Rio Oxbow Ranch near Creede Receives Riparian Award

Alan and Patricia Lisenby owners of the Rio Oxbow Ranch near Creede, Colorado, received the Award for Excellence in Riparian Management from the Colorado Riparian Association at their annual conference held this month in Alamosa.  The Riparian Association also recognized the ranch managers, Dale and Anne Pizel, for their efforts to implement land use practices that have resulted in improvements to the riparian area along the Rio Grande River, which flows through the ranch.

During the reception Pizel read a letter from the Lisenby’s who wrote,  “We understand our obligation as stewards of this historic ranch to maintain its scenic beauty for the benefit of the community, and support its fragile environment for the benefit of wildlife.”

The Lisenbys have owned the Rio Oxbow since 1996 and are deeply involved in all aspects of managing the ranch.  They have dedicated themselves to its care and restoration through their management practices and riparian restoration efforts.  The Pizels have also been very active in pursuing numerous restorative and maintenance practices on the Rio Oxbow.  The Lisenby’s and Pizel’s combined efforts have led to what NRCS District Conservationist, Steve Russell, describes as an “extremely healthy riparian area.”

The Pizels accepted the award at the Riparian Association’s Conference on October 9, 2003.  Dale Pizel shared before and after photos of the ranch showing how the riparian areas had improved in the past seven years. 

The Colorado Riparian Association is a group of landowners, resource managers, organizations and interested people that promotes awareness of the values and long-term benefits of proper management of Colorado’s riparian areas.  Riparian areas are the vegetative ecosystems surrounding Colorado’s waterways.  These areas contain some of the most valuable wildlife habitats and plant communities in the semi-arid West and are important for flood control, streambank stabilization, water quality protection and streamflow maintenance.

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