Respect the Rural: Education continues with property tax bill flyers

With a rise in individuals recreating in, new homebuyers transferring in and second-home homeowners spending extra time in rural Routt County the previous few years, agricultural and nonprofit organizations are persevering with to teach about “Respect the Rural.”

A Respect the Rural handout might be included in the tax payments arriving this week for some 28,000 Routt County property homeowners with the emphasis on “what to know when living in or visiting rural Routt County.” The outreach is sponsored by Routt County Colorado State University Extension and Community Agriculture Alliance.

“The primary goal is to share information with new landowners and new community members,” stated Michele Meyer, govt director of the Community Agriculture Alliance. “Our hope is to connect new landowners with community resources so they can learn more and access available programs.”

Highlights in the present handout, which is posted on-line at CommunityAgAlliance.org, embrace guidelines of the street, respect non-public property, thoughts the gate, pack out trash, get pleasure from the experience, be neighbor, fence-out legal guidelines, livestock guardian canine, fairly flower or a weed, be a steward, maintain a balanced river system, don’t be terrified of the darkish, shield your own home property and forest, and water sources first in time, first in proper.

Todd Hagenbuch, CSU Extension county director and agricultural agent, stated the variety of calls he receives concerning rural considerations and questions have progressively elevated throughout his 11 years in the place.

“We know that when people move in the rural area, they want to be good neighbors,” Hagenbuch stated. “So, this is an effort to help them have the information to be better neighbors.”

The educators hope property homeowners, alongside with renters, will look ahead to the up to date “Rural Living Guidebook” to be posted on the Routt County CSU Extension web site later this winter. Printed copies of the guidebook additionally might be out there. For now, the extension service has a information to rural dwelling out there below the “Ag & Natural Resources” tab on its web site.

Headlining the handout inserted in the tax payments is “rules of the road.”

“Slow down. Cows, sheep and horses don’t understand cars or bikes. They have the right of way on all roads, so whether you are in a car, on your bike or on foot, yield to animals,” in response to the Respect the Rural handout. “And remember that tractors and other farm equipment do not stop or maneuver like cars. Give them time, lots of space and be patient.”

An Enjoy the Ride tip explains, “whether on bike, foot or car, slow down and enjoy the view. County roads are not like driving on the highway. Be safe, slow down and enjoy the ride. Smile, wave and be polite.”

A Be a Good Neighbor tip notes, “whether you’ve lived here for generations or just moved in, talk with your neighbors. Get to know them and share your contact information. In case of an emergency, it’s important to know and can make life easier.”

“We definitely need to educate new people buying land, but we also need to educate visitors on appropriate leave-no-trace type behaviors,” stated Lyn Halliday, board president of the Routt County Conservation District.

For Halliday, packing out trash and the growing numbers of bikers on trails and roads are objects she believes want extra consideration.

“Biking on county roads and on bike trails have become very popular, and that is one of the categories where people can work together toward all of our rural goals,” Halliday stated.

A listing of native businesses that serve landowners is accessible in a Landowners Handbook below the sources part on the Routt County Conservation District web site at RouttCountyCD.com/sources.

“We are trying to be educational and help new community members and landowners have positive interactions with their neighbors,” Meyer stated. “For new people who have never lived in rural communities it is important to understand issues such as leaving gates the way they are found, keeping distance from working livestock dogs, slowing down for livestock on the road, and giving space to slow-moving large farm and ranch equipment.”

To attain Suzie Romig, name 970-871-4205 or electronic mail sromig@SteamboatPilot.com.