Colorado

Central Colorado Conservancy
Restoring Riparian and Wetland Habitat to Benefit Trout Spawning in Badger Creek (CO)
Design and implement riparian and wetland restoration and improved grazing management projects within the Badger Creek Headwaters watershed. Project will deliver 142 acres of reconnected floodplain and reestablished native riparian vegetation, 6.7 miles of restored stream geomorphology, 85 acres of restored wetlands, 1.6 miles of livestock fencing and improve 8,909 acres of rangeland habitat on public and private land.
$390,101

Colorado Department of Agriculture
Advancing Soil Health Technical Assistance in the Republican River Watershed (CO)
Launch a Colorado Soil Health Program in Eastern Colorado that includes technical assistance, producer incentives, soil health testing and participation in the STAR program with the goal of increasing participation in the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Project will implement Best Management Practices across 960 acres, prevent 5,760 pounds in nutrient runoff annually and sustain water supplies for the Ogallala Aquifer.
$265,813

Colorado Open Lands
Restoring Riparian and Wetland Hydrology and Species Habitat in the South Platte Headwaters (CO)
Restore natural function and habitat in the headwaters of the South Platte Watershed, using low-tech treatments to restore stream geomorphology to increase aquatic species habitat, reconnect floodplain and reestablish native riparian vegetation and restore wetland. Project will restore 164 acres of riparian habitat, 111 acres of wetland habitat and 4.3 miles of stream habitat to benefit boreal toad, northern leopard frog, bald eagle, Lewis’s woodpecker, short-eared owls and river otter.
$131,795

Conservation Legacy
Removing Invasive Tamarisk to Restore Riparian Habitat and Instream flow (CO)
Treat invasive tamarisk along the Dolores River below McPhee Dam, restoring the river to a resilient self-sustaining state. Project will restore 500 acres of stream bank and 35 miles of riparian habitat by treating tamarisk and revegetate native plants.
$260,008

Groundwork Denver
Lower Bear Creek Water Quality Education, Outreach and Neighborhood Improvement Activities (CO)
Lead water quality education, activities and monitoring in the Lower Bear Creek Watershed, focusing efforts on the last 8 miles of Bear Creek before it feeds the South Platte River. Project will monitor 15 sites along the 8-mile section of Lower Bear Creek, restore 50 acres of the watershed and 4 miles of riparian area, capture 36,360 gallons of stormwater through stormwater improvements, and reduce runoff by 14,625 gallons through sprinkler improvements.
$49,650

Gunnison Conservation District
Increasing Technical Assistance to Benefit Gunnison Sage-Grouse on Private Working Lands (CO)
Increase capacity to implement Gunnison sage-grouse habitat improvement projects and develop conservation plans on private working lands in southwestern Colorado. Project will improve management on 21,000 acres and restore 225 acres through noxious weed treatment and reseeding.
$90,091

Mesa County Land Conservancy 
Restoring Riparian and Upland Habitat in the Little Dolores River Watershed (CO)
Restore riparian and upland habitat in the Little Dolores River Watershed by installing beaver dam analogue and Zeedyk structures to improve hydrology, removing invasive Russian olive and tamarisk, restoring declining Aspen groves, removing fencing and reducing grazing intensity. Project will restore more than 300 acres of habitat benefiting a variety of species include Gunnison sage-grouse, mule deer and elk.
$381,036

Montezuma Land Conservancy
Restoring Sagebrush Shrubland for Sage-Grouse and Big Game Habitat in Dolores and San Miguel (CO)
Increase capacity for planning and implementation of landscape-scale restoration efforts in sagebrush shrublands in southwest Colorado to enhance big game habitat and working lands resilience. Project will implement mesic restoration through the installation of approximately 100 Zeedyk structures, as well as invasive species removal and retreatment of tamarisk on approximately 158 acres of Dry Creek Basin in San Miguel County.
$277,676

National Audubon Society
Increasing Strategic Ranch Enrollment in the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program (CO)
Strategically restore and improve management on private ranches in critical grassland habitat and identify and develop specific ranch habitat management plans and monitoring to benefit focal bird species such as lesser prairie chicken, eastern black rail, lark bunting and thick-billed longspur. Project will restore hydrology on more than 6,000 acres of mesic habitat and improve management on more than 30,000 acres of grassland habitat.
$317,686

National Forest Foundation
Improving Habitat and Reducing Wildfire Risk by Treating Railroad Bridge Forestland (CO)
Improve wildlife habitat and reduce the risk of severe wildfire by 50% through targeted, cross-jurisdictional treatments in Chaffee County on the Arkansas River headwaters. Project will restore 380 acres of forestland through mechanical mastication and hand thinning treatments, benefiting mule deer, bighorn sheep, elk and wild turkey populations and reducing the risk of severe wildfire to the Town of Buena Vista.
$454,024

NatureServe
Research Support for Management of Pollinator Species (multiple states)
Conduct research to identify priority areas for on-the-ground monarch management actions such as habitat restoration and enrichment as well as to inform regulatory review. Project will map these areas and highlight those that are most used by monarchs, recognizing that monarchs tend to migrate along riparian and wetland corridors.
$199,878

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Evaluating Impact of Conservation Activities on Sagebrush Obligate Songbirds (CO, ID, UT, WY)
Evaluate the impacts of conifer removal and control of annual grasses on sagebrush obligate songbirds in the Rocky Mountain Rangelands Region. Project will provide a long-term assessment of which projects benefit sagebrush obligate songbirds and help guide future conservation investments.
$231,169

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Conserving Big Game Connectivity via Easement on Buffalo Horn Ranch (CO)
Prevent development and conserve vital sagebrush, riparian and forestland habitat, as well as a migration corridor and pathway for two of Colorado’s largest migratory ungulate herds by placing a conservation easement on Buffalo Horn Ranch north of Meeker, Colorado. Project will permanently protect approximately 14,000 acres, protecting critical winter and transition range for elk and mule deer.
$150,000

Rocky Mountain Field Institute
Addressing Public Land Stewardship Needs in the Pikes Peak Region of Southern Colorado
Engage community members, youth conservation corps members and professional trail crews in the completion of critical stewardship projects on public lands involving trail construction, trail maintenance, riparian restoration, forest mitigation and environmental education. Project will engage at least 1,000 community volunteers and will support 100 acres of forest mitigation and restoration, 1 mile of riparian restoration and monitoring of 22 project locations.
$30,000

State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources
Habitat Enhancement for Rio Grande Sucker and Rio Grande Chub at McIntire Spring (CO)
Enhance habitat and exclude nonnative fish to benefit Rio Grande sucker and Rio Grande chub in historically occupied habitat. Project will secure resilient populations of both species, providing a significant contribution to their rangewide conservation.
$165,000

Summit County Government
Restoring Riparian and Upland Habitat on Swan River to Improve Connectivity for Cutthroat Trout (CO)
Restore riparian floodplain, wetlands and upland habitat to increase habitat quality and connectivity for native cutthroat, brown and brook trout species in the Swan River Valley. Project will restore 0.8 miles of the main stem stream to a natural condition and 30 adjacent acres of riparian and upland habitat.
$300,000

Telluride Foundation
Restoration of Cutthroat Trout in Fall Creek (CO)
Secure a Colorado River cutthroat trout population from the threat of nonnative trout and restore 5 miles of stream habitat in Fall Creek. Project will construct a fish passage barrier, eradicate nonnative trout above the barrier and reintroduce cutthroat trout from the upstream conservation population in Woods Lake.
$79,000

The Mule Deer Foundation
Increasing Cross-Jurisdictional Coordination in Sagebrush Habitat (multiple states)
Increase cross-jurisdictional coordination with state agencies and other partners to implement projects on big game migration corridors and in sage-grouse core habitats. Project will improve habitat through treating invasive species, conservation easements, mesic and wet meadow habitat restoration, removing or improving fencing and restoring 3,000 acres of shrubland habitat.
$395,012

Trout Unlimited
Restoring Riparian and Upland Habitat in the Tomichi Creek Watershed (CO)
Coordinate restoration work on federal, state and private land to accomplish riparian, forest and range-land habitat improvements throughout the Tomichi Creek watershed near Gunnison, Colorado. Project will restore 8.5 miles of stream and 10 acres of mesic habitat to benefit big game, aquatic species and two priority native species: the Gunnison sage-grouse and green lineage Colorado cutthroat trout.
$299,661

Trout Unlimited
Restore Riparian Habitat and Connectivity on the Colorado River at Windy Gap Reservoir (CO)
Restore the hydrology and connectivity of the Colorado River by building a natural channel and floodplain around Windy Gap Reservoir, an on-channel reservoir that blocks the movement of fish and other aquatic organisms. Project will link cross-jurisdictional restoration efforts to restore habitat for lost and declining aquatic species and provide economic benefits to the small Grand County communities that rely on these stream reaches for recreation.
$255,695

U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service
Clear Fork Cutthroat Trout Restoration (CO)
Restore 13 miles of habitat for native green lineage Colorado River cutthroat trout on the Clear Fork East Muddy Creek through the establishment of a fish barrier and the removal of nonnative brook trout that are out-competing native fish. Project will create a meta-population of native cutthroat trout which will help ensure the long-term persistence of the species by increasing the population’s resiliency.
$68,000