Rapid Development in Colorado Worries the Agricultural Community

Growth in the housing sector has begun to encroach on ranchers' land and water.







-Fountain, CO   Ann Hanna has seen the expansion of the Colorado Springs-area explode within the last ten years. It seems like everyday she has had a developer knocking on her door or leaving a note offering to buy a portion of her ranch. However, Hanna never thought about accepting one of these offers.

"We are way too close to the city of Fountain and the city of Colorado Springs," says Hanna. "We are right there now." Instead, she wants to keep her land and water as is, preserving it for the future. That's why Hanna turned to Colorado Open Lands.

The Lakewood-based non-profit organization works to "preserve the significant open lands and diminishing natural heritage of Colorado through private and public partnerships, innovative land conservation techniques and strategic leadership." Colorado Open Lands purchased 550 acres of Hanna's ranch in an effort to maintain the integrity of the land. "It's an agreement between the conservation easement holder and a private land owner that essentially restricts the use of the property," says Colorado Open Lands Director Dieter Erdmann.

Colorado Open Lands Website

Under this conservation easement, Hanna's land will permanently remain an area for cattle grazing and large-scale hay production.

Hanna's late husband, Kirk, fostered her passion for conservation, something she has passed down to her two daughters, Maggie and Emy. Both are in college and plan on returning to the ranch to continue in conservation efforts. The family realizes how important the agricultural community is in America. Ranchers and farmers make up a mere two percent of the nation's adult work force, but their livelihood is in danger due to rapid expansion nationwide.

Not only is this growth affecting those in the agricultural community, but those in cities as well. "Our focus, first and foremost, is connecting people to land, making sure that all kids are in walking distance of a park," says Trust for Public Land Project Manager, Wade Shelton. "That everybody has the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors because we feel that to really further conservation, you need people to want to go outside and, if they don't have the opportunity to do that, they're not going to do it."

Thanks in part to proceeds from the Colorado Lottery, Colorado has taken steps towards conservation, and is now a leader throughout the country.

Hanna likes to see the progress around the state, but understands it will be an uphill battle. "Now that I have a conservation easement, you know, they understand that that's where my desires are. I am not a seller." Kirk and Ann Hanna's commitment to conservation has been documented in a new feature film expected to be released in 2011.

Here's a link to the video's promo. Hanna Ranch Promo

Other links of interest:
Colorado Springs Gazette article about Hanna Ranch
Rocky Mountain News article about the Hanna family
Trust for Public Land website