Central Colorado Conservancy’s 2025 Hands For Lands Ditch Cleaning Work Parties Announced

CONTACT: Heather Mills, heather@centralcoloradoconservancy.org, 719-539-7700

Salida – Central Colorado Conservancy announces their spring Hands for Lands Ditch Cleaning work parties beginning the second week of April. Each spring, the Hands for Lands volunteer program helps local ranchers and agricultural landowners clean out their ditches in anticipation of the irrigation season. Miles of ditches need to be maintained by trimming overgrown vegetation, raking up debris, clearing tumbleweeds, and removing anything else that has accumulated over the winter and might impede the flow of water once irrigation season starts.

By pitching in with our many hands we help lighten the workload and support local ranches and agriculturalists which provide so much to our community including wildlife habitat, scenic vistas, aquifer recharge, and local food. Irrigation is imperative for ranchers and agriculture in our area, and the benefits ripple out from there. Spreading water out across the land creates valuable wetlands and wildlife habitat, recharges aquifers and adds to the green landscape that makes springtime in the valley so beautiful!

The April ditch cleaning schedule is as follows:

• Cooper Property: Saturday, April 12, Salida
• Hutchinson Ranch: Wednesday-Thursday, April 16-17, Poncha Springs
• Frenchman’s Creek Ranch: Wednesday, April 23, Buena Vista
• Kelly Ranch: Saturday-Sunday, April 26-27, Buena Vista

Come out and enjoy some incredible scenery, fresh air and exercise on some beautiful and iconic ranches in the valley. For more information or to sign up to volunteer for the ditch cleaning work parties, please visit https://www.centralcoloradoconservancy.org/handsforlands or contact Heather Mills, Central Colorado Conservancy’s Agriculture Program Manager, at 719-539-7700 or heather@centralcoloradoconservancy.org.