FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Darryl Seibel, Darryl@ccalt.org , 720-557-8266

October 27, 2025

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) is proud to announce the completion of a conservation easement on McPherson Ranch, a 1,900-acre property located in the East Divide Creek drainage of Garfield County, Colo. Owned and operated by the McPherson family, the ranch supports a sustainable cattle grazing operation and now joins a growing network of conserved lands in Colorado’s western slope.

McPherson Ranch is within a landscape of ecological and agricultural significance. The property includes mixed mountain shrublands and montane-subalpine woodlands, along with a half mile of East Divide Creek, a stream that supports both wildlife and watershed health. The ranch hosts hundreds of elk, sweeping views of ridgetops and valley floors, all just a few miles from where many generations of the McPherson family have called home.

“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a lot of amazing properties over the years. McPherson Ranch is one of my all-time favorites not only for its undeniable beauty, but also its solitude and, most impressive, this property holds so much history for the McPherson family story. It’s been nothing but a pleasure seeing the family’s goals through to fruition.” said Erin Quinn, CCALT Manager.

The ranch shares boundaries with BLM-administered parcels and the White River National Forest, contributing to a vast corridor of conserved lands. Nearby, the Garfield Creek State Wildlife Area and other conserved properties bolster habitat connectivity for elk, mule deer, moose, black bear, mountain lion and other native species. The property also lies within two designated Potential Conservation Areas, identified by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, and supports habitat for several sensitive species, including Canada lynx, northern leopard frog, and Colorado River cutthroat trout.

“It feels wonderful to know that this land will forever be part of the McPherson legacy, allowing my family to be one with the landscape for generations to come,” shared Glen McPherson.

This easement was completed as a donation. CCALT and the community at large extends its sincere gratitude to the McPherson family for their vision and generosity in placing McPherson Ranch under easement. By doing so, they have ensured that this meaningful landscape will permanently remain intact and available for agricultural use, wildlife habitat and scenic value.

About the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust

The mission of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust is to conserve Colorado’s Western heritage and working landscapes for the benefit of future generations. Since 1995, CCALT has partnered with more than 400 families to conserve more than 815,000 acres of Colorado farmland, ranchland, open space, and wildlife habitat.

Members of the media: for more information, please contact Darryl Seibel, CCALT Director of External Relations, at (720) 557-8266 or darryl@ccalt.org.