CCCC focuses on science to better understand Sandhill Cranes and their habitat and focuses on conservation to improve and restore their habitat in Northwest Colorado.
At the end of August 2023 CCCC conducted its second official Fall Staging Count of cranes on their staging grounds in the Yampa Valley. Eight volunteers counted 417 cranes in late August. This count allows us to monitor cranes during fall staging over the long-term and also helps us better understand which areas cranes use during this critical time. Cranes arrived at their staging areas later than usual near Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig this year.
CCCC participates in restoration projects with private landowners, government agencies, and other nonprofits across Northwest Colorado. For the second year, CCCC worked in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service and Yampa Valley Sustainability Council on a wet meadow restoration project in California Park. California Park is a Special Interest Area located north of Hayden and important breeding area for Sandhill Cranes. CCCC assisted in building rock dams to create wet meadows along creeks where cranes nest and raise their colts. Wet meadows help to retain water on drier landscapes, creating areas rich in plant and animal life that help sustain cranes and other species and benefit the overall health of the ecosystem.
