Who We Are
The Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) is the only local land trust exclusively serving Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Founded in 1999, RiGHT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization rooted in this landscape—geographically, culturally, and organizationally. We are based in Del Norte, Colorado, and our work is dedicated entirely to the San Luis Valley, one of the most ecologically and historically significant regions in the West.
We partner with private landowners, public agencies, and conservation organizations to protect working farms and ranches, secure vital water resources, conserve wildlife habitat, and preserve the Valley’s expansive scenic beauty. As the community’s land trust, RiGHT is committed to locally driven, lasting solutions that support people, place, and future generations.
What Is a Land Trust?
A land trust is a nonprofit organization that works to permanently conserve land for agriculture, clean water, wildlife, and community benefit.
RiGHT primarily uses conservation easements—voluntary legal agreements that limit development while keeping land privately owned and actively managed. Landowners maintain the right to use, sell, or pass down their land, knowing its conservation values will be protected forever.
What We Do
We protect the places that sustain our community by:
Partnering with landowners to conserve working farms and ranches
Safeguarding water through conservation easements and collaborative solutions
Protecting wildlife habitat, wetlands, and river corridors
Preserving scenic beauty and cultural heritage across the Valley
Strengthening conservation capacity through education, outreach, and community programs
To date, RiGHT has permanently protected over 35,000 acres across 60 conservation easements, ensuring these lands remain intact and productive for generations to come.
