RESTORE Colorado funds at-scale habitat restoration and stewardship projects on public and private conservation lands in Colorado that have the greatest benefit for wildlife and local communities. RESTORE Colorado is a partnership among the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Gates Family Foundation, Occidental, Walton Family Foundation, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Partners
Stretching from the rolling shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains to the crest of the Rocky Mountains, and into the canyons of the desert Southwest, Colorado hosts some of the most impressive landscapes and wildlife habitat in the country. At the same time, a rapidly growing human population and increasing demands on public and private lands has strained wildlife and their habitats in the region.
Restoration and Stewardship of Outdoor Resources and Environment (RESTORE) Colorado funds at-scale habitat restoration, expansion and improvement projects across the following habitats and statewide priorities:
- Watershed resilience (wetlands, riparian and upland habitats including forests)
- Eastern Colorado grasslands
- Sagebrush rangelands
- Big game winter range and migration corridors
- Capacity building for conservation project development and delivery
- Urban areas
| Program Fact Sheet | Download the PDF | |
| RESTORE Colorado 5-Year Report | Download the PDF | |
| 2024 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2023 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2022 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2021 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2020 Grant Slate | Download the PDF |
Director, Rocky Mountain Regional Office
Program Director, Grasslands and Mountain West
Program Director, Southwest Rivers
Coordinator, Regional Programs
Related Species
Elk
Elk are large herbivores known for the males' widely branching antlers and iconic bugle-call during fall mating season. Elk prefer open woodlands, and some populations migrate long distances between high-altitude summer ranges where they give birth, and low-altitude winter ranges to escape harsh winters.
Moose
Moose are the largest of the deer species and the tallest mammals in North America. Their populations are limited to the northern forests of the United States and Canada, and they have thick, insulating fur to thermoregulate during the winter months. Moose forage on a variety forest plants and trees, and will also incorporate aquatic vegetation in their diet at certain times of the year.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn, also known as "antelope," are sagebrush-dependent ungulate known for their incredible speed. They are the sole-surviving member of their taxonomic family. With an evolutionary history rooted in open-grasslands, pronghorn are reluctant to leap over fences that have been constructed across the West for rangeland management, causing disruptions of their ancient migration routes and reducing access to high-quality habitat.
Mule deer
Mule deer are a social, migratory ungulate who are named for their large ears that resemble a mule's ears. An iconic species of the western United States, habitat loss and increased fragmentation of the landscape have caused localized declines in mule deer populations and reduced the function of critical migration paths.
Greater sage-grouse
The greater sage-grouse is a sagebrush-dependent upland game bird and largest of the grouse species. Known for its theatrical mating displays on "leks" or breeding grounds, populations have been in decline due to loss of sagebrush habitat, and their ability to serve as an umbrella species for other sagebrush wildlife emphasizes the need to restore and protect their habitats.
