U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Land Protection 

Planning

Proposed Sangre de Cristo 

Conservation Area

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Region 6 Mountain-Prairie Region 

The proposed Sangre de Cristo 

Conservation Area is a landscape-scale 

project designed to conserve wildlife 

habitat in southern Colorado and 

northern New Mexico, specifically in 

the southeastern portion of the San 

Luis Valley, a montane-high desert 

region. The Sangre de Cristo 

Mountains in this area provide habitat 

for wildlife species ranging from Rio 

Grande cutthroat trout to Canada 

lynx.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(Service) released a draft Land 

Protection Plan (LPP) and associated 

Environmental Assessment (EA) for 

the larger San Luis Valley 

Conservation Area, of which the 

proposed Sangre de Cristo 

Conservation Area is a component, on 

May 9, 2012. The 30-day comment 

period for those documents closed on 

June 8, 2012. The draft LPP 

addressed conservation goals and the 

approach the Service would use to 

determine priority properties 

considered for partnerships and 

perpetual conservation easements 

with interested landowners. The 

associated EA detailed the potential 

impacts of the proposed federal action. 

Any potential acquisitions of 

conservation easements would be from 

willing sellers. Lands under easement 

would remain in private ownership. 

Access to these lands would be 

controlled by the landowner and 

agricultural production would 

continue. These lands would also 

remain on local tax rolls. The Service 

would administer any such lands 

acquired for this project as part of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, the 

world’s premier network of lands and 

waters managed for the conservation 

of fish and wildlife. 

Blanca Peak in the San Luis Valley / Joe Zinn

Canada lynx / E. Bauer

Project Overview

The San Luis Valley is home to 

numerous conservation assets, 

including the San Luis Valley National 

Wildlife Refuge Complex, the Great 

Sand Dunes National Park and 

Preserve, other federal and state 

conservation lands, and 

nongovernmental initiatives led by 

local land trusts and private citizens. 

Together, this network of public and 

private partners are working to 

conserve the rich and largely intact 

wildlife habitat in the Valley and 

promoting connectivity for both 

migratory and resident species 

ranging from shorebirds, which nest 

seasonally in the Valley, to the 

federally protected Canada lynx, 

which moves locally between alpine 

environments in Colorado and New 

Mexico.

Seeking to build on these partnerships, 

the Service proposes to acquire an 

interest in lands within the boundary 

of the proposed Sangre de Cristo 

Conservation Area to protect habitat 

for federal trust species and to connect 

and enhance existing conservation 

lands to promote connectivity for 

wildlife in the face of rapid 

environmental change. Key habitat 

types include high desert shrubsteppe, mountain grasslands, and 

alpine forest and tundra. Overall, the 

Service proposes to protect up to 

approximately 250,000 acres of land 

within the boundary of the proposed 
Region 6 Mountain-Prairie Region 

Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area 

and up to an additional approximately 

280,000 acres of currently unprotected 

land within the larger San Luis Valley, 

resulting in a total proposed 

conservation “footprint” of up to 

approximately 530,000 acres for the 

entire Valley. The Service anticipates 

that funding for the project will come 

primarily from the Land and Water 

Conservation Fund. Prioritization of 

land for acquisition in the proposed 

Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area 

will be based on habitat needs for focal 

species including Canada lynx, Rio

Grande cutthroat trout, Gunnison

sage-grouse, southwestern willow 

flycatcher, sage thrasher, and Lewis’ 

woodpecker.

Next Steps

The Service is currently reviewing 

public comments submitted during the 

30-day public comment period on the 

draft LPP and EA for the San Luis 

Valley Conservation Area, of which 

the proposed Sangre de Cristo 

Conservation Area is the first potential 

component in the Service’s phased 

implementation approach for the 

Valley. The Director of the Fish and 

Wildlife Service must approve formal 

establishment of the Sangre de Cristo 

Conservation Area as a new unit of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System. 

After the Director has approved that 

step, the Service will continue to work 

closely with private landowners and 

other partners in the proposed Sangre 

de Cristo Conservation Area 

acquisition boundary while 

simultaneously strengthening 

conservation partnerships with 

agencies, organizations and individuals 

throughout the larger San Luis Valley.

Map of Proposed Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area / USFWS

Mike Blenden, Project Leader

San Luis Valley National Wildlife 

Refuge Complex

9383 El Rancho Lane

Alamosa, CO 81101

(720) 589-4021

Mike Dixon, Planning Team Leader

Division of Refuge Planning

PO Box 25486, DFC

Denver, CO 80225

(303) 236-8132

Website: 

www.fws.gov/alamosa/planning

E-mail comments to: 

SLVrefugeplanning@fws.gov

For State relay service

TTY / Voice: 711

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

June 2012