Help Protect Colorado’s Greater Sandhill Cranes!

I’m Nancy Merrill, and I’ve had the honor of serving as president of the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition (CCCC) since its founding in 2012. I’m passionate about cranes, and I’d like to share why protecting these remarkable birds matters so much.

Cranes are extraordinary! These ancient birds dance, form lifelong pair bonds, and fill the air with their unmistakable bugling calls that can carry for more than a mile. Their annual return to the Yampa Valley and northwest Colorado is a treasured sign of spring and a powerful reminder of our connection to the natural world. Yet Greater Sandhill Cranes are classified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Colorado, and their future depends on our commitment to protecting them and the habitats they need to survive.

Since 2012, CCCC has grown from a single annual event into a year-round effort to conserve and protect the Rocky Mountain population of Greater Sandhill Cranes and their habitat through science and education. Today, your support helps make possible:

• The Yampa Valley Crane Festival: Our signature four-day event celebrates cranes while educating visitors about the birds, their habitat, and the conservation challenges they face.

• Crops for Cranes: Our on-the-ground habitat improvement program helps provide important forage for cranes during their fall staging in the Yampa Valley.

• Education for All Ages: We bring crane and environmental education to schoolchildren and community groups throughout Northwest Colorado, inspiring the next generation of conservationists.

• The Crane Nest Camera: Each spring, our live-streaming camera gives people near and far an intimate look at nesting cranes while providing valuable educational and scientific opportunities.

• Science and Habitat Conservation: Our annual fall staging count helps us understand where cranes gather and how their use of the valley may change over time. We also advocate for crane conservation and support habitat improvement and restoration projects.

Every program makes a difference. Together, they help protect cranes, conserve essential habitat, connect people with nature, and build a community that values wildlife and the landscapes we share.

Your Colorado Gives donation helps keep this important work going. Every contribution supports our mission and brings us closer to a future in which Sandhill Cranes continue to thrive in the Yampa Valley and throughout their range.

Please join me in protecting these magnificent birds. Whether you have watched cranes dance in a field, heard their calls echo across the valley, followed our Crane Nest Camera, or simply believe that future generations deserve to experience the wonder of wildlife, your support matters.

Thank you for helping the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition ensure that these extraordinary birds remain part of our natural heritage for generations to come!