La Jara property transfer on SLB October agenda

The State Land Board is meeting Oct. 15 to decide the future management of several significant properties, including the 46,000-acre La Jara Ranch in the San Luis Valley. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources have partnered with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to permanently protect recreational access and conservation values on the property, a process long in the making.

CPW allocated $5 million in habitat stamp funding to the project, which helped secure more than $40 million in federal funds from the National Land and Water Conservation Fund. If the State Land Board approves the transfer, part of the 46,000 acres will become managed by CPW for a state wildlife area and the balance will be managed by BLM and U.S. Forest Service.

According to the SLB meeting documents, the La Jara property in Conejos County is valued at nearly $50 million and the SLB has pursued efforts to sell the property since 2017 to an end buyer whose future uses align with the board’s goals for the property. The federal agencies look to acquire 43,526 acres to manage, and CPW’s interest lies in the 2,427-acre reservoir area for which CPW holds a perpetual right of way and manages as a State Wildlife Area. CPW submitted the sole bid for the purchase of the reservoir section in 2025.

GRAZING LEASES

Currently, there are 11 grazing leases on the La Jara as well as two private recreation leases and numerous rights of way totaling $254,000 annually. In the June SLB board packet, it was confirmed that all agriculture leases will be terminated by USFS and the Bureau of Land Management once the land is transferred, though the ranchers will be allowed to apply for federal grazing permits. Selling to a private buyer and losing public access for recreation, hunting, grazing, fishing, and the like is of great concern to the board of County Commissioners and in turn, the community.

The replacement properties being considered are Summit Springs Draw, a 320-acre property in Logan County that could potentially be designated as a National Historic Landmark and the Chancellor Ranch in Las Animas County, a 21,486-acre property staff indicated has multiple natural values including unique canyon-land habitat and significant cultural resources. Outside of eastern Colorado, the SLB is considering Nipple Rim in Moffat County, a 19,322-acre property with high potential for rare plant occurrences; Maybell Adjacent Land in Moffat County, a 406-acre property that is a logical addition to existing trust property; Little La Garita Creek in Saguache County, a 640-acre property that the purchase is supported by local government; and Badger Creek Area (Waugh Mountain) in Park and Fremont counties, a 30,021-acre property with local support that is adjacent to multiple existing trust properties.

Also on the October agenda are statewide changes to grazing leasing, including a formalized rate setting, a lease demand modifier, two-tier pricing structure, stewardship incentives, and subleasing fee clarification. The changes are mostly clerical, though there will now be the addition of financial incentives “to grazing lessees, such as revenue sharing, to reward the implementation of superior land stewardship and conservation practices that exceed lease requirements.”