Jessup Family
Jessup Family, 2001
The Jessup family has protected 2,920 acres of Sylvan Dale Ranch through three rural land use projects and seven conservation easements. Beginning with a 1998 family meeting, they made preservation their priority and continue stewardship through the Heart-J Center.
Written by David Jessup
The idea of granting conservation easements was brought to our family's attention by Dave Armstrong (married to Susan Jessup), a professor of biology who served as resident naturalist at Sylvan Dale Ranch for many years.
At a 1998 family meeting involving ranch general partners and siblings Susan and David Jessup, their spouses, children and grandchildren, Armstrong explained the benefits of conservation easements for ranches that are "land rich and cash poor." We also learned of Larimer County's Rural Land Use process, which allows a limited number of home sites on seventy-plus acres as long as most of the land is held as permanent open space. The family made the preservation of open land a priority for envisioning the future of the ranch.
Conserved land secures the ecosystem that sustains the wildlife that call these lands "home". Seeing bighorn sheep, black bear, rabbits, mule deer, and an occasional elk and seldom-seen mountain lion and bobcat, and hearing the wind in a stand of Ponderosa and witnessing a blanket of wildflowers in a mountain meadow, are all gifts worth preserving.
Shortly after our family meeting, we began implementing a series of 3 rural land use projects and seven conservation easements that now protect around 2,920 acres, or about 90% of the ranch's acreage. Larimer County helped finance much of the legal and survey work to complete these projects.
Perhaps "complete" isn't quite the right word. Open lands require ongoing monitoring, wildlife habitat enhancement, forest health projects, control of invasive species, and regenerative livestock management. Our ranch's successor organization, the Heart-J Center for Experiential Learning at Sylvan Dale Ranch, looks forward to partnering with County Natural Resources to make sure these land stewardship efforts continue far into the future. The Heart-J Center's education and research programs will help future generations of residents, families and visitors experience the benefits of open space conservation.
As the Front Range population continues to soar, and development pressure on water and land resources continues to mount, future generations will appreciate the foresight of county leaders and voters for protecting our open spaces. Our Sylvan Dale guests tell us how important it is, in a world dominated by artificial intelligence, to find refuge in places dominated by nature's intelligence.
Sylvan Dale Ranch, 2010
Sylvan Dale Ranch, Photo by Richard Snell, 2018
Larimer County Department of Natural Resources Press Release, February 9, 2005
Owners of Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch Recognized for Conservation Efforts
Peter Kast, Open Lands Board Chair,
Susan Jessup, Tillie Jessup,
K-Lynn Cameron, Open Lands Manager
A recognition award for stewardship of the environment and conservation efforts was presented to the owners of Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch by the Larimer County Open Lands Program at their monthly Open Lands Advisory Board meeting in Loveland on January 27.
The Larimer County Open Lands Program honored Sylvan Dale Ranch as a ranching business managed by individuals who promote stewardship of the environment through practice, demonstration and education. "This recognition award is so important not only because this family deserves to be recognized for their tremendous efforts in conservation, but because what they've achieved is an excellent example of how land preservation can be a viable financial option for working agricultural operations," said K-Lynn Cameron, Larimer County Open Lands Manager. Accepting the award on behalf of Sylvan Dale Ranch and the Jessup Family were Susan Jessup, husband David Armstrong and matriarch Mayme (“Tillie”) Jessup.
Over half (1,865 acres) of their ranch has been protected with conservation easements and protective covenants through the Larimer County Open Lands Program, the Legacy Land Trust, and the Larimer County Rural Land Use Center over a period of six years. The Jessups have donated over $1.3 million in land value towards these conservation efforts. The Jessups have also practiced and demonstrated stewardship to the environment through enhancing wildlife habitat and participating in educational and outreach events to show that ranching and stewardship of the environment go hand-in-hand.
"The owners at Sylvan Dale Ranch have a long-term vision for their lands. Thanks to them, the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon will be protected from development forever. We look forward to continuing this rewarding partnership," commented Peter Kast, Chairman of Larimer County Open Lands Advisory Board.
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch is a dude ranch surrounded by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the Big Thompson River and rolling hogbacks. It has been owned and operated since 1946 by the Jessup family, and operates as a year-round guest ranch and retreat center. The 3,200 acre ranch is located at the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon on U.S. Highway 34, on the way to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.