HomeMy WebLinkAbout20143762.tiff DNR COLORADO
CO 4i State Land Board
Department of Natural Resources
RECEIVED
Monica Mika, Administrator
Weld County Board of County Commissioners DF� 1 Zl�1y
P.O. Box 758 COMMDC OUNTY"
Greeley, CO 80632-0759 Slo R,�
November 26, 2014
RE: Stewardship Trust Realignment Project
Dear Administrator Mika,
This letter is to inform you that the State Land Board is currently evaluating which
state trust lands should be designated into the Stewardship Trust. The Stewardship
Trust is comprised of state trust lands possessing outstanding beauty, significant
natural values, critical wildlife habitat, and/or important open space, the sound
stewardship of which wilt "preserve the long-term benefits and returns to the state".
As such, state trust lands designated into the Stewardship Trust are subject to a
higher standard of care, planning, and management.
It has been 15 years since the Stewardship Trust was originally created. The State
Land Board has directed staff to conduct this comprehensive review and assessment
of the natural values on state trust lands to ensure that the lands designated into the
Stewardship Trust continue to be those with the highest natural values as envisioned
by Colorado's citizens for stewardship of the lands held in perpetual trusts. The
Stewardship Trust is size-limited to between 295,000 and 300,000 acres, but it is also
a "living trust", meaning that its designated lands may be replaced with others with a
supermajority vote by the State Board of Land Commissioners.
Stewardship Trust lands are leased for a wide variety of uses including grazing,
recreation, and mineral development. As a result, property designated into the
Stewardship Trust continues to generate revenue for the State Land Board's trust
beneficiaries. In fact, over the last decade, Stewardship Trust properties have
generated more than $100 million in revenues for the beneficiaries.
1127 Sherman Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80203-2206 P 303.866.3454 F 303.866.3152 ifT,
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www.cotorado.gov/trusttands h i,
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As part of the Stewardship Trust Realignment Project, the State Land Board staff has
nominated 111 new state trust land properties for designation into the Stewardship
Trust and parts or all of 14 current properties for removal from the Stewardship Trust.
Detailed information about these properties is provided on the State Land Board
website (www.trustlands.state.co.us).
Had any of those properties been located in our county you would have been notified
as such and offered the opportunity to comment on the change. It is possible that
you have other state trust lands currently t emovaPand no change int heted as art of the ir
designationTrust
but those lands have not been recommended for
designation is anticipated.
I am writing to you at this time to inform you that you may also choose to nominate
additional state trust land for designation into the Stewardship Trust. The deadline
for additional nominations is D state r 31, 2014. The criteria for new nominations
and the form for nominating new trust ands can be found on the State Land
Board website.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (303) 866-3454 ext.
3318 or mindy.gottsegen®state.co.us.
Sincerely,
n4A-1L--P1 &-/b/-)2r--. ,
Mindy Gottsegen
Stewardship Trust/Conservation Services Manager
7 O F COY
1127 Sherman Street,Suite 300,Denver,CO 80203-2206 P 303.866.3454 F 303.866.3152 ;f-7
www.colorado.gov/trusttands \* ^i+'4 4,4,,,,,-,-,„ •
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