Colorado woman protects 18,484 acres of family ranch once listed for $100 million

A nearly 20,000-acre cattle ranch in Colorado, United States, which was once put up for sale for $100 million, has now been permanently protected from development. Its owner, Susan Nottingham, has worked with conservation organisations to preserve 18,484 acres of the Nottingham Ranch, along with its historic water rights, ensuring that the land can continue to be used for agriculture. The ranch, located near Burns across Eagle and Routt counties, has been in the Nottingham family for decades. Susan's parents, Bill Nottingham Jr. and Neva Snook, spent more than 60 years building the property into one of Colorado's largest working cattle ranches. Their daughter has now taken steps to ensure that the land they assembled is not divided and sold for development. The Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) announced the completion of a conservation easement covering the property. Under this agreement, the ranch will remain privately owned and can continue its agricultural operations, but its future development will be permanently restricted. The decision marks a major change for Nottingham, who had previously considered selling the ranch. According to The Colorado Sun, the property was listed for $100 million in 2017. However, the possibility of buyers dividing the land and selling its water rights made her reconsider what she wanted for the family's property. How the Nottingham family built the ranch The family's ranching history in Colorado goes back to the late 1800s. Susan's parents married in 1950, and began building their own agricultural business. Their first ranch was located on land that is now part of the EagleVail Golf Course in Avon. Over the following six decades, they acquired additional properties that eventually became the Nottingham Ranch. The family moved its ranching operations as development expanded in the Vail Valley. Bill continued working on the ranch until his death in 2014, while Neva also remained closely connected to the property throughout her life. The ranch currently supports approximately 1,200 cattle and produces around 3,000 tonnes of hay each summer, according to The Colorado Sun. A view of the Colorado River from the Nottingham Ranch Why Susan Nottingham decided against selling When Nottingham placed the property on the market in 2017, she encountered potential buyers who were interested in dividing the ranch and selling its resources separately. Speaking to The Colorado Sun, she described the experience as painful because prospective buyers did not share her family's attachment to the land. Nottingham had also been sceptical of conservation easements, particularly restrictions on private property rights. However, her views changed after she began working with the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust, an organisation familiar with the needs of working ranchers. She also considered how selling the property to developers could affect neighbouring ranchers, who might face similar pressure to sell their land. Her decision was ultimately shaped by a desire to protect the family's agricultural legacy and prevent the ranch from being divided. Speaking about her parents' contribution, she said, "They’re the ones that took 64 years of their married life and put this all together." What will happen to the land and its water rights? The conservation agreement protects 18,484 acres, including nearly 9,500 acres in Eagle County. According to CCALT, it is the largest conservation easement in the 23-year history of Eagle County's Open Space Fund. Importantly, the agreement also protects more than 175 cubic feet per second of senior water rights connected to tributaries of the Colorado River. These rights are particularly important because the ranch depends on water for its agricultural operations. The agreement will keep the protected water rights tied to the property. The land also provides habitat for elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, bald eagles and greater sage-grouse. Its conservation will help protect these habitats alongside the ranch's agricultural activities. The project received support from several organisations, including Great Outdoors Colorado, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and The Nature Conservancy.