• Client: Legacy Land Trust, Larimer, Jackson and Weld Counties, Colorado
• Date: Fall, 2008 – Spring, 2009
• Project Type: GIS Database Development and Modeling, Obtained relevant spatial data for modeling, training and technical support, report development
• Info: Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting developed a Conservation Values Model for Legacy Land Trust. Our staff used GIS database to identify places within Larimer, Jackson and Weld counties where conservation values are represented on the landscape.

We broke conservation values into ecological, agricultural and scenic categories. In order to incorporate these values into the GIS project, we researched, compiled, weighted, analyzed, and filtered available data layers.

The ecological category included the Colorado Division of Wildlife Riparian Habitat Map, the Colorado Partners Map and Colorado Natural Heritage Program Potential Conservation Areas Map.

BMEC obtained agricultural values from the USGS SSURGO database and included prime soils and soils of statewide significance. Scenic values included scenic byways and polygons designated by Legacy Land Trust. We used COMap to filter preliminary output maps and identify private lands where Legacy Land Trust can implement projects.

In a separate modeling process, we utilized projected urban growth within the project area to identify where urban growth will be likely to occur near areas that represent conservation values. The primary modeling output and preliminary data layers are illustrated below.