The Uncompahgre Plateau, a major landform located in western Colorado on the Colorado Plateau, is one of the state’s most spectacular landscapes. The Uncompahgre Plateau Project (UP Project) is a collaborative effort among the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Public Lands Partnership, and countless organizations and land users to improve stewardship and resource conditions for this special area, as well as enhance the communities and economies that surround it.

The UP Project began as an effort to improve winter habitat for deer and elk, and has since developed into a vision for 1.5 million acres involving both public and private lands. More than 75 partners have participated in the project, generating over $3.5 million in funding while contributing to the local economy.

The UP Project demonstrates the Secretary of the Interior’s Four C’s Philosophy of Consultation, Cooperation, and Communication, all in the service of Conservation. BLM Director Kathleen Clarke presented the partners with the distinguished Director’s Four C’s Award in an October 2004 ceremony held in Montrose, CO.