Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post and is republished here by permission. David Kelly has lived his whole life in Colorado’s Upper Arkansas River Valley, where his family has ranched since 1952. The community is committed to helping him and other ranchers there because of the benefits their lands produce for everyone. Kelly’s ranch, about three miles south of Buena Vista, is one of nine enrolled in a 1-year-old program that pays people to not develop their land or sell their water rights. Chaffee County voters approved a sales tax increase of 0.25% in 2018 to address forest health, the impacts of growth and support working ranches, farms and rural landscapes.