As land trusts conserve private land, they’re also protecting water rights—forever. While there are myriad benefits to conservation, Colorado’s land and water trusts go beyond the obvious as they find solutions to tackle some of the state’s biggest water challenges, from agricultural dry-up to diminished streamflows and to aquifer sustainability and beyond. The catch: Private land and water is increasingly ripe for conservation as development risk mounts. Can the promise of conservation compete against the paycheck from selling a property or water right? And can land and water trusts protect Colorado’s valuable water rights and vast ag lands before they’re lost?
