Our Preserves
SPLT believes the most tangible and effective way we can help prairie wildlife is to acquire and protect the ground under their feet. We have established four prairie preserves in southeastern Colorado, which cover over 60,000 acres of native grassland. SPLT owns and directly manages over 50,000 acres and holds conservation easements on an additional 6,000 acres.
Meet the Nature Preserves
Heartland Ranch
~43,000 acres
Raven's Nest
~ 5,000 acres
Fresh Tracks
2,560 acres
Quail Ridge
90 acres
Wild Animal Refuge
9,690 acres
Visit the Nature Preserves
SPLT’s Heartland Ranch and Raven’s Nest Nature Preserves are bisected by several public county roads, which anyone is free to travel on at any time. From these roads, you can glimpse some wildlife and usually our bison herd, but off-road travel is not allowed so as not to disturb the native animals and plants.
- We conduct free educational field trips for school children, college and university classes, and adult groups, such as senior centers, veterans groups, and historical organizations.
- There are opportunities to visit the preserves for free in the course of SPLT service projects to improve the land, such as erosion control, fence removal, and wildlife surveys.
- Sustaining members of SPLT who have donated $1,000 or more in the past 12 months can make a reservation to visit the preserves for free.
- All others are welcome to participate in a guided tour of the property at $100 per person, with a minimum party size of 5.
For any of the above, please contact:
Jay Tutchton, Preserve Manager: jay@southernplains.org or 720.301.3843
CONTACT US
Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT)
PO Box 1016, Lamar, CO 81052
217.621.6007
splt@southernplains.org
A special thanks to the SPLT photographers!