Eagle County is home to diverse ecosystems, including forests, alpine tundra, shrublands, rangelands and agricultural lands, wetlands, and rivers, which provide natural resources in the form of native vegetation and wildlife habitat, water quality, clean air, timber, minerals, and forage for grazing. Natural resources are the essential raw materials for products that sustain economic development, social vibrancy, and environmental resilience. Natural resources influence our daily lives by providing us with food to eat, water to drink, fuel for energy production, and building materials, among many other products. Many residents are drawn to Eagle County because of its unique landscapes and natural resources and the County is a national and international tourist destination with world class outdoor recreation opportunities.
The Board of County Commissioners adopted a Strategic Plan in 2021. Our work supports the strategic goal of Protecting our Mountain Ecosystems. We collaborate with local, state, and federal governmental and nonprofit partners on issues important to the community including watershed and river health, wildlife habitat, rangeland health, restoring native vegetation, review of mineral extraction proposals, and management of public lands. Some of the ways that we achieve our strategic goal include:
- Key functions of the Eagle River Coalition are collecting data on river health, including water quality and quantity, and organizing and hosting restoration projects aimed at restoring, enhancing, and conserving wetland, riparian, and aquatic habitats in the Eagle River Watershed.
- The Eagle River Coalition leads the effort to finalize the Eagle River Community Water Plan, which will develop proactive water management recommendations that anticipate changes to local hydrology and water demand
- 2023 Annual Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners
- The Roaring Fork Conservancy works to protect the rivers in the Roaring Fork Watershed, monitors water quality, and preserves riparian habitat through collaborative partnerships, advocacy, restoration projects, and educational programming
- 2023 Annual Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners
- The Conservation District provides residents of Eagle County with the tools needed for natural resource conservation management through technical and financial assistance programs, education, and outreach
- 2023 Annual Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners at timestamp 0:08:00
- The Natural Resources team works closely with the Eagle County Community Development and Engineering teams and land use applicants to incorporate environmental protections into new projects and developments.
- The Natural Resources Team leads the review of 1041 Matters of State Interest permit applications for Matters of State Interest. In Eagle County, 1041 permits allow for the proper siting and construction of water and wastewater infrastructure and efficient utilization of municipal and industrial water projects.
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a key natural resources referral agency for land use applications. They provide guidance and recommendations on wildlife protection and habitat mitigation and protection actions to land use applicants and County staff, as well as to the Planning Commissions and Board of County Commissioners.
- In addition to Eagle County Open Space properties, over 80% of the County’s nearly 1.1 million acres are public lands managed primarily by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
- We work closely with federal partners, such as the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service, to coordinate natural resources and land management projects throughout Eagle County
- For planning projects that are in the County’s jurisdiction, Eagle County participates as a cooperating agency in relevant local land management planning processes led by federal partners. Cooperating agencies are included in the review of amendments to resource management plans and environmental impact statements and provide input on how land use plans on federal public lands can have impacts local to Eagle County
- Examples of federal planning projects on public lands include:
- Wildlife habitat conservation
- Oil and gas leasing
- Utility scale solar energy development
- Recreation planning and management
Find more information on the Vegetation Stewardship page.
- The Natural Resources team is a part of the Eagle County Wildfire Collaborative. Among other tasks, the Collaborative identifies natural resource concerns and best management practices that can maximize natural resource protection related to wildfire mitigation and response.
- Eagle County Mitigation and Wildfire Protection program
- Eagle County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
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