Who owns the land at the Slash-Mulch site?
You do. The site is located on State lands which are owned by Colorado taxpayers and under the trusteeship of the State Board of Land Commissioners. In 1876, when Colorado was made a state, two sections (each 640 acres) of each township throughout the new state were reserved for the support of the public schools. These sections, generally 16 and 36, were to be used as the trustees saw fit, to raise money to be apportioned to public schools. At that time these funds were enough to support all the public schools in Colorado. As of 1999, the funds gained from school lands provide only about one percent of funds needed for public schools. The public has expressed the opinion that many of these lands can be used for recreation, open space, and community endeavors such as the Slash-Mulch Program, rather than be sold for development. The Trustees have agreed and are converting some lands to this kind of use. Section 16 in the Black Forest falls into this category.
