The Historic Splendid Valley in Adams County, Colorado, is identified as one of the best places left in the greater Denver metro area for growing, processing and distributing local food. Just northeast of Denver, the county’s mixture of suburbs and farmland has created tension between agricultural and non-agricultural uses. As farmers retire and urban development creeps nearer, productive farm soils are being forever lost, in keeping with a national trend that sees 157 acres of agricultural land lost every hour.

In a unique partnership with Adams County and the city of Brighton, we are completing community-driven conservation in the Historic Splendid Valley that is preserving this prime agricultural land, water rights and more.

Why It Matters

In addition to providing food, agricultural land also plays an important role in conserving Colorado’s scarce water resources. Thanks to the historic floodplain of the South Platte River, the farms in Adams County have two finite and irreplaceable resources — soil classified as prime by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and water rights from the Fulton Ditch. Water is of strategic concern for farmers, as rights are often transferred from agricultural land to meet the needs of Colorado’s growing towns and cities.

The Historic Splendid Valley also creates a key buffer, protecting wildlife and recreation from encroaching Denver development. The area is a defined flyway for migratory birds, waterfowl and shorebirds. A regional trail system is being developed between Barr Lake State Park to the east and the South Platte River Greenway to the west, better connecting the community with its farmland, open spaces, and wildlife and bird viewing areas.

Our Role

Recognizing a need to protect these scarce resources, Adams County and the city of Brighton formed a unique partnership to establish an agricultural district where 1,250 acres of the most fertile farmland is designated for agricultural land and water conservation efforts. That’s when TCF stepped in. We’ve been working to acquire properties identified within the agricultural district from willing sellers before they are developed. We then permanently protect the properties with conservation easements and match the farms with new owners who will carry on agricultural operations. Since 2004, eight farms have been protected within the valley, totaling 566 acres.

The partners’ shared vision for preserving agricultural heritage in the Historic Splendid Valley is positioning local farmers to capitalize on the growing demand for fresh, local and organic food. It also supports a burgeoning agritourism economy. The Historic Splendid Valley helps educate and connect the community to the history of many first- and second-generation Japanese-American families who settled in the Brighton area before and after World War II, becoming some of the most successful farmers in the region. The impressive foresight and courageous collaboration demonstrated by the partners as they worked to advance community-driven urban food security serves as a model for Colorado and the nation — and was even featured in “Building Community Food Webs,” written by renowned food-systems analyst Ken Meter.