We with less trees conifer replacing highly flammable By wildfires. and neighborhoods from while also boosting biodiversity, communities to buffer able be we may flammable aspens, value. and recreational habitat, wildlife of Breckenridge and the Town Open Space County with Summit partnered we year, This in as a fuel break cleared that was plant 1,200 to Open Space aspen seedlings in an area potential raising pines springing up, had thousands of lodgepole site the early 2000s. The to these with local aspen seedlings replaced We if left unmanaged. wildfires future risk for more as aspen hold maintenance, frequent less that will require break fuel a natural create of wildfires. the severity decrease to expected and are than pines water Natural Climate Solutions Climate Natural the atmosphere, from gas heat-trapping of removing ways nature’s solutions are climate Natural Advancing Climate Solutions The Nature Conservancy Colorado Chapter 2424 Spruce Street Boulder, CO 80302 nature.org/colorado

(303) 444-2950 [email protected]

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Art Wainwright © Courtesy of Art Wainwright Protecting What Matters Art Wainwright has seen a lot of Colorado. At 96 years old, he Art is one of more than 27,000 supporters around the world who have remains passionate about nature and getting outside, although this joined our Legacy Club. This means he has named TNC as a beneﬁciary year it has become a lot harder to get out due to safety precautions of his estate plans or made other long-term gifts to TNC. around COVID-19. “My wife and I always contributed to charities. At one point, we “Shortly after I started working in Detroit for RCA Television,” he shares, decided to concentrate on one and do the most good that way “I took my parents for a visit to Colorado. I fell in love with Colorado and instead of spreading it out. We thought TNC was the best way to moved out to Denver when they got their ﬁrst TV station—it must have invest in the environment.” been 1950 or so—and I’ve been here ever since.” He appreciates how nature will always give back. “These investments He chose to focus his philanthropy on The Nature Conservancy because pay o. When I think about all that I have received from nature, and of our balanced approach to protecting nature. “I particularly like the all my hikes throughout the Colorado Rockies, it’s a small thing to pay Conservancy because of their ability to work with both sides of the coin. back for all the pleasure and joy.” They work with ranchers as well as big businesses, cooperating instead of looking for enemies.” To plan your conservation legacy, please contact Cynthia Weir at [email protected] or 720-974-7029.