Jones Creek Ranch easement conserves 275 acres outside Hot Sulphur Springs
Courtesy Colorado Headwaters Land Trust
A Grand County family has conserved 275 acres near Himebaugh Creek in Hot Sulphur Springs through an easement with the Colorado Headwaters Land Trust.
Landowners Kathryn and Max Webel, who have owned the property for 20 years, lease the acres for livestock grazing and allow recreation from the Himebaugh Estates Owners Association. The land, known as the Jones Creek Ranch easement, will be preserved as open space in perpetuity.
The 275 acre tract is along the Arapaho National Forest and home to wildlife, including big game, migratory birds and predators. According to the CHLT, the property has a history of agricultural uses, so preserving the land into the future will be valuable for many reasons.
“Closing on this easement is a great way to close out 2020,” said Jeremy D. Krones, CHLT’s executive director. “This has been a tough year for all of us and I am so happy to be able to leave 2020 on a good note. We are so thankful to the Webels for their generosity and strong conservation ethic.”
Funding for the easement also came from the Open Lands, Rivers and Trails Fund, the Gates Foundation, the Muley Fanatic Foundation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and CHLT.
The Jones Creek Ranch easement is the CHLT’s 65th easement since it began work in 1995. Through the efforts of CHLT, over 9,100 acres in Grand County have been preserved.
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