Surrounded by previously protected ranch land and open space, the Ridgway Ranch was at the heart of a long-term conservation vision for the Brush Creek Valley south of Eagle. With protected land on three adjacent sides and BLM land on the fourth, this 131-acre working ranch became the last critical centerpiece needed to create a continuous stretch of protected land along the valley floor.

As a pilot project for Eagle Valley Wild, Todd created a collection of images of the ranch in 2019 for Eagle County Open Space (ECOS) and Eagle Valley Land Trust (EVLT), to visually support a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant application. Shortly after the application with Todd's images was submitted, GOCO swiftly awarded the full $700,000 requested by ECOS and EVLT to help purchase the property and incorporate it into the surrounding Brush Creek Valley Ranch and Open Space.

In July 2020, Eagle County finalized the purchase of the ranch and the vision that was born decades earlier became a reality. One of the most important goals of the EVW project is to leverage significant fundraising efforts like this to help secure low-elevation lands that are vital for wildlife and ranching heritage.