We know the climate situation is urgent, but one key point, really the most important, that we make with our climate report The Gunnison River Basin: Ground Zero in the Climate Emergency is that with initiative the Western Slope can become a global climate leader.

On the second chilly weekend of March, hundreds of diverse Paonia citizens came together for a weekend of all things beaver. Colorado Farm and Food Alliance and the Western Slope Conservation Center came together to fill the town with a variety of activities and events for everyone that appealed to all of the senses and facets of beaver restoration.

What are Nature-Based Climate Solutions?

Rural Climate Action means regenerative agriculture, conservation, and watershed restoration: Western Colorado can be a global leader!

Nature-based Solutions are land-management practices that mimic and restore natural systems to improve habitats and watersheds, strengthen ecosystem health, and boost climate resiliency and carbon uptake.

All four 1/8th of an acre Incubator plots were claimed early Spring of 2022. Eager aspiring farmers prepared their soil, pulled weeds and tended the beds with fresh cut oat straw and aged sheep compost. In the evenings, they prepared garden and business plans, anticipating a full growing season and dreaming of potential budding businesses to share their harvests.