Conservation and Restoration Priorities

In response to the growing pressures of habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change, the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP), in partnership with the Watershed Biodiversity Initiative (WBI), developed a locally driven framework to guide conservation and restoration priorities across the Roaring Fork Watershed.

This study includes a watershed-level map that locates the prioritized lands. Based on this mapping, the Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition has grouped five conservation and restoration priorities, ranging from “Biodiversity Strongholds” to “Developed Areas”, to provide a science-based approach to prioritizing action. The goal is to support land managers, policymakers, and conservation practitioners in making informed decisions for balancing protection, management, and restoration to sustain Colorado’s natural heritage.

The conservation and restoration priorities incorporate key findings from the WBI study, including definitions, as well as best practices from conservation and recreation expert advisors. Management considerations for each conservation and restoration priority area provide a general guide. However, it’s important to start by identifying the resources each site aims to protect. Considerations for specific sites differ based on the site's most biologically intact components, restoration goals, and human modifications.

Priority (Defined by WBI): Highest Conservation Value

Action: Protect first and foremost

These are the most important places to protect in the watershed. They combine the best habitat for focal wildlife (like elk or deer) with exceptional biodiversity value—rare species, intact ecosystems, and strong natural processes. These areas are the “best of the best” and should be safeguarded from degradation and over-use. Keeping them intact is critical for long-term ecological health.

Group Characteristics:

Habitat for Focal Species: Provides the highest quality habitat for elk, mule deer, and/or bighorn sheep.
Highest Biodiversity: Provides one or more additional components of biodiversity creating a rich biodiverse area, such as:
Location of rare species
Location with wetlands
National Audubon Society's Important Bird Area
Calving/lambing or wintering ranges for focal species
Areas predicted to be more resilient to climate changes by the Nature Conservancy

Climate Resilience:

If a wildfire does occur, consider minimal action, primarily associated with water movement, bank stabilization, and erosion.
Limit post-wildfire interventions, leaving downed and snag trees unless posing a risk to human safety.
Mechanical and prescribed fire mitigation should be a lower priority, especially in ecosystems that have a 300-year fire return interval (e.g., Spruce-fir and Pinyon-Juniper). Oak shrubland thinning may enhance deer and elk habitat and reduce fire risk, therefore it is a high priority management tool for mountain shrubland communities.

Resource Protection

Maintain or enhance core habitat functions — no new fragmentation, lighting, noise, or trail development.
Prioritize permanent protection mechanisms (conservation easements, wilderness designation, fee simple acquisition).
Conduct baseline ecological surveys and ongoing monitoring near disturbance.

Conservation and Restoration Management

Passive restoration approach, with limited to no mechanical equipment.
In general, these conservation strongholds may not require much on-the-ground management, thus protection is the top priority.

Visitor Management

Prevent habitat fragementation by limiting introduction of new trails and recreation access.
Evaluate whether existing uses should be limited, seasonal, or decommissioned.
Limit human presence during sensitive seasons (winter concentration, spring calving/ lambing, rutting).
Restrict dogs, or require leash, voice control, or closure based on wildlife sensitivity.
Limit new infrastructure and/ or locate on the edge of the stronghold area.

Priority (Defined by WBI): High to Moderate Conservation Value

Action: Protect and manage

These areas provide important habitat for wildlife, especially focal ungulates, and have moderate biodiversity value. They may not be hotspots for rare species, but they often serve as key connectors between more biologically rich areas. Most are unfragmented and support ecological integrity at the landscape scale. These lands are worth protecting now, and closer investigation may reveal more ecological significance.

Group Characteristics:

Habitat for Focal Species: Provides high quality habitat for elk, mule deer, and/or bighorn sheep.
High Biodiversity: Provides an additional component of biodiversity, such as:
A location of rare species and/or wetlands
National Audubon Society's Important Bird Area
Calving/lambing or wintering ranges for focal species
Areas predicted to be more resilient to climate changes by the Nature Conservancy

Climate Resistance:

Wildfire mitigation should only be used if there is a current issue that is impairing the habitat for the present focal species. Consideration may increase if near developed areas.
Any mechanical treatment that disturbs the soil should aim to keep the topsoil, which can be replaced at the end of the project—often eliminating the need to seed due to the natural seed bank.

Resource Protection

Identify areas that may have rare species or plant communities
Apply threshold-based adaptive management — develop ecological indicators to monitor; modify use if ecological indicators decline
Incorporate adjacent private landowner coordination, including agricultural operators
Incorporate permanent protection mechanisms.

Conservation and Restoration Management

Consider minor restoration measures to maintain or enhance habitat function.
Target invasive species prevention and removal while prioritizing native ecosystem composition.

Visitor Management

Allow low-impact recreation only if it does not compromise wildlife behavior or habitat structure.
Cluster access and concentrate trail locations to avoid sprawling footprints.
Use seasonal closures aligned with CPW timing guidance where ungulate sensitivity is high, such as limiting winter recreation in winter habitat for ungulates, or in summer calving grounds, to limit stress on wildlife.

Priority (Defined by WBI): Lower Conservation Value

Action: Assess and support conservation interface

These areas tend to have lower habitat quality and fewer documented biodiversity features, often near developed areas. However, they may still play a supporting role in the broader ecosystem. More study is needed to understand their value. For now, they are not top priorities for conservation or restoration but may become more important in the future with better data.

Group Characteristics:

Moderate Habitat for Focal Species: Provides low to moderate quality habitat for elk, mule deer, and/or bighorn sheep.
Limited Biodiversity: Areas with limited documented biodiversity features, but could support other species or offer restoration potential. Further study of these areas is needed.

Climate Resistance:

Include climate-smart seed mixes that include many different species, some of which are capable of hot and dry conditions.
Fire mitigation could be a consideration in these areas (any fire mitigation should have stated goals that can be monitored).

Resource Protection

Collect site-specific ecological and social data before major decisions (vegetation integrity, wildlife presence, disturbance patterns).
Develop a protection and management goal (don’t forget to keep a connection to core habitat areas
Encourage wildlife-friendly agricultural practices and development where working lands and/or homes/town limits intersect habitat buffers.

Conservation and Restoration Management

Implement educational and etiquette signage.
Consider baseline ecological surveys to understand restoration priorities.

Visitor Management

Restrict night-time use and discourage artificial light/noise to concentrate human use during known periods of time for the benefit of wildlife.
Where recreation growth is proposed, co-locate facilities to avoid diffuse expansion.

Priority (Defined by WBI): High to Most Significant Restoration Opportunity
Action: Restore for long-term conservation

These are high-value places for biodiversity that have been degraded or disconnected over time. Though they may not currently support strong habitat for focal wildlife, they offer significant potential for recovery. Restoration actions—like reconnecting corridors, improving vegetation, or protecting from further impact—can deliver benefits for species and the watershed as a whole. These areas are critical investment zones for ecological integrity.

Group Characteristics:

Concentrated Infrastructure: Areas with concentrated transportation infrastructure, often adjacent to rivers and streams.
Biodiversity Opportunity: Supports key biodiversity values, where conservation and restoration can support overall watershed biodiversity.

Climate Resilience:

Mechanical and prescribed fire mitigation should be a higher priority.
Any seeding efforts should be climate-smart and include 25–30 species, including forbs and shrubs (be cautious with grass seeding, as grasses can slow down succession).

Resource Protection

Reconnect wildlife corridors using overpasses/ underpasses, lay-down fencing, and no-build buffer zones.
Monitor for hydrology, soil stability, vegetation establishment, and wildlife movement.
Protect wetland buffers.

Conservation and Restoration Management

Prioritize river, riparian, & floodplain restoration where feasible; pursue nature-based solutions, e.g., beaver dam analogs, or beavers, or simple rock structures; drift fences to encourage cattle to meander rather than straight line to water holes.
Remove or re-route infrastructure (fencing, abandoned roads, duplicate trails) to improve connectivity. Identify and fix poorly placed culverts.

Visitor Management

Prohibit, temporarily limit, or reroute recreation access in areas identified for restoration and recovery
Utilize volunteers to assist with restoration, when feasable.
Develop before and after signage to educate the public.
Utilize community science to help collect data, when feasable.
If restoring an area for a rare species, citizen science may be able to assist.

Priority: Not a Conservation Priority
Action: Conservation and restoration are impractical

These are areas that are already highly developed or severely altered, such as towns, roads, and industrial zones. They no longer support meaningful conservation or restoration goals, and investing resources here is unlikely to produce ecological returns. Some mapped zones may also include natural non-vegetated areas (like rock outcrops or icefields).

Group Characteristics:

Highly Developed Area: Urbanized areas with the most human modifications, including housing and roads.
Non-Vegetated Areas: Non-vegetated areas that do not provide functional habitat for focal species.

Resource Protection

Reconnect wildlife corridors using overpasses/underpasses, lay-down fencing, and no-build buffer zones.
Monitor for hydrology, soil stability, vegetation establishment, and wildlife movement.
Protect wetland buffers.

Conservation and Restoration Management

Prioritize river, riparian, & floodplain restoration where feasible; pursue nature-based solutions, e.g., beaver dam analogs, or beavers, or simple rock structures; drift fences to encourage cattle to meander rather than straight line to water holes.
Remove or re-route infrastructure (fencing, abandoned roads, duplicate trails) to improve connectivity. Identify and fix poorly placed culverts.

Visitor Management

Prohibit, temporarily limit, or reroute recreation access in areas identified for restoration and recovery
Utilize volunteers to assist with restoration, when feasable.
Develop before and after signage to educate the public.
Utilize community science to help collect data, when feasable.
If restoring an area for a rare species, citizen science may be able to assist.

A science-based framework for conservation priorities

Biodiversity Strongholds

Core Habitat Areas

Conservation Buffer Areas

Restoration and Protection Opportunities

Developed Areas

Group Characteristics:

Climate Resilience:

Example Areas:

Best Management Practices:

Group Characteristics:

Climate Resistance:

Example Areas:

Best Management Practices:

Group Characteristics:

Climate Resistance:

Example Areas:

Best Management Practices:

Group Characteristics:

Climate Resilience:

Example Areas:

Best Management Practices:

Group Characteristics:

Example Areas:

Best Management Practices:

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