Three new conservations easements in the Wellington Community Separator Area (WCSA)were acquired recently by Fort Collins, with funding from the city’s Natural Areas Program as well as the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The land deal will assure that 341 acres of prime irrigated farmland will remain in agriculture, helping to maintain a buffer of open lands between Wellington and Fort Collins.
The two-year effort resulted in conservation easements on farms owned by the Kraft family (155 acres), the Lockman family (120 acres) and Phytogen Resources LLC (66 acres).
The three easements cost a total of $1.2 million, including $695,000 from the natural areas program and a grant of $510,000 from NRCS. The natural areas program is funded by two 0.25 percent sales taxes levied by the city and Larimer County.
To date, 900 acres on nine farms have been placed under conservation easements in the WCSA.