Bent CD hosted a range tour on September 12, 2018

The tour visited Karney Land and Cattle Ranch and Brown Brothers Ranch.  Grady Grissom, partner and manager on the Rancho Largo, from Walsenburg Colorado was the guest speaker.  Grissom was the recipient of the 2017 

Leopold Conservation Award for Colorado.  The main topic of the tour addressed drought management.

For more information on Grady Grissom, follow the link below:      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPR1NUrM8_A

The Bent Conservation District received matching grant funds in the amount of $25000.00 for the year of 2019, through the Colorado State Conservation Board. Each year the CSCB offers districts throughout the state an opportunity to submit a grant request to fund conservation practices for local landowners and ag- producers.

The proposal; Drought Mitigation addressed the natural resource concerns: Rangeland Health and Soil Erosion.

Bent CD funded six conservation projects within the district boundaries. Some of these projects included installing cross-fencing, stock tanks, pipeline, and solar pumps. On February 21, 2019, Bent CD advertised solicitations for applications. Application deadline was March 15, 2019. The applications were selected by Bent CD board supervisors. The applications were selected based on meeting specific criteria conducive to the grant proposal. 

Staff with the Natural Resources Conservation Services, a partner agency with Bent CD, provided the technical services to plan and implement conservation practices to be installed according to NRCS Standards and Specifications.

The conservation district reports quarterly to the CSCB regarding the status of the projects. Once the projects are completed, NRCS staff will certify practices as they meet standards and specifications. Upon certification, the recipients receive their cost share allocation.

For more information regarding the Matching Grant Program, contact the Bent Conservation District at (719)456-0210 ext 105 or stop in at the USDA Service Center located at 760 Bent Avenue, Las Animas, CO 81054.

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Each year, we hold a poster contest for area students. These students' posters are ranked at the local level, then the top 3 from each of the schools are sent on to the state level competition. We are proud to announce the top 3 entries from McClave and Las Animas school districts below. This year's theme was "Life In The Soil; Dig Deeper".

McClave:  Left to right:  Avery Hemphill 3rd place, Laila Garcia 2nd place , 

Leeanna Mata 1st Place

Las Animas:  Left to right:  Jazlynn Duran 3rd place,   Jadann Eck 2nd place,  

Makayla Marfil 1st place

The Bent Conservation District is offering a one- time payment of a $500.00 scholarship, in total, to qualified applicants. This award will be in the form of a check issued to the scholarship recipient. The check will be issued upon receipt of enrollment verification in one of the specified colleges. The specified colleges are as follows: Lamar Community College, Lamar, Colorado; Otero Junior College, La Junta, Colorado; Other in-state colleges are acceptable, with the community colleges specified having the priority. The recipient of the scholarship will be sent notification by May 15, 2020.

OBJECTIVE

To recognize outstanding student leadership, community service, and to promote participation in area colleges in agriculture related fields.

ELGIBILITY

All high school seniors who are residents of the Bent Conservation District may compete. Preference is to attend an in-state college, although out of state colleges will be considered, during the 2020/2021 fall and spring school year. Students must enroll in an agriculture related course of study.  Recipients will be required to submit class schedule before award will be given.  A class schedule that does not reflect an agriculture related field of study will not be honored. 

The Bent Conservation District includes most of Bent County plus a part of Otero County, which is east of North La Junta between the Fort Lyon Canal and the Arkansas River.

PROCEDURE

Applications may be obtained from high school guidance counselors and the Bent Conservation District Office located in the USDA Service Center, 760 Bent Avenue, Las Animas, CO, 81054. The deadline for completed applications is May 6, 2020 by 4:00 p.m.  Mail or hand deliver applications to the Bent Conservation District, located in the USDA Service Center, 760 Bent Avenue, Las Animas, Colorado, 81054.

The Bent Conservation Board of Supervisors will review the applications received. Selection is based on aptitude tests (SAT or ACT), leadership activities, community service, student’s interests, work-experience and application criteria fulfillment.  School official must sign and seal an official transcript with SAT and / or ACT scores recorded by the school official.

Please note on the application, page 1, there are two signatures required by school officials.  Omission of signatures will result in an automatic termination of application.

The recipient of the scholarship will be sent notification by May 15, 2020. Should the scholarship recipient fail to meet the aforementioned requirements, the board has the right to select another individual.

Please fill out and return the application to the right to apply for the 2020 Scholoarshop. Completed forms may be emailed to or by hand delivery to the office.