Conservation has well-known ecological benefits – but the positive impacts on Colorado’s economy are also very real.

In Crested Butte, Long Lake offers a balance of scenic views, wildlife habitat, recreation, clean water and critical ranchland. For a decade, public lands on the east side of the lake were slated to be auctioned off.

That changed when, in February 2020, the Crested Butte Land Trust completed a 750-acre federal land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service that protected 120 acres – not only granting public access to this beloved and popular open space and adding 630 acres to the Gunnison National Forest, but also generating $2.6 million for affordable housing projects in Gunnison County. That’s an economic return on investment the Crested Butte community can count on.

View the storymap to see how it all unfolded. Read the complete story here.