Turning Stewardship into Income: A New Conservation Opportunity for Landowners in Larimer County
by Ben Guillon, CEO | NetEarth
Across Colorado, landowners are already doing the quiet, essential work of caring for their land — preserving creeks and cottonwoods, managing for wildlife, and maintaining the ecological integrity of riparian corridors. Now, those efforts can go even further. A new statewide Umbrella Conservation Bank for the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse has just launched, offering landowners a chance to generate income by improving and protecting habitat — without navigating years of paperwork and red tape.
Why the Preble’s Mouse Matters
The Preble’s meadow jumping mouse is a small, threatened mammal found only along the foothills of Colorado and Wyoming. It depends on healthy streamside habitats — the same lush, diverse landscapes that benefit water quality, pollinators, birds, and grazing lands. By protecting habitat for the Preble’s mouse, landowners also support a web of other species and long-term land resilience.
A Smarter Model for Conservation Banking
Conservation banking traditionally involves creating and selling habitat credits to offset development impacts — but the process is often slow and complex. The new umbrella bank changes that. Instead of building a new bank from scratch, landowners can:
Enroll quickly under the umbrella structure
Earn habitat credits for conservation actions on their land
Receive payments when those credits are used to meet regulatory needs elsewhere
Stay focused on their land management priorities, with expert guidance along the way
“We are really pleased to be working with Ben on the conservation bank in order to improve and protect habitat on our ranch,” said Jim and Nancy Carpenter. “We see it as a win-win not only for the Preble’s jumping mouse but for all species needing this vital habitat — not to mention, as landowners we receive financial benefits.”
The Carpenter Ranch, Livermore, CO (Photo credit: Heather Knight)
Is This a Fit for You?
NetEarth expects full approval of the umbrella bank from the US Fish and Wildlife Service later this year. The first enrolled properties will be in Larimer County and Douglas County.
Ideal participants typically have land along streams or wet meadows in areas known to support the Preble’s mouse. But even if you're not sure, we welcome a conversation.
This is a chance to:
Support conservation goals without taking land out of use
Access a new income stream from habitat stewardship
Join a growing community of landowners committed to lasting impact
Whether you run cattle, care for a family ranch, or simply value the wild things that share your land, this could be a new tool in your conservation toolkit.
Want to learn more or see if your land qualifies? Reach out today! Ben Guillon, CEO | NetEarth , ben@netearth.ventures | +1 (720) 443-3879
