Conservation and Open Space Planning

At Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting, we understand the challenges that landowners and managers face. We provide the tools to meet land use goals including conservation planning, easements, grazing plans, NRCS Technical Services, Rural Land Use Plans and other programs.

As a rancher, agency manager, residential landowner, conservation partner or owner of an exclusive property, we can help you navigate the challenges of incentives and regulatory programs while balancing the needs of your working landscape. With decades of experience on rural lands, our roots are in agriculture.

Whether developing a conservation easement report, developing a grazing plan or forest management plan, we have the tools and expertise necessary to make your project a success.

We work extensively with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), numerous land trusts, county governments and the Department of Natural Resources to meet a variety of resource management needs. Request a proposal to discuss how the following services can help you achieve your goals.

Conservation Easements

Are you a landowner wanting to preserve your property’s inherent ecosystem, including open space, water and wildlife? Conservation easements can provide permanent protection from your property being developed. In addition, you may be eligible to receive a significant tax savings on your federal taxes.

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government entity. It contains permanent restrictions on the use or development of land in order to protect certain
qualities of the property. The conservation easement is recorded in the county records and binds all current and future owners of the land.

Whether you are a commercial, non-profit or private landowner, Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting will develop a conservation easement baseline documentation report. In tandem with that, we can prepare a conservation easement management plan with direction for how to manage your property for years to come.

NRCS Technical Services

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting provides NRCS Technical Services to landowners participating in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in Colorado and Wyoming.

Our services include Conservation Activity Plans (CAP) for land treatments, forestry, wetlands, grazing management, forest management, wildlife, and agroforestry. Conservation Activity Plans are developed in close cooperation with the landowner and in accordance with NRCS guidelines.

Grazing Plans and Rangeland Management

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting provides grazing plans and rangeland management for properties throughout Colorado and Wyoming. Our services include CAP Grazing Plans, noxious weed inventories, and rangeland assessments to determine species composition and forage production.

We have conducted quantitative rangeland assessments with a variety of sampling protocols such as the Modified-Whittaker plot, Forest Health Monitoring plot, double sampling to estimate biomass, and line transects.

Noxious weed inventories are typically a part of every stewardship plan. We have prepared noxious weed management plans for numerous state parks and municipalities, open space properties, and most of our environmental planning clients.

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting has prepared CAP Grazing Plans for more than 25,000 acres in Wyoming.

Phase 1 Environmental Assessments

Are you seeking due diligence in a real estate transactions? Phase 1 Environmental Assessments are suitable for private landowners, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations. An Environmental Site Assessment is designed to determine if there are any recognized environmental hazards on or near a property that could create liability for a landowner.

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting provides Phase 1 Environmental Assessments in accordance with the American Society of Testing and Materials Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments (ASTM E1527-21, ASTM E1528-14, E2247-16). Our assessments are within the scope of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) throughout Colorado.

Rural Land Use Plans

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting provides Rural Land Use Plans for properties in counties along the Front Range of Colorado and in eastern Wyoming. These plans assist landowners who want to develop their property while maintaining their land for agriculture or other open space.

The advantage of Rural Land Use Planning is that it enables homes to be clustered in one area of the property (on 2-acre or larger lots). This lowers development costs and preserves the remaining land in a conservation easement or protective covenant. The preserved land remains free of development for a minimum of 40 years and can be utilized for purposes such as agriculture, wildlife, and open space.

You can benefit from your land financially by dividing it into smaller parcels and keep the larger parcel for your continued use, if so desired.

Open Space Management Plans

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting provides Open Space Management Plans for a variety of organizations in Colorado and Wyoming. We offer these services for reservoir watersheds, residential communities and other open space properties.

Open space management plans are long-term strategic planning documents that address multiple resources. These can include forest health, wildlife mitigation, rangelands, noxious weeds, wildlife habitat improvement, riparian health, or recreational use.

At Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting, we utilize an ecosystem management planning process that develops long-term goals or desired future conditions. We base these plans on current conditions, historical conditions, resource constraints and landowner objectives.

Our Open Space Plans typically include extensive input from landowners and managers and are designed to be implemented by these individuals.

Resource Management Plans

Forest Agricultural Plans

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting provides Forest Agricultural Plans to landowners with 40 acres or more of forest lands in counties along the front range of Colorado. Forest Agricultural Plans fulfill one of the required criteria for allowing landowners to achieve Forest Agriculture Classification per the Colorado State Forest Service.

Once enrolled in the Forest Ag Program, landowners are eligible to sell their timber, which offers similar tax valuation as that of traditional agricultural lands.

Additional benefits to participation in the Forest Ag Program include improved forest health, wildfire mitigation and enhanced wildlife habitat.

Past Projects in Conservation Planning

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Arkansas River Community Preserve

Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting conducted a wetland management study for a property in Lake County, Colorado. We identified potential environmental concerns and ultimately created the Arkansas River Community Preserve.

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Crystal Creek Ranch Conservation Plan

Design Workshop contracted Blue Mountain to provide wildfire mitigation planning to be incorporated in overall recreation plan.

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Black Canyon Road Open Space Plan

The City of Manitou Springs retained Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting (BMEC) to assist in the development of the Black Canyon Road Land Stewardship Plan. The plan is a working document that establishes open space goals, existing conditions, and recommendations for short- and long-term management and monitoring.

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Ruby Mountain Conservation Easement Plan

Colorado Parks and Wildlife contracted Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting to develop a conservation easement baseline report for a public-access property along the Arkansas River.