What Conservation Districts Are
Colorado conservation districts are local governments that serve private landowners' conservation interests. The Colorado Department of Agriculture's State Conservation Board page counts 74 districts that have served landowners since 1937, and one district's own history page says there are 76 today, so ask your district or the state board for the current number. The Colorado Soil Conservation Act passed on May 6, 1937, and the first district, Great Divide in Moffat County (now Colorado First Conservation District), formed that December. A 2002 law moved the state program from the Department of Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture and dropped "soil" from district names.
How Districts Are Governed
Residents of each district elect its supervisors, who hold the district's conservation responsibilities. Board meetings are public. For example, the Boulder Valley and Longmont districts, which share an about page, say all their meetings are open to the public, with Longmont meeting on the second Tuesday of each month. The Colorado State Conservation Board (CSCB) guides districts, includes district representatives from Colorado's watersheds, and advises the Department of Agriculture. It also acts as a board of appeals for landowners who challenge district activities. The sources we found did not describe district tax or mill levy rates, so ask your district how it is funded.
What Districts Do
According to the Washington County district, districts assess ongoing resource needs, follow long-range and annual plans, connect land users with service providers, and promote land management education. Their work covers groundwater, wind and water erosion control, noxious weed control and flood damage reduction. Boulder Valley and Longmont describe technical and financial help for private landowners on all land uses, including conservation plans for grazing and cropping systems, irrigation water management, rangeland improvements and forest health, delivered in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the CSCB.
Trees and Shrubs
Many districts run seedling sales. These two examples show how they work:
- La Plata Conservation District. Its 2026 spring sale took orders through an online store, sold bareroot trees and shrubs in bundles of 25 per species and container seedlings in bundles of 5, and held pickup on April 24 in Durango. Seedlings were for conservation or restoration use only, not ornamental planting, and could not be resold as living plants.
- Boulder Valley and Longmont. Their seedling program expected the online store to open in fall 2026 with pickup in spring 2027, at a nominal cost, for farmers, ranchers and other landowners. Uses include windbreaks, living snow fences, wildlife habitat, erosion control and post-disaster restoration.
Equipment Rentals
Some districts rent equipment that is too specialized to buy. The High Desert Conservation District's rental page lists a 6-foot no-till drill, a ground-driven manure spreader with a 2,000-pound capacity at $75.00 per day, and a 1956 tree planter at $50.00 per day. It says the drill has seeded over 2,000 acres in Montezuma County in five years. CSU Extension's small acreage services database lists equipment rental, grass seeding and tree sales at the Deer Trail and East Adams districts, no-till drill rentals and cost share at Bookcliff, Mount Sopris and South Side, and ditch sealer and tire tanks at White River and Douglas Creek. Check with your district, since rental offerings vary.
Cost Share and Grants
The state supports districts in two ways that reach landowners:
- Matching grants. The CSCB's 2026 matching grants awarded $689,182 to 32 districts. Districts must provide at least a 1:1 match, and in recent years each state dollar was matched by $1.89 from districts. Projects included rangeland health, smart irrigation, noxious weed management, grasshopper mitigation, seed cost share, youth education and field days.
- District Conservation Technician Program. This federal, state and local partnership offers districts in good standing 80 percent cost share to hire technical staff who implement Farm Bill conservation practices on private land, with applications solicited in summer. See the program page.
Those funds go to districts, which then deliver projects locally, so ask yours what is open to landowners this year.
Finding and Using Your District
- Search for your county's conservation district and call the office. Districts do not all offer the same programs.
- Ask about seedling sale dates in fall, since orders for spring pickup open early.
- Reserve rental equipment ahead of planting or seeding season.
- Attend a board meeting. Supervisors are elected locals, and meetings are public.
- The CSCB holds Coffee Hours on the second Wednesday of each month with training and funding news, and posts recordings on its YouTube channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many conservation districts does Colorado have?
The State Conservation Board lists 74. Another district's history page says 76, so confirm with the state.
Who runs a conservation district?
Supervisors elected by residents of the district.
Can I buy trees for landscaping?
Not from La Plata's sale, which limits seedlings to conservation or restoration use. Ask your district about its own terms.
Can a landowner appeal a district decision?
The CSCB acts as a board of appeals for landowners who challenge district activities.
Colorado Listings Covered by This Guide
- Baca County Conservation District
Springfield district in the far southeastern corner of Colorado, focused on dryland farming, wind erosion and rangeland practices.
PO Box 398, Springfield, CO 81073 | (719) 523-6251 - Bent Conservation District
Las Animas district at 760 Bent Ave serving Bent County irrigators and cattle operations; NRCS and FSA also have offices in town.
760 Bent Ave, Las Animas, CO 81054 | (719) 456-0120 - Boulder Valley Conservation District
Based in Longmont, this district works with Boulder County landowners on soil, water and weed management; an NRCS service center also operates in town.
Longmont, CO - Center Conservation District
Center-based district in the northern San Luis Valley, supporting irrigated potato and hay growers and sponsoring wool pellet and weed projects.
Center, CO - Central Colorado Conservation District
Conservation district serving El Paso County landowners, based on Industrial Place.
5610 Industrial Place, Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80916 | 719-473-7104 - Cheyenne County Conservation District
Conservation district for Cheyenne County, with a PO Box 850 address in Cheyenne Wells.
PO Box 850, Cheyenne Wells, CO 80810 | (719) 767-5647 - Colorado Association of Conservation Districts
Statewide association of Colorado conservation districts with a Lamar contact address; it works with the State Conservation Board to support local districts.
Lamar, CO - Colorado First Conservation District
Craig-based district serving Moffat County ranchers and hay growers in the state's northwest corner, near the local NRCS and FSA offices.
Craig, CO - Conejos County Conservation District
La Jara district helping Conejos County growers with irrigation efficiency, soil health and range management, next to the county FSA office.
La Jara, CO - Costilla County Conservation District
Colorado's oldest town hosts this Costilla County district, which helps ranchers and acequia farmers; NRCS and FSA also serve San Luis.
San Luis, CO - Custer County Conservation District
Wet Mountain Valley district based in Westcliffe, assisting Custer County ranchers with grazing, water and weed issues.
Westcliffe, CO - Debeque-Plateau Valley Conservation District
Collbran district serving the Plateau Valley and De Beque areas of Mesa County, supporting hay, cattle and irrigation improvements.
Collbran, CO - Delta Conservation District
Delta district helping North Fork and Uncompahgre Valley irrigators and orchardists; Delta also has NRCS and FSA service centers.
Delta, CO - Douglas County Conservation District
Conservation district working with Douglas County landowners from a Franktown mailing address.
PO Box 688, Franktown, CO 80116 | 303-688-3042 - Douglas Creek Conservation District
Meeker-based district covering the Douglas Creek drainage in western Rio Blanco County, with a focus on range and riparian management.
Meeker, CO - Dove Creek Conservation District
Dove Creek district in the self-styled Pinto Bean Capital, helping dryland farmers with erosion control and soil conservation.
Dove Creek, CO - Eagle County Conservation District
Eagle district serving Eagle County ranchers and small acreage owners along the Eagle and Colorado River corridors.
Eagle, CO - East Otero Conservation District
Conservation district office at 200 South 10th Street in Rocky Ford, working on soil and water conservation in eastern Otero County.
200 South 10th Street, Rocky Ford, CO 81067 - Fremont Conservation District
Canon City district working with Fremont County ranchers and landowners on soil and water conservation; NRCS and FSA offices are in town.
Canon City, CO - Gunnison Conservation District
Gunnison Basin district supporting hay and cattle ranchers and working alongside sage-grouse conservation groups.
Gunnison, CO - Haxtun Conservation District
Phillips County conservation district with an office in Holyoke, sharing space with the local USDA service center.
1280 SW Interocean, Holyoke, CO 80734 | 970-854-2812 - High Desert Conservation District
Cortez district in Montezuma County, assisting dryland and irrigated farmers in the Four Corners region.
Cortez, CO - Kiowa Conservation District
Conservation district with a PO Box 688 address in Franktown, serving the Kiowa Creek watershed.
PO Box 688, Franktown, CO 80116 | (303) 621-2070 - Kiowa County Conservation District
Conservation district for Kiowa County with a PO Box 845 address in Eads, helping landowners with soil and water on the dry southeast plains.
PO Box 845, Eads, CO 81036 | (719) 438-5414 - La Plata Conservation District
Durango district helping La Plata County small farms and ranches with irrigation, soil health and forage planning.
Durango, CO - Lake County Conservation District
High-elevation Leadville district, the one conservation district in the upper Arkansas Valley's Lake County, supporting small ranches and mine-site revegetation.
Leadville, CO - Longmont Conservation District
A second Longmont-based district, separate from Boulder Valley, helping local landowners with conservation planning and cost-share programs.
Longmont, CO - Mesa Conservation District
Grand Junction district serving Grand Valley orchards, vineyards and irrigated farms; it appears among Western Slope sage-grouse partners.
Grand Junction, CO - Middle Park Conservation District
Kremmling district serving the Middle Park ranching valley of Grand County, where the Middle Park Fair is held each summer.
Kremmling, CO - Morgan Conservation District
Fort Morgan district in the lower South Platte valley, working with feedlot, corn and sugar beet producers on soil and water practices.
200 West Railroad Ave., Fort Morgan, CO 80701 | (970) 427-3362 - Mosca-Hooper Conservation District
Alamosa-area district named for the Mosca and Hooper communities in the San Luis Valley, issuing an annual report on its programs.
Alamosa, CO - Mount Sopris Conservation District
Glenwood Springs district named for Mount Sopris, serving Roaring Fork and Colorado River valley landowners in Garfield County.
Glenwood Springs, CO - North Park Conservation District
Walden district for North Park, a high basin of hay meadows and cattle ranches in Jackson County; it is also tied to sage-grouse work.
Walden, CO - Northeast Prowers Conservation District
Conservation district in Holly covering the northeast corner of Prowers County.
PO Box 535, Holly, CO 81047 | 719-537-6506 - Olney-Boone Conservation District
Otero County conservation district sharing the 200 South 10th Street office in Rocky Ford with other area districts.
200 South 10th Street, Rocky Ford, CO 81067 | 719-254-7672 - Pine River Conservation District
Ignacio district along the Pine River on the Southern Ute reservation side of La Plata County, supporting irrigators and ranchers.
Ignacio, CO - Platte Valley Conservation District
Conservation district in Brighton that works with Adams County landowners on soil, water and range stewardship.
57 West Bromley Lane, Brighton, CO | 303-857-1644 - Prowers Conservation District
Lamar district at 3503 South Main Street serving lower Arkansas Valley farmers; NRCS and FSA also have offices in Lamar.
3503 South Main St., Lamar, CO 81052 | (719) 336-7734 - Rio Grande Conservation District
Center office of a district working with San Luis Valley farmers and ranchers; Center also hosts NRCS and Farm Service Agency offices.
Center, CO - Rio Grande Conservation District
Conservation district in Monte Vista serving San Luis Valley irrigators and ranchers in Rio Grande County.
PO Box 801, Monte Vista, CO 81144
Plus 18 more. Find yours on your county's page in the Colorado directory.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.