`Ecosystem Initiatives in Northern Colorado and Sylvan Dale Guest

‘Ecosystem Initiatives in Northern Colorado and
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch Nutrient Pilot Project'
David Jessup - Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
Zack Shelley - The Forum
Cow Pie Pileup
The story of
how a
problem
that looks
like this….
Turned into a solution that looks like …
Colorado Conservation Exchange
Payments for Ecosystem Services
Exchange matches the Beneficiaries’
needs for nature’s benefits with Stewards
who can provide them.
Beneficiaries contribute monetary, in-kind, and
other donations to the Exchange to help them
manage their needs related to nature’s benefits
Beneficiaries
("Buyers")
Utilities, Businesses,
Breweries, Local Food
Consumers,
Households,
Developers,
Recreationists,
Nonprofits, Universities,
Public Agencies, Private
Foundations, Visitors
d
Fund Administration:
Professional financiers, foundations
and endowment managers provide
assistance to the Exchange
Intermediaries
d
Colorado
Conservation
Registry:
Independent third party registry
records production and transfer
of certified nature’s benefits
Exchange ensures production and
delivery of certified nature’s benefits to
Beneficiaries
Exchange
d
d
Technical Assistance:
Technical experts work with
Stewards to determine best
management and restoration
practices to produce nature’s benefits
Intermediaries
Monitoring / Verification:
Independent third party monitors
verify the production of nature’s
benefits
Stewards
(“Sellers”)
Farm, ranch and logging
families; natural
resource managers,
public land managers;
small acreage
landowners; NGOs and
volunteer groups
Stewards use resources from the Exchange
to implement practices that enhance nature’s
benefits desired by Beneficiaries
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
66 Years in the Saddle … 1946- 2012
Dude Ranch, vacations, retreats,
weddings, reunions, B&B,
picnics, meetings, holiday
parties
Heart-J Beef, natural, pure grass-fed
64 Cow-calf pairs, 54 Finishers,
10 Replacements, 3,200 Acres….
2,541 acres under Conservation Easements;
79% of 3200-acre total value of \donations
(after tax credits and partial sales)
= $1 million
Colorado Conservation Exchange
Connects the beneficiaries of ecosystem services with
landowners and natural resource managers who produce them
Example
A water utility needs improved water quality and a rancher can provide that
d
d
Colorado
Conservation
Exchange
Water Utility
d
d
Rancher
Pilot Projects
Roberts Ranch
Sylvan Dale Ranch
Sylvan Dale Nutrient Pilot Project
Mount Manure
Sylvan Dale cattle pens
Confinement Periods
(maximums):
1. Calving: February 1 to April 30th, 60 to 90 days.
2. Vaccinating, Branding, Cattle Drives- End of June
to the third week of July. 7 Days
3. Weaning: October, 14 Days.
TOTAL: 81-111 days
Natural Resources Conservation Service – NRCS
Calculated 63 Tons of Manure per year
Solution: Keep clean water clean
• Option one: composting (build a roof) High Cost $25,000
• Option two: Big Ditch – High Cost $20,000
• Option three: Small ditch, swale(s), less confinement – Low
Cost $8,000
Pasture-based weaning
Change calving season
Feed hay in pastures (“windrows”)
Where’s the $$$?
What about the rest of the Watershed?
Colorado Conservation Exchange
A Pilot Project?
If hundreds of farmers, ranchers and horse facility owners changed
practices to improve water quality, It would benefit citizens,
breweries, water utilities and recreational users.
Might these beneficiaries help finance such practices (especially if
saved them money in new water treatment facilities to meet EPA
and state standards)?
To help create a marketplace to bring Land Stewards
(“Sellers”) together with Beneficiaries (“Buyers”)
Colorado Nutrient Management Control Regulation 85
implications for WWTPs & sanitation districts
How to Measure and Verify?
•How many pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus and
ammonia are kept out of the river over a year (before and
after measurements).
•Can we establish a rule of thumb for other landowners?
Given X no. of animals in X proximity to the river for X
number of days, how many pounds of nutrients are
discharged for every inch of rain that falls?
Big Thompson Watershed Forum
•Sampling & monitoring plan •Training
•Measuring devices
•Lab analyses
•Sampling equipment
•Data analysis & management
2 year sampling before project implementation
with post BMP sampling
A truly collaborative effort…..
•Sylvan Dale Ranch
•Big Thompson Watershed Forum
•Colorado State University
•Natural Resource Cons. Service
•City of Loveland
•Northern Water
•Ayres Consulting
Big Thompson River
running through the ranch
Installation of the 6” Parshall flume and staff gage
downgrade between the river and the two cattle pens
First Test Run
Zack Shelley and Mark Wyscarver
Isco 674 Rain Gage
Sampling conducted by Sylvan Dale staff with lab
analyses by City of Loveland & Colorado Analytical
Results to date….
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
Nutrient Concentrations @ Site SDR-01 2011-2012
20
28
18
16
NH3-N
14
TP
mg/L
12
TN
10
TKN
8
TN-1.25
6
TP-0.11
4
2
0
12/29/11
5/7/12
6/27/12
7/6/12
7/29/12
Date
9/12/12
9/13/12 9/26/12
9/26/12
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
Nutrient Event Loadings @ Site SDR-01 2011-2012
18
40
16
14
lbs/event
12
NH3-N
10
TP
8
TN
6
4
2
0
12/29/11 5/7/12
6/27/12
7/6/12
7/29/12
Date
9/12/12
9/13/12
9/26/12
9/26/12
Ranch Rainfall 2012
5.0
4.5
4.0
Inches/event
3.5
3.0
Rainfall
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
12/29/11
5/6/12
5/7/12
6/27/12
7/6/27
7/7/12
7/29/12
9/12-13/12
9/26/12
BTWF-USGS Site M90 in 2012
Nutrient Concentrations
Downstream Site from SDR-Upstream of Loveland WTP
1.4
1.2
NH3-N
mg/L
1.0
TP
TN
0.8
TP-.11
0.6
TN-1.25
0.4
0.2
0.0
Date
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
E.Coli Concentrations @ Site SDR-01 2011-2012
25,000
MPN/100 ml
20,000
15,000
E.Coli
Std-126
10,000
5,000
0
12/29/11 5/7/12
6/27/12
7/6/12
7/29/12
Date
9/12/12
9/13/12
9/26/12
Sylvan Dale Ranch Pilot Project
Nature’s Benefit Produced:
Water Quality
via
Nutrient Reduction
Beneficiaries contribute funds or in-kind donations
directly to the Steward who implements practices to
improve water quality
Beneficiaries
Community
State
Environment
Financial
Institute for Livestock & the
Environment
In Kind
Northern Water,
Loveland Water & Power
Developers
NRCS:
Works with Sylvan Dale to determine
best cost effective management practice
to reduce nutrient loading
Colorado
Conservation
Exchange
Steward
Sylvan Dale Ranch
Big Thompson Watershed Forum & Coop:
Monitoring & assessment plan;
Measures 1) baseline nutrient leaching
and then 2) reduction in nutrient leaching
Steward uses resources to implement water quality
practices and reports directly to Beneficiary,
Sylvan Dale Ranch Pilot Project
Nature’s Benefit Produced:
Water Quality
via
Nutrient Reduction
Beneficiaries contribute funds or in-kind donations
directly to the Steward who implements practices to
improve water quality
Beneficiaries
Community
State
Environment
What’s the value
of this Service?
(As opposed to cost)
Financial
Institute for Livestock & the
Environment
In Kind
Northern Water
Loveland Water & Power
Developers
How are credits
registered to attract
other buyers?
NRCS:
Works with Sylvan Dale to determine
best cost effective management practice
to reduce nutrient loading
Colorado
Conservation
Exchange
Steward
Sylvan Dale Ranch
Big Thompson Watershed Forum & Coop :
Monitoring & assessment plan;
Measures 1) baseline nutrient leaching
and then 2) reduction in nutrient leaching
Steward uses resources to implement water quality
practices and reports directly to Beneficiary,
The Devil is in the Details
What Would the Exchange Do?
Exchange matches the Beneficiaries’
needs for nature’s benefits with Stewards
who can provide them.
Beneficiaries contribute monetary, in-kind, and
other donations to the Exchange to help them
manage their needs related to nature’s benefits
Beneficiaries
("Buyers")
Utilities, Businesses,
Breweries, Local Food
Consumers,
Households,
Developers,
Recreationists,
Nonprofits, Universities,
Public Agencies, Private
Foundations, Visitors
d
Fund Administration:
Professional financiers, foundations
and endowment managers provide
assistance to the Exchange
Intermediaries
d
Colorado
Conservation
Registry:
Independent third party registry
records production and transfer
of certified nature’s benefits
Exchange ensures production and
delivery of certified nature’s benefits to
Beneficiaries
Exchange
d
d
Technical Assistance:
Technical experts work with
Stewards to determine best
management and restoration
practices to produce nature’s benefits
Intermediaries
Monitoring / Verification:
Independent third party monitors
verify the production of nature’s
benefits
Stewards
(“Sellers”)
Farm, ranch and logging
families; natural
resource managers,
public land managers;
small acreage
landowners; NGOs and
volunteer groups
Stewards use resources from the Exchange
to implement practices that enhance nature’s
benefits desired by Beneficiaries
Survey 16 Ranches, Laramie Foothills
Ranch Business Model
No. of Ranchers
Ranching only
Outside Supplements
Outside Income
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Development…
Water Scarcity
Time and Energy
Unprofitability
Input Costs
0
2
4
6
8
10 12 14 16
Future Concerns
No. of Mentions
No. of Mentions
Current Concerns or Challenges
Property Taxes
Interference/outside
rs
Regulations/restricti
ons
7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5
Increasing Income
Enhancing
Conservation
0 2 4 6 8
Reasons to Question P.E.S.
Unkinown risk or cost
No. of Mentions
No. of
mentions
Reasons to Welcome P.E.S.
Restrictions
Transparency, trust
Don't understand it
0
1
2
3
4
5
Number of Mentions
What is Needed Before Participating
Social support, successful
pilots
Personal, time constraints
Minimize effort, reporting
Financial assurance
More information, details
0
5
10
15
20
25
The End…