Montrose Business Times
Gunnison has been recognized as one of five standout rural communities in the country for its work tying conservation to economic sustainability, according to a new national list released by Trout Unlimited.
The organization’s inaugural “Conservation Towns” list highlights rural communities that have adapted to shifting economic realities by investing in natural resources — particularly rivers, streams and public lands — as long-term drivers of local economies.
Gunnison was named an honorable mention on the 2026 list, which also includes a top “champion” designation for Philipsburg and additional honorees in California, Wisconsin and New York.
According to Trout Unlimited, the selected communities share a common approach: building economic resilience by protecting and restoring the landscapes that have historically sustained them.
“These communities are tapping into their most important assets — their rivers, public lands and wild places — to create new blueprints for economic success,” the organization said in announcing the list.
In Gunnison, that work includes collaboration between Trout Unlimited and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to pilot new water management technology aimed at improving irrigation efficiency in drought-prone areas.
The system, known as “Auto Tarp,” allows irrigators to remotely control headgates, helping conserve water while maintaining agricultural productivity. The technology was developed by a Trout Unlimited staff member after firsthand experience with drought conditions in the Gunnison Valley.
So far, eight ranches in the Gunnison and Rio Grande watersheds have adopted the system, with more expected in the coming years, according to the organization.
The broader Conservation Towns initiative is intended to spotlight communities that Trout Unlimited says “model what it means to be a champion for your rivers, your communities and your fisheries.”
Philipsburg, the program’s first overall champion, was recognized for its transition from a mining-based economy to one centered on outdoor recreation and large-scale watershed restoration, with millions of dollars invested in stream and habitat improvements.
Other communities on the list include Fort Bragg, Florence and Rockland County, each highlighted for different conservation-driven economic strategies.
Trout Unlimited said the goal of the list is not only to recognize these efforts but also to provide a model for other rural communities looking to balance economic development with long-term stewardship of natural resources.
