San Luis Valley Leaders Celebrate National Public Lands Day at La Jara Basin
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The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council (SLVEC) hosts a La Jara excursion to celebrate the secured funding to protect 46,000 acres of this historic San Luis Valley landscape.
SAN LUIS VALLEY, CO — Today, on National Public Lands Day, local community leaders, tribal representatives, conservation advocates, and state and federal partners gathered to celebrate the pending acquisition and protection of the La Jara Basin property. This marks a major milestone in the effort to conserve nearly 46,000 acres of pristine public lands in the San Luis Valley.
The celebration recognized the importance of protecting Colorado’s treasured outdoor spaces for future generations and the state, federal, tribal, and local partnerships that made the La Jara landscape acquisition possible. In 2017, the State Land Board decided that the La Jara Basin parcel did not need to remain under their management. Since then, the Board worked with Western Rivers Conservancy and numerous partners to ensure La Jara remained in public hands under the stewardship of the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Different portions of the landscape are now slated to be transferred to these agencies. This collaboration across all levels of government ensures this area will remain as public land with public access for ranchers, sportsmen, and the general public. A final vote by the State Land Board authorized the project to move forward toward closing and title transfer, which may happen as soon as next month.
Participants at today’s event included representatives from the Colorado State Land Board, leaders from the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, local elected officials from the San Luis Valley, community leaders, State Senator Cleave Simpson, representatives of the congressional delegation, and tribal leaders and representatives who blessed and opened the landscape.
“This is a moment to celebrate what can happen when local communities, tribal nations, the state and federal government come together around a shared commitment to protecting Colorado’s lands and waters,” said Anna Vargas, Projects Manager for the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council.
“The La Jara Landscape is part of our history, culture, and future of the San Luis Valley," Vargas said. "Protecting this area ensures that farmers and ranchers, hunters and anglers, recreationists, and families can continue to benefit from this extraordinary place."
The La Jara Landscape encompasses approximately 46,000 acres in the eastern San Juan
Mountains, an area with exceptional ecological, recreational, agricultural, and cultural importance. The landscape contains more than 30 miles of perennial cold-water streams, important habitat for elk and mule deer, refuge for migratory birds, and historic and cultural resources that reflect thousands of years of Indigenous connection to the land.
The acquisition was made possible in large part through $43.5 million in funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), that Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and Representative Jeff Hurd secured in three years of federal appropriation bills. This is one of the largest LWCF projects in Colorado’s history. LWCF conserves nationally significant landscapes while expanding opportunities for outdoor recreation and conservation.
For communities across the San Luis Valley, the La Jara Landscape represents more than an opportunity for conservation. Public lands contribute to the region’s agricultural economy, outdoor recreation economy and quality of life, while providing critical habitat, water resources, and access to open space. The SLV Community gives thanks to the vision of the CO State Land Board for giving this significant area its place in history.
"It’s also a reminder of the critical importance of programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other federal initiatives that help protect our precious public lands," Vargas said. "We must continue to fight to preserve these spaces for future generations.”
The project also reflects the longstanding connection between the San Luis Valley’s communities and the lands surrounding them. The landscape includes culturally significant areas such as La Botica, or “the pharmacy,” where evidence of Indigenous medicinal plant gathering dating back approximately 8,000 years has been documented.
The National Public Lands Day celebration also highlights the role of partnerships in keeping public lands accessible and protected. The La Jara acquisition brought together the Colorado State Land Board, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, congressional leaders, tribal representatives, local governments, conservation organizations, farmers and ranchers, and community members.
“Today is about more than one landscape,” said Loretta Mitson, a local researcher engaged in SLV history and culture, “It is about honoring the partnerships that made this acquisition possible and making sure that the benefits of these lands endure. We have an obligation to pass these places on to our children and grandchildren in a way that preserves their ecological, cultural, and recreational value.”
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