For Immediate Release August 6, 2004
Contact: Ken Smith 719-269-8553

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Wolf Springs Ranches, Inc. have recently completed a land exchange in the southern end of the Wet Mountain Valley. While the exchange will benefit both the BLM and Wolf Springs Ranches and the San Isabel National Forest, it will also provide public access to some land with significant natural resource values.

The United States acquired 4861 acres known as the Stanley Creek Parcel, a portion of the former Higby Ranch, located approximately 39 miles northwest of Walsenburg. The parcel is on the north slope of Green and Slide Mountains, and is 75% surrounded by state and federal land. Of the land acquired by the United States, 320 acres is within the boundaries and will become a part of the San Isabel National Forest.

The purpose of the acquisition is to consolidate public land ownership and provide increased public recreation and hunting opportunities. It also brings important natural resource values into federal ownership, including significant wildlife habitat, wetlands, and riparian resources.

Wolf Springs Ranches acquired 11,873 acres of federal land within its existing ranch boundaries and grazing allotment. These former 21 federal land parcels were difficult and uneconomic for the federal government to manage, with limited public accessibility for recreational use. Acquisition of these lands by Wolf Springs Ranches will consolidate private ownership within the ranch and provide it more opportunity to accomplish its management objectives for the entire ranch. The land exchange was based on fair market value of the property.

Fair market values are set by appraisal, after determining the highest and best use of the land in an open market and using comparable land sales in the vicinity of the property. Based on the highest and best use determination, the low elevation, dry, inaccessible lands acquired by Wolf Springs Ranch were appraised as grazing land, while the Stanley Creek parcel was appraised as a recreational ranch with a higher value per acre. The Stanley Creek parcel contains significant wildlife, recreational and scenic values while providing public access to National Forest lands. The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service will manage these lands for those values.

Wolf Springs Ranch has agreed to set aside 2440 acres of important wildlife habitat in a conservation easement that will be held and administered by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. This easement includes one parcel containing 1500 acres of public land to be conveyed in the exchange along with 160 acres of private land within Wolf Springs Ranch. The second parcel contains 780 acres of the former Higby Ranch not acquired in this exchange.

The BLM will be working on a management plan for the land acquired. Access into the property is available through the Huerfano State Wildlife Area and a footbridge and trail has been constructed from the big campground to the newly acquired BLM parcel. While it is open to the public, the use of off highway vehicles will likely be curtailed, at least until travel management planning can be completed for that area. This planning is currently scheduled for 2008.

For further information about the exchange contact Jan Fackrell at the BLM office in Canon City at (719) 269-8525.