FAQs
- Photo by Karen Voepel
How can I support the Southern Plains Land Trust?
Thank you for your interest in our mission to gain ground for prairie wildlife. There are many ways to support us! Besides sharing information about us with your contacts, you can contribute by donating or volunteering. All donations are tax-deductible and will go directly towards land acquisition and managing the preserves.
Where are your preserves located?
Southern Plains Land Trust owns three preserves and holds conservation easements on two more properties. The Heartland Ranch Nature Preserve and Raven’s Nest Preserve are located in Bent County, while the Fresh Tracks Preserve is in Baca County, both in southeastern Colorado. The Wild Animal Sanctuary and Quail Ridge properties are located in Bent County and Prowers County respectively. The preserves are currently not connected to each other – there is about a 10-20 mile distance between them.
Can I visit the Southern Plains Land Trust?
Yes! There are a few ways that you can come visit our preserves. First, if you are interested in volunteering, come join us for a SPLT work party! Common activities include riparian restoration such as building one- rock dams and planting trees, as well as fence removal and replacement. Second, if you are a SPLT donor who has contributed more than $2,500 in a given year, we will work with you to arrange a private tour of SPLT’s preserves. If you are interested, please contact our Preserve Manager Jay at jay@southernplains.org. Thirdly, if you are interested in visiting SPLT’s preserves as part of a larger tour of southeastern Colorado, please contact our ecotourism partner Reefs to Rockies to arrange a trip.
How can I buy carbon offset credits from you?
We have enrolled our two largest preserves, Raven’s Nest Nature Preserve and Heartland Ranch, under the Climate Action Reserve’s Grassland Protocol. These properties sequester more than 15,000 metric tons of carbon annually. Sale of these carbon credits creates the ultimate feedback loop: carbon sales generate revenue for SPLT to acquire and protect more grasslands, which sequester more carbon and provide refuges for more wildlife. This is exemplified by SPLT’s partnership with NativeEnergy.
We sell carbon credits through a variety of intermediaries, such as the Xcel Power company and Rocky Mountain Wild. Our Colorado Carbon Offsets Program partnership with Rocky Mountain Wild gives you an opportunity to individually purchase carbon offsets. 80% of your donation will be used by Southern Plains Land Trust to sequester carbon dioxide by purchasing and permanently protecting endangered prairie habitat and native wildlife. The remaining 20% will be used by Rocky Mountain Wild to conserve climate-sensitive species such as the American pika.
Do you work together with local communities and tribes?
We are committed to creating a welcoming environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and safe. By actively engaging with a variety of communities, we seek to build partnerships based on trust, reciprocity, and shared stewardship of the land. For more information or to get involved, check out our Community Engagement page.
What kind of animals live on the prairie?
The prairie is full of life! From tiny bugs to massive bison. Many animals feed on the grass that grows on the prairie, but there are also predators that feed on the grazers, and birds use the prairie as a resting area during migration. Check out our ‘Meet the Residents’ page to see more information and photographs of native prairie wildlife.
Do you have an environmental education program or field trip opportunities?
SPLT is heavily invested in education about shortgrass prairie ecology and conservation, particularly for local youths in southeast Colorado. We offer educational programming both through in-school visits and field trips to our preserves. If you are an educator interested in setting up a field trip or arranging for a SPLT staff member to give a classroom presentation, please email kieran@southernplains.org for more information.
Do you sell any merchandise or gifts?
Yes, we do! We have a variety of sustainable items that are made in the United States with ethically sourced products and by local businesses.
All proceeds go directly to support SPLT’s mission to create & protect a network of shortgrass prairie preserves.
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