[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Ag Lessee Update (El Paso, Pueblo Counties)

Greetings, COBirders,

If you are concerned about the future agricultural/grazing lessee of Chico Basin Ranch, please read on.

The State Land Board (SLB) staff is recommending Flying Diamond Ranch (the Johnson family) as the ag lessee that would replace Ranchlands (the Phillips family) beginning Jan 1, 2025.

The SLB Commissioners will vote on this on Weds November 8^th. Any comments should be posted by midnight on Monday Nov 6^th. 

You may comment or sign up to speak at the meeting (in person or via zoom) here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHLoANsTkJyomSRsPJm5aNH5EA-2sA8h7RlM8Df_ESURzjSQ/viewform. 

Aiken Audubon will not be taking a position on this. However, we will hold the future, separate birding lease at Chico Basin Ranch, which will operate under different and more challenging conditions than it does currently. Aiken and Colorado birders, not to mention the birds themselves, have benefited from over two decades of exceedingly friendly, respectful coexistence with Ranchlands.

State Land Board staff will be recommending Flying Diamond to the Commissioners as the next ag lessee. Ranchlands is appealing the decision. Of the 11 bidders, Flying Diamond received the highest rating by staff, and Ranchlands received the 2^nd highest- the difference being just over 5 points out of 100. You can visit the ranch websites to view their philosophies, as well as conservation and ranching awards. A number of regional birders will be urging the Commissioners to keep Ranchlands at Chico, due to their proven outstanding stewardship of the land and their excellent working relationship with birders, among other attributes. If you'd like further information on Ranchlands or Flying Diamond, please don't hesitate to contact me directly. Obviously, you can comment on any ranch that bid on Chico.

Ranchlands: https://ranchlands.com/

Flying Diamond: https://flyingdiamondcattleranch.com/

Again, we urge you to comment by midnight on Monday Nov 6^th.

Thanks to all of you for your interest in keeping Chico bird-friendly, and under exemplary land stewardship.

Linda Hodges
Conservation Chair
Aiken Audubon

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