Montelores Coalition

06/16/2026

Looking for meaningful, hands-on work in conservation and stewardship?

Southwest Conservation Corps is now accepting applications for its Cortez Fall Day Crew. This crew will support important projects across our region, including work connected to the Montelores Coalition’s upcoming Strike Team initiatives this fall.

Projects like these help improve recreation sites, support landscape health, and strengthen stewardship efforts across Montezuma and Dolores counties.

Check out the flyer and visit SCCorps.org for more details.

06/13/2026

We are excited to announce the selected projects for the Montelores Coalition’s first Strike Team initiative!

This year’s selected projects include:
- County Road 39 restoring river function and habitat on the Mancos River
- Cleanup and noxious w**d mitigation efforts at Hawkins Preserve in Cortez
- Derelict fence removal near Rico to improve wildlife movement and landscape connectivity

These projects represent an important step as the Coalition moves from planning into implementation and begins supporting more on-the-ground conservation and recreation work across the region.

Thank you to everyone who submitted proposals and participated in the process. We look forward to sharing more updates as work begins!

06/07/2026

We are excited to share the first video in a new summer video series from the Montelores Coalition focused on who we are, how we work, and the collaborative efforts happening across our region.

This first video introduces the structure of the Coalition, including the role of the Executive Committee and the Roundtable, and how these groups work together to help guide recreation and conservation efforts across Montezuma and Dolores counties.

We look forward to sharing more throughout the summer.

06/01/2026

Thank you again to everyone who joined the Colorado Public Lands Day cleanup at Bean Canyon!

Together, volunteers removed approximately 1,000 pounds of litter and debris from the area, including 21 contractor bags of trash, scrap metal, shell casings, abandoned materials, and other debris. Volunteers also helped clean and naturalize multiple fire rings throughout the site.

We appreciate the partnership and support from San Juan Mountains Association, Dolores Watersheds Collaborative, USDA Forest Service - San Juan National Forest, and all of the community members who came out to help care for this landscape.

The Montelores Coalition is excited for more opportunities to support meaningful stewardship projects across the region.

06/01/2026

Some helpful information about cattle grazing and "fence-out" laws in Colorado.

*The Montelores Coalition shares information from partner organizations and community sources for awareness. The inclusion of external content does not imply endorsement of any specific organization, program, or viewpoint

🐄🚧 It's that time of year again! FRIENDLY REMINDER: FIX YOUR FENCES (cattle season + drought year)

Cattle will be moving onto the mountain soon — and with the drought, expect them to be EXTRA motivated to test weak spots. 🌾🔥

COLORADO FENCE LAW (quick, useful basics):

Colorado is generally an OPEN RANGE / “FENCE-OUT” state — if you don’t want livestock on your property, the landowner is responsible for having and maintaining a “lawful fence.”
Without a lawful fence, livestock wandering onto unfenced private property typically doesn’t create the same liability you’d expect in a “fence-in” state.
When you border federal land, it’s still “fence-out” on the private side — and those boundary fences are often the difference between a smooth season and constant drift headaches, and the success of your garden....

✅ RULE OF THUMB: HORSE-HIGH, HOG-TIGHT, BULL-STRONG 💪

5–10 MINUTE CHECKLIST:

Fix down wires / busted posts / leaning stays
Tighten slack stretches (one loose wire becomes a gate)
Brace corners + H-braces
Latch gates (and check chains)

🤝 RANGE FENCE COURTESY (this matters):

Leave gates THE WAY YOU FIND THEM (open stays open, closed stays closed)
If you open it, shut it + LATCH IT
Don’t cut wire — reach out if there’s an issue

And a real note from the rider side: we repair and patrol COUNTLESS miles of fence every season. When private landowners keep their boundary fences in good shape, it makes a huge difference — fewer wrecks, fewer late-night gathers, fewer neighbor headaches.

Community effort really pays off, and I promise: we NOTICE and appreciate the neighbors who keep a good fence. 🙏🐎

05/29/2026

We are sharing two upcoming educational events focused on stewardship, land management, and ecosystem health across our region.

On June 2, Southwest Seed Farm in Pleasant View will host an Insect Walk and Talk with CSU Extension - Montezuma County entomologist Mel Schreinder focused on insect identification and the important role insects play in healthy landscapes.

Then on June 3, the Mancos Conservation District will host workshops on Integrated Pest Management and Noxious W**d Control at Fozzie’s Farm in Lewis, Colorado. These sessions will focus on w**d and pest identification, management practices, and stewardship approaches that support healthy landscapes across the region.

Check out the flyers for registration information and additional details.

*The Montelores Coalition shares information from partner organizations and community sources for awareness. The inclusion of external content does not imply endorsement of any specific organization, program, or viewpoint.

05/27/2026

Want to stay up to date on what’s happening with the Montelores Coalition?

Our monthly newsletter is a great way to get updates on projects, opportunities to get involved, and what’s happening across outdoor recreation and conservation in our region.

Sign up here: https://montelores-coalition-45015434.hubspotpagebuilder.net/montelores-coalition-newsletter

05/23/2026

As we head into a busy spring season, it’s a good time to remember that many of our favorite places are shared spaces.

Trails, open lands, and public spaces support a wide range of uses, from recreation to ranching to wildlife habitat. Being aware of others, staying on designated routes, and respecting working lands all help keep these areas healthy and accessible.
Small choices can make a big difference.

What’s one way you practice stewardship when you’re out on the landscape?

05/21/2026

Earlier this month, Montelores Coalition Executive Director Cara Gildar participated in an interview at the Regional Partnership Initiative (RPI) Summit, highlighting the importance of collaboration across Southwest Colorado.

One focus of the conversation was the growing partnership between the Montelores Coalition, Southwest Colorado Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (SCCORR), and Pagosa Area Recreation Coalition (PARC). Together, the three organizations have formed the Southwest Regional Partnerships group (SWRP) to strengthen communication, coordination, and shared stewardship efforts across the region.

Collaboration across landscapes and communities is an important part of how we move this work forward.

05/19/2026

The Montelores Coalition Roundtable recently participated in a statewide pilot project focused on better understanding recreation use.

As part of this effort, local areas were nominated for data collection using anonymous cell phone data. Phil’s World and Jackson Lake State Park were selected to be part of the project.

The results will be publicly available and will help inform future decisions around recreation, conservation, and economic development in our region.

This type of data can support more informed, balanced decision-making as we continue moving into implementation.