Bent Conservation District

05/29/2026

The nights are busy, as our burrowing owl den transforms into a bustling, high-stakes hub of wildlife activity, and survival depends on constant vigilance. While the owls hunt darting insects and small mammals in the dark, rabbits occasionally wander through the chaotic, shared terrain, searching for tasty vegetation to munch on. The owls and rabbits alike continuously dodge stealthy coyotes that patrol the prairie in search of prey.

05/27/2026

Courtesy of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, there are many resources available to help ranchers and farmers navigate the drought.

05/27/2026

Coyotes are highly adaptive hunters that pose a very real threat to our burrowing owl pair. This week, we will take a closer look at these persistent predators during their late-night travels through the owls' neighborhood.

05/24/2026

🇺🇸 In observance of Memorial Day, the USDA Building will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026.

Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday. As we enjoy the holiday weekend, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. ❤️🤍💙

05/23/2026

Courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor, here are current conditions for Colorado.

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

05/23/2026

Let's talk about what can happen when prairie dog communities are unmanaged.

Sometimes without intervention, these populations can and do expand rapidly. While they serve as keystone species that support biodiversity, unmanaged colonies can lead to severe overgrazing, infrastructure damage, and disease transmission. Livestock animals are at risk of life ending injuries from falling into collapsing dens, and native species of plants are decimated.

Then comes the domino effect. Other species of wildlife are exposed to disease, and erosion of the exposed soils increases dramatically.
This can also lead to a total colony collapse, affecting our burrowing owls that are already threatened.

It's extremely important to remember that our area still has not recovered from the dust bowl. And, all the recovery that has been done over the last century is because of the very hard work of our farmers and ranchers. They are the foundation of our area's conservation efforts to help balance our fragile ecosystem.

05/21/2026

Thank a farmer!

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the total acreage of U.S. land in farms has dropped by 75 million acres over the last few decades.

One acre of produce (such as potatoes or carrots) feeds 10 to 42 people.

One acre of grain corn feeds about 14 to 17 people.

One acre of beans feed roughly 3 to 16 people.

Additionally, one acre of hay feeds about 1 to 1.5 adult cows for roughly 4 to 6 months. This time frame represents the standard winter period (OSU data).

Our farmers stand at the intersection of extreme environmental, economic, and operational pressures daily. Those difficulties are compounded by unpredictable climate-driven weather events, high costs for seeds and fertilizers, volatile global commodity markets, and barriers to land access and capital.

What happens to farmers affects us all.

05/20/2026

Burrowing owls and prairie dogs are not really friends, they're neighbors that are usually civil to each other. No trespassing allowed!

05/19/2026

Kicking off a healthy summer at the Las Animas Football field. Come spin the wheel and test your knowledge on Conservation!

05/19/2026

Come see us!

☀️🌴 Families, please join us at our Amazing Family Challenge on Tuesday, May 19th! 🌴☀️

🎯 Enjoy FREE games & prizes
🌭🍔 Enjoy a delicious cookout
🥩🥕 Before you leave… pick up a FREE bag of groceries with fresh meat & produce! 🛒🍎

Bring the whole family for an evening of fun, food, and community! 😎🎉
We’ll see you on Tuesday! ☀️🌈

05/18/2026

Our owl pair has been quite busy!

Both partners prepare the den by digging with their beaks and kicking back dirt with their feet. To finish, they line the nest cavity and entrance with materials like cattle dung to deter predators and attract insects for food.