Durango RC&D Office

San Juan RC&D
31 Suttle St.
Durango, CO 81301-7911
Phone: (970)259-3287
    FAX: (970)247-3412

Project Activities

Southwest Colorado Enterprise Zone Co-Administrator

The San Juan RC&D Office worked to create jobs and enhance the quality of life in southwestern Colorado.

Financing

• $1,100,000+ of individual contributions given to enterprise projects

Results

Many community support services enhanced due to contributions made to enterprise zone projects by individuals. Actvities benefiting child care facilities, health care providers, arts and humanities organizations, economic development groups, and small businesses.

Volunteer Board Member Training

A workshop was given.  It was targeted to volunteer board members in the San Juan RC&D area.

Financing

• Participant registration fees
• $1,500 grant fron the San Juan RC&D Council

Results

Over 40 participants from various community based volunteer groups attended and received professional training on serving on volunteer boards.

'State of Agriculture in the San Juan Basin' Meeting

The San Juan RC&D Council sponsored a meeting of area farmers and ranchers, state government officials, and representatives of agricultural organizations to discuss the state of regional agriculture.

Financing

• Registration fee from participants
• $2,000 grant from the San Juan RC&D Council

Results

Exchange of ideas between farmers and ranchers in the area and experiences off various producers with new "products". Over 70 people attended.

GIS in the San Juan Basin

The Council is continuing efforts to establish a local geographic Information System (GIS) for natural resource information.

Financing

• $4,000 from San Juan RC&D
• In-kind services from La Plata County and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Results

When implemented will be a source of locally generated information such as soils, woodland, dry hydrant locations, irrigation water delivery systems, etc., as well as commercially available data.

Graduate Credit Course for Teachers

Offered a "Natural Resource Management for Teachers" course for graduate credit through Adams State College, Extended Studies.

Financing

• Student fees
• In-kind from San Juan RC&D
• 128 hours volunteer time from farmers, ranchers and agenc personnel

Results

The 3-hour credit course allowed teachers to spend eight days in the field with natural resource managers (agencies, farmers, ranchers), and a half day group meeting. Each participant prepared a lesson plan using information gained from the experiences with the natural resource managers. These lesson plans and experiences may be used in classrooms to introduce natural resource management issues and concepts to students.

Ride Share

Ride Share is an Internet-based project to increase opportunities for ride sharing for commuters and one time riders in the San Juan RC&D area.

Financing

• $6,000 from Colorado Office of Energy Conservation
• In-kind contribution from San Juan RC&D in the form of system administrators of the projec
• In-kind contributions from La Plata County government, Region 9 Economic Development District and Fort Lewis College KDUR radio station.

Results

An Internet-based system is in place for people to fnd commuting and one-time rides to areas within the RC&D area. This can have the impact of reducing traffic congestion and air pollution, as well as save commuters transportation costs.

Land Use Handbook

A land use handbook was completed for residents of the San Juan RC&D area.

Financing

• $4,000 grant from the San Juan RC&D Council
• In-kind and money from the USFS
• In-kind from numerous agencies and individual citizens for content of the Land Use Handbook.

Results

A handbook covers many of the natural resource issues that rural landowners face.  It also includes information on some of the legal issues of land ownership, and information regarding local social customs. The handbook is targeted at persons who are new small-acreage landowners.

Grant Writing for Professionals

This project provided grant-writing training to 15 participants.

Financing

Participant registration fees.

Results

Participants will effectively compete for grant money for their respective projects.

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