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Sale of 30,000-acre Cucharas Ranch to The Nature Conservancy exemplifies the very best in land conservation

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Jeff Hubbard

Mirr Ranch Group, the leading ranch broker offering ranch real estate and legacy ranches for sale in the American West, is proud to announce the sale of the 30,000-acre Cucharas Ranch to The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

Located near Walsenburg in southern Colorado, Cucharas Ranch encompasses rolling native grasslands interspersed with seasonal creeks and is part of one of the nation’s most significant protected prairie landscapes. Across the region, conscientious stewardship by private landowners sustains productive ranch operations while providing important wildlife habitat for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, wild turkey, and numerous grassland bird species.

The ranch also contributes to TNC’s Southern High Plains Initiative, a collaborative effort to work with communities, partners and landowners across five states to protect native grasslands, one of North America’s most threatened ecosystems.

“At The Nature Conservancy, our goal is not to own these ranches forever, but to ensure the natural habitats are protected while being able to remain a productive part of the local agricultural community and economy,” said Matt Moorhead, Conservation Business & Partnership Development Advisor for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. “We partner with ranchers, agricultural and conservation organizations, and public agencies to protect the grasslands, wildlife habitat, and agricultural heritage that define southeast Colorado. Sometimes that means temporarily acquiring a ranch, securing its long-term conservation future, and returning it to private ownership. Our goal is that Cucharas Ranch will be an example of how conservation and ranching can work hand in hand to benefit both people and nature for generations to come.”

“The Cucharas Ranch sale was gratifying, as both the buyer’s and seller’s goals were to permanently protect the property from the surge in data center, wind, and solar development that is impacting our prairie ecosystems.” – Executive Vice President at MRG, Jeff Hubbard

Since 1966, TNC has cultivated partnerships with landowners, local communities, conservation districts, agricultural organizations, and public agencies to protect the lands and waters to benefit people and nature.

The Mirr Ranch Group team of Jeff Hubbard, Pat Lancaster, and Willy Strazza represented Cucharas Ranch in the transaction.

Features of property

Approximately 30,000 deeded acres of productive native rangeland just 15 minutes from Walsenburg, with sweeping views of the Spanish Peaks.
Supports more than 600 mother cows year-round with extensive livestock infrastructure.
18 pastures and more than 40 miles of underground pipeline support thoughtful grazing and water management.
Exceptional wildlife habitat for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, wild turkey, and numerous grassland bird species.
Decades of stewardship have created a productive working ranch while preserving the ecological health of Colorado’s shortgrass prairie.