In the 2007 calendar year, the district completed activities under each category listed below to address the natural resource concern.

Mount Sopris Conservation District 258 Center Dr Glenwood Springs, CO 81602 Phone: 970-945-5494 Ext. 101 Fax: 970-945-0837   Monthly Meeting: Second Thursday every month   Mission Statement:  The mission of the Mount Sopris Conservation District is to provide leadership, encourage wise resources decisions, set standards, encourage stewardship and educate cooperators, agencies, land users, and youth to conserve,  improve and sustain our natural resources and the environment

Major Economy:  The major economy for the Mount Sopris District in Pitkin County is tourism.  The area is also rich in mining and ranching history with nearly 9,000 acres of ranchland and undeveloped property  protected in easements.  Mount Sopris Conservation District  expands to Garfield and  Eagle  Counties with similar economies.  

 

Points of Interest:

 

Mount Sopris Conservation District was established on June 26, 1953.

 

The District is located on the East edge of Garfield County and  includes all of Pitkin County and a portion of Eagle County.

 

The total acreage is 734,900.

 

Land ownership within the Disrict is:

 

Land uses within the District:

  

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  Addressing Local Concerns  

Districts generate funding through local, state, and federal sources.  Local citizens elect the District board to identify and address local natural resource issues.  The board involves locals and experts to help develop strategic plans.  The district holds open monthly meetings, publications, events, presentations to communicate with district partners and residents about district services, good conservation practices and financial/technical services.

 

This conservation district serves its landowners as they participate in:

 

The Mount Sopris Conservation District partnered with the Division of Water Resources to inform landowners of proper irrigation methods, ditch rights and "ditch etiquette."  The District is currently working on a Ditch Manual 101 template to assist new landowners on the maintenance of an irrigation ditch, history of flows and local contacts.  The goal of the program is to document the workings of the ditch for the current landowners, before the history is lost.               

 

Education still remains a top priority for Mount Sopris Conservation District.  This year the riparian trailer was used throughout the valley to instruct 653 students in 29 schools.  We also held several workshops that included Annual Ag Day, Quality Living On Your Rural Land and noxious weed meeting.  We distributed quarterly newsletters and updated our website to keep landowners informed on programs and upcoming events.

 

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  Fostering Sound Range Management 

Ensuring sound range management for future generations is important to conserve natural resources and improve production as well as enhance wildlife habitat.

 

This conservation district serves its landowners as they participate in:

 

The District continues to monitor a high mountain site to test a seed plot for native seed. The field evaluation will evaluate 38 varieties of 15 different species of native perennial grasses.  A site was chosen near Snowmass, CO.  Tours will be conduted in 2008.

 

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  Preventing Soil Erosion     

Preventing erosion preserves soil producitivity long term for agriculture, production, and other uses on rural lands.  It also provides improved stream flows, decreases sedimentation, and improves overall water quality.  Some common practices that help producers prevent soil erosion and build soil quality include no till, minimum tillage and cover cropping.

 

This conservation district serves its landowners as they participate in:

 

Each year the Mount Sopris Conservation District partnered with Colorado State Forest Service so landowners can purchase seedling trees at a nominal fee.  This program is a great outreach program to introduce landowners to the District's programs.  The District also partners with Natural Resources Conservation Service to implement practices that will reduce soil erosion through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). 

 

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  Protecting Water Quality & Quantity 

The District provides assistance to managers, landowners, and residents with conservation practices and management tools to protect near stream areas.  In addition, they work together on reducing the movement of chemicals and nutrients to streams in sedimentation or runoff.  These efforts help stabilize streambanks and protect water bodies from impacts.

 

This conservation district serves its landowners as they participate in:

 

The Mount Sopris Conservation District supervisors are actively involved in water quality and quantity issues throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.  Board members attended local watershed meetings and became involved in a collabrorative effort to produce a water shed plan for the Roaring Fork Valley.                    

 

The District provides assistance to managers, landowners, and residents with conservation practices and management tools to protect near stream areas.  They assist landowners in developing conservation plans, applying for cost share and implementing practices.

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 Preventing the Spread of Noxious Weeds 

Conservation Districts implement measures to reduce the spread of invasive populations and help implement weed control projects.

 

This conservation district serves its landowners as they participate in:

 

Mount Sopris Conservation District assists Garfield County in administrating the noxious weed cost share program that has been so successful.  In 2007 the District assisted landowners in reducing 594 acres of noxious weeds for a total of $17,880 in treatment.  We are currently working with Pitkin County to address noxious weeds on the District lands. 

Colorado Department of Agriculture · 700 Kipling Street · Suite 4000 · Lakewood, CO 80215-8000 ·(303) 239-4100