Big Thompson Conservation District and Fort Collins Conservation District will join forces to meet the natural resources conservation needs of landowners within their boundaries in Larimer and Weld Counties.
In a special election held on February 1, 2022, landowners from the two districts voted to consolidate their two districts into one, under the name Fort Collins Conservation District. In the near future, the district plans to change its name to Larimer Conservation District to more accurately represent the majority of their boundaries in that county. The pieces of the previous districts located in Weld County will remain included in the consolidated district.
“The two districts have collaborated often and have a long history of working on similar conservation and educational projects through the years. The district leaders understand the needs of farmers, ranchers and small acreage owners in the area,” said Nikki Brinson, District Operations Manager for the Colorado State Conservation Board in the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “The board supervisors are committed to improving the opportunities and programs available to their constituents through this consolidation.”
Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government which represent local landowners’ interests for developing conservation priorities. The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s State Conservation Board administers funding, offers leadership and statutory guidance to help Conservation Districts serve as local governments.
According to state statute, supervisors from the original boards will work as an “organization board” to identify the new districts’ first five-member board. This decision will be made within six months.
The creation of the new district will increase landowners’ conservation options in a variety of ways, including:
- Bringing more resources to area-wide conservation problems
- Improving consistency of programs offered by one district
- Increasing the ability to leverage local, state, and federal resources for conservation implementation and technical assistance
Colorado now has 74 Conservation Districts. To learn more about their services, visit ag.colorado.gov/conservation/