NEWS

New natural area acquired for Poudre River trail

Nick Coltrain
nickcoltrain@coloradoan.com

Kerri Rollins uses a lot of superlatives when talking about the most recent accomplishment along the Poudre River Trail: "Icing on the cake," a "big step forward" and a comparison to a pearl necklace among them.

And, at the Larimer County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, that wasn't the only success Rollins, the open lands manager for the county, had to celebrate.

The Poudre River celebration was the final piece of a four-year effort, spread among many governments, to secure several parcels of natural area between Windsor and Greeley. The space that has finally, formally, fallen under a conservation easement co-managed by Larimer County and Windsor is 34 acres and home to deer, great blue heron, bald eagles and other animals.

That land was purchased as part of a $5 million Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant from 2012.

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"It's the icing on the cake for a much bigger project," Rollins said.

She described it as joining other "pearls along the string" that include the Sheep Draw, Poudre River Ranch and Cottonwood Bend areas.

The second plot of land lies south of the Devil's Backbone Open Space, west of Loveland. The county is chipping in about $250,000 to purchase a 73-acre plot of farmland valued at about $2.66 million. The city of Loveland is covering another $2 million and GOCO will cover the rest.

The land, which will also be placed under a conservation easement, will be used as a buffer to the wetlands near the Big Thompson River Corridor, with plans for preserved natural area to eventually surround the corridor. Agricultural production — the land produces hay — will continue.

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Cyclists ride on the Poudre River Trail near Shields Street in Fort Collins in this file photo. Larimer County agreed Tuesday to co-manage the conservation easement on a 34-acre plot off the trail near Windsor.