Berthoud Land Conservation Fund
    Finding
      cooperative

      positive

      voluntary

    ways to keep Berthoud lands in farming.
Landowner driven

Community based

Non-profit, non-governmental

Offers a variety of land protection alternatives
How We Began

People Behind the Effort

Please Contact Us

 Other Resources

Looking Ahead

Questions and Answers

Recent Successes

How We Began
In recent years, pressure from growth has brought major changes to the town of Berthoud. While the town has benefited from a healthy economy, the nature and character of its close-knit community is threatened.

At the heart of this character are the agricultural lands and farming lifestyle that have defined Berthoud for generations. Soaring land values and the perceived operational nuisances that have accompanied this growth often have made selling the farm a painful, yet realistic alternative.
The Berthoud Land Conservation Fund and its Steering Committee were created as an outgrowth of Berthoud's Parks and Open Space Subcommittee to find cooperative, positive, voluntary ways to keep these lands in farming. Town residents, their rural neighbors, and area agricultural producers alike have come together to preserve Berthoud's quality of life.

So far, the program has helped pass a local "right to farm" resolution, partnered with Colorado Open Lands, a statewide land trust, secured multiple grants to fund farmland protection, and preserved several area agricultural properties. The program is also a clearinghouse of information about land conservation and provides a support structure for farming families that have felt isolated in the face of increasing pressure to sell.

People Behind The Effort
Your neighbors.
Berthoud's farmers.
Your local bank.
A local real estate agent.
The Town of Berthoud.
A local builder.
Your organization -

    The Berthoud Land Conservation Fund.

Take a look at the Steering Committee members - you will probably recognize a name or two. This is a local effort, and it is happening because of the support and dedication of these community people as well as the growing participation of other fellow landowners and farmers.
Kevin Cook
Jeff Hindman
Milan Karspeck
Nancy Lamb
Carey Salomonson		 Mel Green
Brad Johnson
George Kleeb
Bill Markham
Dale Schaal
Supporting partners of this program are:
- Town of Berthoud
- Colorado Open Lands
- Smart Growth Regional Partners program
- Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)
- Federal Farmland Protection Program
- Berthoud Community Foundation
- Larimer County

Please Contact Us
The Berthoud Land Conservation Fund office is located inside the Chamber of Commerce at 255 Mountain Avenue. It is open on most Wednesdays, or by appointment on other days. The phone number is (970) 532-4518. If you would like to talk with someone, feel free to contact the office or speak with any member of the Steering Committee. We are here to help you and answer any questions you may have.

Other Resources
In addition to this organization, other resources are available for families wishing to preserve their farms, receive potential property and estate tax benefits, or conduct (further) estate planning. The Berthoud Land Conservation Fund's Steering Committee members are also a resource for landowners new to some of these concepts and looking for further information about the organization's purpose.

Some of these other resources (agencies, organizations, programs) include the following.
- Legacy Land Trust
- Larimer Co. Rural Land Use Center
- Larimer Co. Open Lands
- Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust
- American Farmland Trust
 (970) 266-1711
(970) 498-7686
(970) 679-4576
(303) 431-6422
(970) 484-8988

Looking Ahead:
Planning for Berthoud's Future
Berthoud's land protection program is a community-based effort in which local government plays a role, but is not necessarily the dominant player. We intend to keep it that way, while at the same time continuing to develop significant local support and partnerships for the project including the Town of Berthoud, civic and nonprofit organizations, and volunteers. Support will include time, expertise, and funding to leverage County, State and Federal support.
The Berthoud Land Conservation Fund strives to help maintain and enhance Berthoud's viable agricultural economy through a variety of farm preservation techniques. This means achieving success with many farming families, not just a few.
Because the project's success is
dependent on landowner support and
participation, Berthoud's future is, in
large part, in the hands of you, your
neighbors, and area farmers.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

by donating money,
referring us to interested landowners,
and continuing your support for
Berthoud's Area Farmers

FARMLAND PRESERVATION AND
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
Q. AND A.
Q. Who will own my land if I put a conservation easement on it?

A. You, the landowner, will retain full ownership. All that a land trust or other qualified entity will own are some or all of the development rights. These will never be sold to anyone else, and are essentially extinguished.

Q. Do I have to donate the easement?

A. Not for its entire value. Depending on a variety of factors, including your tax bracket, current income, and other factors a tax attorney can advise you on, it may make sense to donate a portion of the easement value to offset capital gains taxes on your increased income if you decide to sell a conservation easement.

Q. If I am paid, where is the money coming from?

A. There are a variety of sources for funding the purchase of conservation easements. Local funding, from both town and county sources, is essential in order to secure funding from larger sources, such as Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and the Federal Farmland Protection Program. Other funding sources include local, regional and national foundations that support land protection efforts like these.

Q. Can I spread payments for a conservation easement out over time?

A. In some cases this is possible, and may be preferable in order to maximize your financial gains and minimize your tax payments.

Q. How long does this whole process take?

A. This can depend on a number of factors, the most significant of which is how quickly funding can be obtained. It is essential to realize that foundations and other funding sources look for a firm commitment from a landowner before disbursing financial support. Another significant time factor is working out the terms of the conservation easement according to the landowner's needs. The entire process may take up to a year. This is not intended to be a quick fix! The purpose is to preserve your farm and lands in perpetuity – decisions should not be rushed.

Q. I don't want to be the only farmer left in town, surrounded by development. How is this being addressed?

A. The primary goal of our program is to make this a community effort. We understand the importance of maintaining a true farming community. Because of this, we are talking with many of your neighbors to further develop the program's reach and impact.

Q. How can I dictate what future landowners will do with my land?

A. Just as you have the right to develop, farm, or build on your land, you have the right to preserve it as farmland. Anything you choose to do, or not do, is your right. Just as a future landowner buys your house because they like it and it suits their needs, a future landowner will buy your protected property because they value it for its preservation status and the conservation values it is protecting.

RECENT SUCCESSES
Two Berthoud Properties Protected With Conservation Easements

In December 2001, two properties totaling 180 acres were protected with conservation easements through a partnership between the Town of Berthoud, the Berthoud Land Conservation Fund, and Colorado Open Lands (COL). The protection of these two properties adds to the success of Berthoud's strategy to preserve its small town character and agricultural heritage.

photo courtesy of David E. Peterson
 The Rockwell Farm
On December 18, 2001, COL accepted a conservation easement on the Rockwell Farm's 80 acres in Weld County, about three miles southeast of Berthoud. The Rockwell Farm has been in the Rockwell family for more than 100 years. As the Rockwells became increasingly concerned with the rapid growth in the area they realized that they wanted to maintain their farm. With the potentially conflicting desires to continue the family farm, receive some much-needed income, and not feel pinched by the encroaching growth, Clint Rockwell and his son Jeff were referred to the Berthoud Land Conservation Fund (BLCF) and its five-year partnership with the Town of Berthoud and Colorado Open Lands.

With guidance from the BLCF Steering Committee, expertise from COL and significant funding from the Town of Berthoud, a bargain-sale purchase of a conservation easement on the farm was made possible. The farm includes a productive hay field, row crops, cattle pasture, and a portion of the Little Thompson River, all of which will now be permanently protected. Sitting at the corner of two county roads, the farm will also forever protect excellent views of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, and keep the majority of the water rights on the farm.
The Neal Property
Colorado Open Lands, with assistance from the Town of Berthoud and BLCF, also accepted the donation of a conservation easement on 100 acres just a stone's throw from the Rockwell property. The landowner, Dennis Neal, had a vision of preserving the majority of his property as open space and agricultural land while serving as an amenity to the planned limited development nearby. By employing this technique, Mr. Neal not only preserved in perpetuity the natural features and open space of his property, but also complements his conservation development venture. The Neal property is located about nine miles east of the foothills and is centered on Big Hollow Draw, containing wetlands and riparian areas. The conservation easement allows for continued agricultural use and accommodates private recreational access for adjoining lot owners.

The conservation easements preserve significant open space and valuable farmland in a rapidly developing area of the Northern Front Range. They also complement the Town of Berthoud's land protection efforts along the Little Thompson River. Both landowners hope that through their efforts, others in the area may be encouraged to protect their farm properties, and preserve Berthoud's agricultural heritage as well.