Carpenter Ranch--Yampa River Preserve

Background | Criteria | Northwest Colorado | Northeast Colorado
Southwest Colorado | Southeast Colorado

Carpenter Ranch/
Yampa River Preserve
Routt County

Size: 1,400 acres

Elevation: 6400 - 6500 feet

Habitats: Primary – agriculture/grassland, mid-elevation riparian

Secondary – wetlands, mountain shrubland, open water, sagebrush shrubland, fir, aspen, cliff/rock

Ownership: Private (The Nature Conservancy)

Land Use: Primary – nature and wildlife conservation, agriculture/livestock

Secondary – hunting/fishing, utility right-of-way

IBA Criteria: 1, 2, 3, 4 (landbirds), 5

Site description

Location: Located in the Yampa River Valley, Carpenter Ranch and the Yampa River Preserve are 4 miles east of Hayden and 20 miles west of Steamboat Springs.

Vegetative/natural features: The site is traversed by the Yampa River, one of the few essentially free-flowing rivers remaining in Colorado. It contains one of the largest remaining examples of a rare riparian habitat dominated by narrowleaf cottonwood, boxelder, and red-osier dogwood. A variety of wetland and aquatic communities occur on the site across the river’s floodplain.

Ornithological Importance

Nearly 150 species of birds have been observed on or near the site. The Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas recorded 96 breeding species for this area.

Breeding species:	Average #	Maximum #
Greater Sandhill Crane	4	6
Bald Eagle	2
Wilson’s Phalarope	several pairs
Northern Harrier	1 pair
Swainson’s Hawk	4-6 pairs
Black-chinned Hummingbird	several pairs
Virginia’s Warbler	several pairs
MacGillivray’s Warbler	several pairs
Gray Catbird	20-25 pairs
Red-eyed Vireo	4-6 pairs
American Redstart	8-10 pairs
Bobolink	40-50 pairs
Fox Sparrow	20-30 pairs
American White Pelican

Migrant species:	Average #	Maximum #
Greater Sandhill Crane	(spring, fall)

Wintering species:	Average #	Maximum #
Bald Eagle	2
Brown-capped Rosy Finch

Research and educational activities: Volunteer scientists have conducted research into the nesting and fledging behavior of bobolinks at the Carpenter Ranch for the past four years. During the summer of 2000, TNC hired two local high school students to assist with this study. Local school groups visit the site throughout the year. The Carpenter Ranch is open to the public from May 1 through October 1 from 9-noon on Thursdays and Fridays, and 9-3 on Saturdays. Yampa River Preserve is open to the public for day use. TNC offers guided field trips of both during spring, summer, and fall.

Conservation/Management Issues

Minor threats:
1. predation by feral cats, foxes, skunks, and raccoons on upland bird nests;
2. damage to understory by wintering elk.

Potential threats:
1. the damming and flow regulation of the Yampa River.

Management details:
The Carpenter Ranch is maintained as a working cattle and hay ranch with concurrent conservation, habitat preservation/restoration, and scientific research/monitoring activities. Current management plans are designed to permit the regeneration of sensitive riparian habitats that were once grazed by cattle. A local advisory committee comprised of community leaders from agriculture, business, conservation, and local and state government guides TNC’s work in the Yampa Valley.