Mulroy Ranch, Protected Forever
Photos By Todd Winslow Pierce
Mulroy Ranch is now conserved, forever, thanks to landowners Tom and Colleen Mulroy. The 1,900-acre conservation easement, which is part of the 2,300-acre private property, straddles Eagle and Grand Counties. It includes native sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, montane and subalpine forests and riparian corridors nestled between the Gore Range to the south and Gore Canyon to the north. Conserving this property helps to protect the scenic view along the Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway. Since purchasing the land, Mr. Mulroy has enhanced the rangeland and wildlife habitat. The property now supports native grasses and important habitat linkages for our region’s threatened wildlife, especially elk and deer.
“This is a unique opportunity to conserve critical wildlife habitat and protect the view along a scenic byway. We are grateful to landowners like the Mulroy family and excited to help honor their legacy of conservation,” said Eagle Valley Land Trust (EVLT) executive director Jessica Foulis.
As with many conservation easement arrangements, the Mulroy family retains ownership of their property. The Eagle Valley Land Trust holds a conservation easement on the property, which ensures that it will be protected by permanently limiting development. EVLT, a local nonprofit organization, currently protects over 11,200 acres in Eagle County across 36 other properties. “The EVLT, especially Jessica Foulis, did a great job in facilitating the conservation easement,” said Mr. Mulroy.
Thank you to Eagle County Open Space for contributing towards the transaction costs for this important conservation project. “Providing funding for conservation easement transaction costs not only supports the landscape-scale conservation efforts of our local land trust, but also extends the reach of our Open Space funds and fosters relationships with local landowners and community members,” said Eagle County’s Open Space director Katherine King.
This collaboration between landowner and land trust will protect and preserve the property’s conservation values, which include wildlife habitat, scenic vistas enjoyed by the public, and productive agricultural lands. “By permanently protecting their land via conservation easement, the Mulroy family has made a significant contribution to the preservation of working landscapes that intertwine with the natural resources that connect and sustain healthy and diverse wildlife populations in Eagle and Grand counties,” said Jessica Foulis.
Did you know the Eagle Valley Land Trust’s conservation work is funded by advocates like you? Although donations have slowed down due to the pandemic, our conservation work hasn’t. Will you make a contribution to local conservation this year? Donating is quick and easy – simply click here to make a contribution online or click here for information about other ways to make an impact.
