Colorado Parks and Wildlife Receives $5,696 to Improve Two Buttes State Wildlife Area Habitat

DENVER – Today the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Board awarded a $5,696 grant to Area 12 of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to restore and diversify the area’s wildlife habitat.

The grant is part of GOCO’s CPW Director’s Innovation Fund (DIF), a partnership between GOCO and CPW to create a funding source for one-time, innovative projects that would not otherwise receive funding from either organization. CPW receives half of GOCO’s funding each year for statewide programs, wildlife, and state parks through an annual investment proposal, however many innovative, small-dollar projects fall outside current funding parameters.

Two Buttes State Wildlife Area is a popular hunting destination and bird watching area. It is also home to many species of wildlife, including mule deer, white tail deer, bobcats, coyotes, scaled quail, doves, turkeys, raptors, songbirds, and rabbits. Area 12 will use its GOCO grant to create a diverse habitat where the animals can flourish. The wildlife area will plant Eastern Red Cedar trees and American Plum trees and add weed prevention fabric and rabbit guards.

The enhancements will improve an existing outdoor classroom space, provide added opportunities for wildlife watching, and attract more big game and small game hunting.

CPW plans to engage youth from the local 4H chapter as volunteers for the work. By giving youth a hands-on opportunity to participate in habitat and wildlife management, the project will also reinforce the benefits of working and spending time outdoors.

Planting will begin next spring.

To date, GOCO has invested more than $4.2 million in Prowers County and conserved more than 1,300 acres of land there. Past projects include the funding of the Lamar Sports Complex, Wiley Community Athletic Field, the Lamar Loop trail, and Inspire Lamar—one of GOCO’s 15 Generation Wild coalitions.