A future natural area is likely on the horizon for northeast Fort Collins now that the city has acquired 55 acres of land with that possibility in mind.
The most recently acquired site, 36 acres just west of Interstate 25 and south of Vine Drive, was purchased in June 2023 for $1.5 million, according to the Larimer County Assessor’s website. In 2021, the city purchased a 23-acre parcel farther south from the Vine parcel, just north of Mulberry Street, for $1.2 million.
The land is situated within what’s known as the Cooper Slough, a wetlands area.
This part of the city has long been identified as a conservation area, said Julia Feder, environmental planning manager with the city. There aren’t any natural areas in the far northeast part of the city, even as housing has exploded there in recent years.
“The slough provides a really unique ecological feature in that it doesn’t freeze in the winter, and so it provides significant habitat for songbirds and waterfowl, as well as other wildlife,” Feder said.