ALAMOSA — Great news for Colorado’s San Luis Valley! Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) has awarded $2,556,700 to support inclusive recreation, outdoor career pathways, land conservation, forest and wildlife habitat, and a collaborative effort in the San Luis Valley.  

The highlights of the grants awarded include the following.

CONEJOS COUNTY: $1,070,000 to Western Rivers Conservancy to protect the 45,952-acre La Jara Basin.

Western Rivers Conservancy, in collaboration with the Colorado State Land Board, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Forest Service, will permanently protect the 45,952-acre La Jara Basin in the southwest San Luis Valley.

The landscape contains more than 30 miles of streams that flow to the Conejos and Rio Grande rivers. It is home to diverse wildlife, including big game, migratory birds, native trout, and rare species. The effort will also protect public access, including for low-income and underserved community members who use the land for grazing, hunting, fishing, and cultural traditions.

La Jara Basin is part of the ancestral homelands of over 25 Native Tribes and Puebloans, containing hundreds of archaeological sites and evidence of continuous use for over 7,500 years. It is also a vital resource for local farming and ranching families, with La Jara Creek feeding many small irrigation ditches, many of whom are ancestors of the pobladores who traveled from northern New Mexico to settle in the area over 170 years ago.

“The La Jara Basin is a remarkable place with a rich history. Its meadows, forests, and canyons sustain both wildlife and a rural way of life for people in the southern San Luis Valley,” said Allen Law, Interior West project manager for WRC. “The way this partnership has come together, with GOCO, the State Land Board, the Forest Service, BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and of course, extraordinary support from the local community, means we can deliver a permanent conservation future for the area.”

ALAMOSA COUNTY: $659,600 to the City of Alamosa for major upgrades to the 14.5-acre Cole Park.

The City of Alamosa will transform Cole Park—the city’s central 14.5-acre park—into an inclusive recreational hub for residents and the broader San Luis Valley. Upgrades will include an ADA-accessible playground with sensory play elements, such as a merry-go-round that accommodates wheelchairs, double-wide slides for side-by-side use, and potentially an in-ground trampoline designed for wheelchair users. The sandy dirt pump track will be replaced by a new asphalt wheel park, including a small kids' pump track. Improvements directly meet the needs of Alamosa residents, nearly half of whom depend on government assistance, and 16% live with disabilities—twice the state average. The project builds on over a decade of planning and engagement with parents, educators, and adaptive youth, including gathering over 200 hours of volunteer input. Groundbreaking is expected in summer 2026, with completion and a community celebration in fall 2026.

Alamosa’s Director of Parks, Recreation & Library Andy Rice shared, “Cole Park serves the entire San Luis Valley, creating a premier inclusive play and gathering space will be transformational for our community. The shared vision and legacy of GOCO’s work for generations to come in our area, and the entire state, is something to be proud of.”

CONEJOS COUNTY: $300,000 to The Nature Conservancy in Colorado to support two paid fellows focused on community partnerships, including work with Tribal and Indigenous Nations and Latino communities in the San Luis Valley.

The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado Conservation Fellowship will empower two conservation leaders through a two-year, paid fellowship with hands-on fieldwork, professional development, and mentorship opportunities. Building on the success of the previous fellowship program, fellows from this cohort will help strengthen relationships with Tribal and Indigenous Nations and Latino communities with historic ties to the San Luis Valley. Their efforts will support cultural reconnection to ancestral lands and knowledge-sharing between generations. Through these fellowships, TNC aims to achieve conservation outcomes while building a more inclusive, and skilled workforce to lead Colorado’s conservation efforts into the future. Funds from the Pathways grant will also support Tribal and Indigenous travel and honorarium for shared learning experiences.

“The Nature Conservancy of Colorado is grateful to receive funding from GOCO to fund the second cohort of The Nature Conservancy's Colorado Conservation Fellowship Program,” said Carlos E. Fernández, TNC Colorado State Director. “After receiving funding for a very successful first cohort, we look forward to putting GOCO dollars to work, to create the next generation of conservation leaders in Colorado.”

CONEJOS COUNTY: $60,500 to Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust to protect the 495-acre Capulin family ranch.

Nestled at the edge of the San Juan Mountains in the San Luis Valley, this 495‑acre family ranch is home to vibrant wetlands and cottonwood‑ and willow‑lined creeks that flow year‑round. Seasonal wet meadows and the steady waters of La Jara Creek and Hot Creek provide essential habitat for more than 30 species identified in Colorado’s State Wildlife Action Plan. The ranch is also an important winter refuge for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. Its senior water rights support hay production, cattle grazing, and the natural wetlands that make this landscape valuable for both agriculture and wildlife. Through a conservation easement, those water rights will stay permanently tied to the land, protecting its habitat and working‑lands legacy for generations to come.

COSTILLA COUNTY: $13,400 to Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust to protect a 1,500-acre farm’s water rights near Blanca.

Near the town of Blanca in southern Colorado, this 1,500‑acre project is part of a larger family farm, part of which is currently conserved with the Rio Grande Headwaters Land trust. This property is a centerpiece of both agriculture and wildlife habitat. The property includes 411 acres of wetlands and supports a mix of grain and forage crops, livestock grazing, and natural open spaces fed by three creeks and streams that wind through the land. Next to the Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area—a well‑known haven for waterfowl and a key stop for migrating birds—the farm plays an important role in maintaining the region’s ecological health. A conservation easement will permanently protect the property’s water rights, while allowing the flexibility to lease water for community use when it doesn’t affect habitat or conservation goals. This project strengthens the connection between working lands and wildlife, ensuring a sustainable future for local agriculture and the diverse species that depend on these wetlands.

SAGUACHE COUNTY: $59,200 to Colorado Parks and Wildlife to improve 30 acres of forest habitat at Rock Creek in Saguache County.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will partner with Southwest Conservation Corps and Colorado State Forest Service to improve 30 acres of forest on state trust land at Rock Creek in Saguache County. Partners will thin dense ponderosa pine, piñon-juniper, and mixed-conifer trees to create a more natural forest structure. This work will increase native vegetation growth; improve food and habitat for deer, elk, and other wildlife; improve forest health; create a more enjoyable experience for visitors; and provide hands-on forestry training for youth crews. The project will also preserve a historic wagon trail and provide stacked firewood for public use.

REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP: $394,000 to San Luis Valley Great Outdoors to support collaborative efforts advancing regional conservation and recreation goals.

SLV GO! works to ensure outdoor recreation in the San Luis Valley is developed and maintained sustainably, protecting the region’s natural resources through strategic planning, adaptive management, and advocacy. Following a multi-year planning process, SLV GO! completed an SLV Great Outdoors Strategy informed by community surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, data analysis, and local knowledge.

Funding will support continued capacity for the coalition and a wildlife fencing project. The project will convert 12 miles of fence along the Colorado–New Mexico border to wildlife-friendly fencing, helping big game move through critical winter habitat, and construct fencing in the Rio Grande Natural Area to protect riparian habitat from overgrazing.

The grants are part of more than $25.5 million in GOCO funding awarded statewide for conservation and recreation efforts. I’ve linked both the regional and statewide releases with more details, including media contacts for the projects.