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A recent 10-acre open space purchase in this area at the base of Monte Cristo Gulch will help preserve views and wetlands near Hoosier Pass.
SUMMIT COUNTY — A patch of valuable High Country wetlands has been protected with a 10-acre open space purchase, jointly funded by the county and town of Breckenridge.
“It's just one of those spots that really awes you,” said open space director Brian Lorch, referring to the stunning view up the valley toward Quandary Peak from Highway 9.
The wetlands are at the base of the Monte Cristo Gulch drainage, near the turnoff to the Quandary Village subdivision south of Breckenridge.
The purchase of the parcel complements other recent open space purchases in the area, providing a broader scale conservation of vital wetland habitat and function.
Rare plants, inventoried by the Colorado Natural Heritage program, grow in the area. The Monte Cristo Gulch drainage holds the only known population of an endemic plant known as Draba weberi, with 20 to 100 individual plants growing in the valley.
According to the natural heritage program, the plants are threatened by road and dam building, recreation, mining and the spread of non-native species.
Homes on the property, located at the base of Northstar Mountain, may have been detrimental to the wetlands and to the views near the southern entrance of Breckenridge. The town and county have recently protected over 30 acres of wetlands in the Monte Cristo Gulch drainage. These wetlands are critical habitat for plants and animals, and provide a water-filtering function that helps to maintain the quality of the town's water supply.
“We are excited about this opportunity to preserve both the scenic views at the entrance to the town of Breckenridge, and the valuable ecosystem services provided by the wetland complex,” said Breckenridge open space planner Heide Anderson.
“Despite difficult economic times, our partnership with the Town of Breckenridge continues to be a vital component of open space protection in the Upper Blue Basin,” said Lorch.
Despite voter-approved funding for open space through the passage of Measure 1A, the program's buying power could shrink, based on a long-term increase in land values. Lorch said the open space department will be on a fixed budget through 2019, with about $1.8 million annually for acquisitions.
For more information, contact Lorch at (970) 668-4067 or via e-mail at brianl@co.summit.co.us.
“It's just one of those spots that really awes you,” said open space director Brian Lorch, referring to the stunning view up the valley toward Quandary Peak from Highway 9.
The wetlands are at the base of the Monte Cristo Gulch drainage, near the turnoff to the Quandary Village subdivision south of Breckenridge.
The purchase of the parcel complements other recent open space purchases in the area, providing a broader scale conservation of vital wetland habitat and function.
Rare plants, inventoried by the Colorado Natural Heritage program, grow in the area. The Monte Cristo Gulch drainage holds the only known population of an endemic plant known as Draba weberi, with 20 to 100 individual plants growing in the valley.
According to the natural heritage program, the plants are threatened by road and dam building, recreation, mining and the spread of non-native species.
Homes on the property, located at the base of Northstar Mountain, may have been detrimental to the wetlands and to the views near the southern entrance of Breckenridge. The town and county have recently protected over 30 acres of wetlands in the Monte Cristo Gulch drainage. These wetlands are critical habitat for plants and animals, and provide a water-filtering function that helps to maintain the quality of the town's water supply.
“We are excited about this opportunity to preserve both the scenic views at the entrance to the town of Breckenridge, and the valuable ecosystem services provided by the wetland complex,” said Breckenridge open space planner Heide Anderson.
“Despite difficult economic times, our partnership with the Town of Breckenridge continues to be a vital component of open space protection in the Upper Blue Basin,” said Lorch.
Despite voter-approved funding for open space through the passage of Measure 1A, the program's buying power could shrink, based on a long-term increase in land values. Lorch said the open space department will be on a fixed budget through 2019, with about $1.8 million annually for acquisitions.
For more information, contact Lorch at (970) 668-4067 or via e-mail at brianl@co.summit.co.us.
