FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6
VOLUME 119
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 10, 2022
75cI
ISSUE 6
W ,N , 2020 for conserving land Pandemic proves a25boon
Republican candidates seek to unseat Michael Bennet VOLUME 117
EDNESDAY
OVEMBER
ISSUE 48
T H E numbers SEAS ON FOR SHARING Record pursuing conservation easements as land, water prices increase BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN
8 candidate meet with the community of Fort Lupton
Tony Caligiuri was ready for it to fall apart. Instead, the pandemic gave conservation in Colorado a boost. Soaring land values, spiking prices for BY BELEN WARD water, legislation boosting incenBWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM tives for landowners who protect their land and growing pressure The eight Republican candidates to develop open land has fueled a running to take Democrat Michael record year for conservation easeBennet’s seat in the U.S, Senate ments in Colorado. couldn’t agree on whether Minor“We were bracing ourselves for ity Leader Mitch McConnell, the the whole business to collapse, but Kentucky Republican and former it’s done the exact opposite,” said Senate President, would get their Caligiuri, the head of Colorado support. Open Lands, which has protected “I think it may be time for a fresh 637,000 acres in 668 easements since face,” said Denver native Joe O’ 1981. Dea at a Feb. 3 candidate forum The past year has been the busihosted by the Republican Women est ever for the nonprofit Colorado of Weld County. Open Lands. And the coming year Colorado Christian University looks even busier. Bob Warner’s ranch foreman Patrick Hladky, coaxes calves across the road to where Professor Greg Moore said he “The incentives have never been viewed the Kentucky senator difPHOTOS BY KATHRYN SCOTT, SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN they will pasture with their mothers. better and we have never seen ferently. about 1,500 acres. He raises cattle this much demand in 40 years,” “As majority leader, and now as there, too. From his home he can said Caligiuri, whose group has the minority leader, he’s the guy see the farmhouse where he was merged with five other land trusts who gets the job done,” Moore said. in the past five years. “It’s just been born and the one-room schoolhouse All eight GOP candidates for where he learned to read and write. exponential growth. We have a Bennet’s seat on the U.S. Senate Now he’s locking up his land in waiting list of 100 projects. Demand attended: Eli Bremer, Gino Cama conservation easement that will is growing faster than we can keep pana, Deborah Flora, Ron Hanks, keep his family’s fields forever up.” Daniel Hendricks, Gregory Moore, filled with cattle, grasses and corn. Only a few years ago, Colorado Joe O’Dea, and Peter Yu. Hosted Open Lands was handling about six He spent 46 years serving on boards by the Republican Women of Weld for three conservation districts that easements a year. Now they are doCounty, the event was sponsored overlap his property, including the ing 25 deals with landowners who by Weld Strong and Roche ContracPlatte Valley Conservation District, are earning more to forever protect tors. the West Adams Conservation their land from development. The forum was moderated by District and the Southeast Weld Last year, Colorado Open Lands George Brauchler, the current Conservation District. launched a campaign to raise $3 district attorney for the 18th “I’ve spent a lot of years working million to support landowners Judicial District. Weld County to keep land in conservation and in pursuing easements. The trust has Sheriff Steve Reams was in charge agriculture in perpetuity,” he said. recently hired five new employees of time-keeping. Brauchler chal“I guess now it’s my turn.” for both conservation work and lenged the candidates across a stewarding land that is set aside for broad range of topics, from oil and This story is from The Colorado conservation. gas to sending troops to Ukraine, Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet Bob Warner’s parents started the debate over the elections 1887 based in Denver and covering the farming and ranching near Fort Electoral Act, and whether 2020’s state. For more, and to support The Lupton more than a century ago. presidential was election stolen. Bob Warner spends a morning checkEvery year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothinging Bank provide community Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. He was born on the farm 85 years The Republican primary is in on his cattle and on the men who members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert with Change 4 Change, com. The Colorado Sun is a partner ago. The Colorado State University June and the general election is on are working his family ranch near Fort in the Colorado News Conservancy, graduate and Air Force who Nov. 8. organization that helps with the food Lupton, Colorado. “The cows are kind of another drive. See more onpilot Page 2. owner of Colorado Community flew for Continental Airlines for 38 like children-they run and play and have SEE FORUM, P4 years grows hay, alfalfa and corn on Media. foot races. I just like to be around them.”
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