Eagle Rock Ranch in Colorado’s Park County has undergone a major transformation since Dave and Jeannie Gottenborg took ownership of the property. What they inherited was a badly damaged working ranch, with muddy corrals, cut creekside willows, worn-out fencing and hay fields managed in ways that harmed wildlife, soil and water. Over the years, the couple began repairing the land while continuing to run cattle, gradually changing how the ranch handled water, grazing, vegetation and wildlife. Their work has now earned Eagle Rock Ranch the 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award, recognising its approach to conservation.
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