Larimer County and Fort Collins to buy ranch north of Laporte, offer recreation

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·3 min read
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For the third time in eight months, Larimer County and partners are purchasing a ranch as part of preservation efforts in the county.

Larimer County Natural Resources and the city of Fort Collins have agreed to purchase 725 acres of ranch land 4 miles north of Laporte for nearly $3.7 million.

The city of Fort Collins will contribute nearly $2 million, Larimer County just more than $1 million and Great Outdoors Colorado $660,000 for the outright purchase of the property.

Meegan Flenniken, the county's land conservation, planning and resource program manager, said the purchase is expected to close in early 2023.

"We are really pleased to make the substantial purchase of this conservation and recreational project and are grateful for willing landowners to work with,'' Flenniken said.

In September, the county and cities of Fort Collins and Loveland partnered for the $9 million purchase of the 1,547-acre Heaven's Door Ranch at the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon on the south side of U.S. Highway 34, across from Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch and Wedding Venue.

In May, the county and city of Fort Collins purchased the 675-acre Eagle Canyon Ranch adjacent to Bobcat Ridge Natural Area near Masonville for $6.7 million.

Flenniken said the property near Laporte will be managed by the city of Fort Collins and it is expected the site's future will include a nature-based public recreational opportunity.

She said the property is near the proposed realignment of U.S. Highway 287 to make way for Glade Reservoir. It will serve as a northwest gateway to Fort Collins and as a potential future connection to other public land, including state and U.S. Forest Service property. It will be called the Buckeye Conservation Project.

A news release from Great Outdoors Colorado said the property is one of the last intact large ranches in the region and serves as important habitat for migrating mammals and bird species and boasts spectacular views.

Flenniken said the county first connected with the landowner 20 years ago about possibly selling the property. She said the owners approached the county again in fall 2021 to discuss selling part of the ranch, which totals 1,070 acres.

Funding to help purchase the ranch was part of a Great Outdoors Colorado grant totaling $788,100 for Larimer County projects. Other projects funded through the grant announced last week was $97,275 for the Larimer County Conservation Corps to help with forest restoration, fire mitigation and trail maintenance work and $30,825 for the city of Loveland to remove invasive species and enhance habitat restoration along the Big Thompson River.

Projects in Larimer County have received more than $63 million in Great Outdoors Colorado funding helping conserve 68,287 acres since 1994. Great Outdoors Colorado invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces.

"The city of Fort Collins is thrilled to have GOCO's support to create landscape-scale connections between protected lands and increase access to nature for our community,'' Katie Donahue, the city's Natural Areas director.

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This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Larimer County and Fort Collins to buy ranch near Laporte