Help the May Family Recover From Devastating Fire
Donation protected
Last Friday (April 22) amidst critically fire-prone dry and windy conditions this spring (way too early), approximately 9,000 acres of the May Ranch burned in a catastrophic wildfire. Owned by Dallas May and family, the ranch serves as the cornerstone of the family's and their management team's agricultural livelihood and has been a significant resource for local wildlife and flourishing ecosystems.
Approximately 40 miles of fence has been destroyed alongside many of the pastures for their livestock and wildlife and the incredible and varied habitats found across the ranch, including a mature, wooded riparian corridor along Big Sandy Creek just north of it's confluence with the Arkansas River. Thankfully, no lives were lost and homes are intact, and most of the livestock were saved through heroic efforts (although sadly, some notable loss of animals occurred). More about the story of this fire, the family, and their management team's losses were recently shared in The Colorado Sun: https://coloradosun.com/2022/04/28/may-ranch-colorado-conservation-wildfire/
I first met the May family several years ago when I completed a rapid ecological assessment of their property with a colleague as part of a conservation project in 2016. The family chose to protect their property with a conservation easement held by Colorado Cattleman's Ag Land Trust, which my employing organization, The Nature Conservancy, supported at the time along with other partners. Since the easement, numerous conservation partners have worked alongside the Mays to advance sustainable management, restoration, and conservation science, including a recent black-footed ferret reintroduction program. Out of the many ranches I have seen in eastern Colorado, the diversity of ecosystems, hydrology, and species that call this place home is truly remarkable. And for those who know Dallas and Brenda and their family, there are few like them in terms of their deep commitment to the land and its stewardship and their passion for ranching and agriculture alongside wildlife and conservation. The exceptional condition of the ranch before the fire exemplified this profound commitment. It will be difficult to re-build and restore from this loss.
Funds raised will go directly to the May Family for the re-establishment (rebuilding and restoration) of the ranch and their intimately linked business needs, including replacing ranch infrastructure and ensuring forage for their herd.
Photograph by Mike Sweeney @ Colorado Sun
Approximately 40 miles of fence has been destroyed alongside many of the pastures for their livestock and wildlife and the incredible and varied habitats found across the ranch, including a mature, wooded riparian corridor along Big Sandy Creek just north of it's confluence with the Arkansas River. Thankfully, no lives were lost and homes are intact, and most of the livestock were saved through heroic efforts (although sadly, some notable loss of animals occurred). More about the story of this fire, the family, and their management team's losses were recently shared in The Colorado Sun: https://coloradosun.com/2022/04/28/may-ranch-colorado-conservation-wildfire/
I first met the May family several years ago when I completed a rapid ecological assessment of their property with a colleague as part of a conservation project in 2016. The family chose to protect their property with a conservation easement held by Colorado Cattleman's Ag Land Trust, which my employing organization, The Nature Conservancy, supported at the time along with other partners. Since the easement, numerous conservation partners have worked alongside the Mays to advance sustainable management, restoration, and conservation science, including a recent black-footed ferret reintroduction program. Out of the many ranches I have seen in eastern Colorado, the diversity of ecosystems, hydrology, and species that call this place home is truly remarkable. And for those who know Dallas and Brenda and their family, there are few like them in terms of their deep commitment to the land and its stewardship and their passion for ranching and agriculture alongside wildlife and conservation. The exceptional condition of the ranch before the fire exemplified this profound commitment. It will be difficult to re-build and restore from this loss.
Funds raised will go directly to the May Family for the re-establishment (rebuilding and restoration) of the ranch and their intimately linked business needs, including replacing ranch infrastructure and ensuring forage for their herd.
Photograph by Mike Sweeney @ Colorado Sun
Organizer and beneficiary
Galen Guerrero-Murphy
Organizer
Denver, CO
May Ranch
Beneficiary