ACTION ALERT: Your Knowledge and Comments Needed

Map of the Colorado River Valley Field Office courtesy of the BLM The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has extended the comment period for the Colorado River Valley (formerly Glenwood Springs) Resource Management Plan (RMP) until February 29.  We have a little more time to get in some quality comments for this plan affecting over a half million acres of our public lands in central Colorado.  We are focusing comments on Lands with Wilderness Characteristics (LWC) – which is a bureaucratic way of saying our unprotected wild lands, many of which are already proposed for permanent wilderness designation.  The BLM has identified 47,000 acres in 6 different units that meet the technical requirements, and several are adjacent to already-protected lands or Forest Service Roadless lands.  Click here for more info on these wild lands. Shockingly, the BLM preferred alternative would protect zero of these LWC acres to protect their wild values.  We need to demonstrate to the BLM that we are paying attention and that there is a constituency for these wild places.  The best approach is to concentrate your comments on places where you have recreated and care about.  If you can say that you go to a place and that protection of its wild character is a benefit to your recreation.  Additionally, talking about how it would damage your enjoyment of these places if oil and gas, off-road vehicles or other disturbing activities were allowed - and that you would probably go elsewhere - is an effective argument.

Thompson Creek proposed wilderness. Photo Hidden Gems campaign. By next Wednesday, CMC members and others need to step up and tell the BLM to protect these last wild places to their fullest capability.  Special interests are putting lots of pressure on the BLM to roll back protections, so we must show that there is a strong constituency for wild lands. Please take a moment to write the BLM and tell them to protect these wild lands and your quiet recreational opportunities.  Remember, specific notes about specific places work best. Please send us a copy of your comments too, so we can keep track of what folks are saying. 1) Send comments to:  co_crvrmp@blm.gov 2) Send us a copy, please:  conservation@cmc.org The RMP is posted online at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Programs/land_use_planning/rmp/kfo-gsfo/crv.html

Lands with Wilderness Characteristics and links to maps and more information: Castle Creek Addition  -  lands contiguous with the existing Castle Peak Wilderness Study Area, proposed for wilderness and currently before Congress in Rep. Jared Polis’ Eagle and Summit County Wilderness Preservation Act.                                         Deep Creek – A large roadless gorge draining the Flat Tops Wilderness, eventually into the Colorado River, a popular hiking destination.  Proposed for wilderness in Rep. Diana DeGette’s Colorado Wilderness Act of 2011.      Flat Tops Addition/Hack Lake – A large companion roadless area adjacent to the existing Falt Tops Wilderness, including popular Hack Lake. Proposed for wilderness in Rep. Diana DeGette’s Colorado Wilderness Act of 2011. Grand Hogback – Dramatic jagged mountains near Rifle Falls State Park that separate the Roan Plateau from the Flat Tops plateau.  Proposed for wilderness in Rep. Diana DeGette’s Colorado Wilderness Act of 2011.          Pisgah Mountain – Desolate mid-elevation cliffs along the Colorado River below Statebridge. Proposed for wilderness and currently being considered as a Special Management Area before Congress in Rep. Jared Polis’ Eagle and Summit County Wilderness Preservation Act.    Thompson Creek – Popular hiking destination west of Carbondale, threatened by oil and gas development. Proposed for wilderness and currently before Congress in Rep. Jared Polis’ Eagle and Summit County Wilderness Preservation Act.    Thank you for your help and commitment to Colorado's public lands!

Scott Braden Director of Conservation and Education Colorado Mountain Club

Guest Blog: Native Plant Program Offers Field Courses and Indoor Classes

 Become a native plant master (or at least be taught by one!) from our friends at the Colorado State University. Learn about Colorado's beautiful flora and fauna just in time for Spring!

Native Plant Program Offers Field Courses and Indoor Classes

Have you ever wondered about all those beautiful wildflowers you pass by on hikes in the mountains?  Take a Native Plant Master^® field course or indoor class and discover the fascinating world of Colorado plants that will enrich your future mountain explorations! 

In an outdoor Native Plant Master (NPM) course, you will learn plant identification and lots of fun facts about native and non-native plants along the trail.  Exciting new indoor classes taught by CSU faculty and other experts include native plant landscaping, native lawns, invasive weeds, poisonous plants, ecological restoration and basic botany.

Classes begin in March.  Register early as many of these popular offerings will have a waiting list later. See http://2012npm.eventbrite.com/ Jefferson County.  For other locations in Colorado, see www.conativeplantmaster.org.  

For a virtual wildflower tour, browse the Colorado Plant Database at http://coloradoplants.jeffco.us.  CPD includes research-based information on more than 1,000 Colorado plants. To contact NPM directly, email yhuang@jeffco.us or call (303) 271-6620.

Colorado State University Extension provides information and education and encourages the application of research-based knowledge in response to local, state and national issues. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.  For information about Colorado State University Extension, visit http://www.ext.colostate.edu.

Contact:

Yinyan Huang

Colorado State University Extension

Native Plant Master Program

(303) 271-6620

yhuang@jeffco.us

CMC Awarded $1000 at Vail Resorts Echo Community Connections Day

Megan Jones (l) of Vail Resorts and Scott Braden (r) of CMC

Colorado Mountain Club was invited to participate in Vail Resorts Echo's Community Connections Party on January 25 at Vail Resorts corporate offices in Broomfield.  The event connected local service-oriented organizations with over 250 Vail employees looking to volunteer in the community. Additionally, Vail Resorts Echo held a drawing to give $1000 to an employee to award to one of the non-profit organizations present.  CMC was able to make connections with many Vail employees who are interested in volunteering with our Outdoor Stewardship program or Youth Education Program.

Megan Jones, an accountant at Vail Resorts, won the drawing and chose to award the $1000 prize to Colorado Mountain Club, saying "I believe that everyone should spend a lot of time exploring the outdoors and this great place called Colorado.  CMC is a great organization to teach kids that it's better to be outside than in!" Thanks Megan, we couldn't have said it better!  And thanks to Vail Resorts Echo for hosting the Community Connections Party!

Vail Resorts Echo

To find out more about Vail Resorts Echo at www.vrecho.com. 

Click here to find out more about volunteer  opportunities at the CMC.

Sign up today for CMC Conservation's monthly e-newsletter, the Conservation Chronicles, and to get Action Alerts.  CMC Conservation works hard to protect the amazing outdoor opportunities in Colorado and to promote volunteer stewardship on our public lands. You don't even have to be a CMC member.  Sign up today!

Tell your CO legislators to vote NO to the “OHVs Everywhere Bill”

SAY NO TO OFF-ROAD VEHICLES (OHVs) ON COLORADO PUBLIC ROADS

State Rep. Kevin Priola, representing suburban Brighton, recently introduced an ill-conceived bill – HB 1066 – that would open all county roads (only exempting the 12 most populous counties) to OHVs.   It would also open up nearly all streets in towns with a population of less than 5,000 – over 195 towns including Breckenridge, Manitou Springs, Silverthorne and even urban Glendale, a city of 4,900 completely surrounded by Denver!

 

The bill permits OHVs such as ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), UTV’s (side-by-side utility vehicles) and dirt bikes to be titled, plated and become street-legal.  Any road with a speed limit of 45 mph or under in one of the affected counties or cities is open.

There are many reasons why this bill is bad news for Colorado:

• Bad for Conservation – The bill undermines years of land management plans and will lead to unregulated OHV use on national forests and BLM lands aided by 12,000 new miles of county road use, rather than controlled by designated OHV trailheads and routes. This will wreak havoc on Colorado’s national forests and create a law enforcement nightmare. It will bring unwanted noise and disturbance to quiet roads, campgrounds, and neighborhoods throughout Colorado. 
• Opposed by counties and cities – Both Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI) and Colorado Municipal League (CML) oppose this bad legislation because it takes away local control and imposes a top-down, one size fits all approach.  Right now, counties and towns already have the authority to designate their roads open to OHVs – this bill takes away their discretion to base decisions on local knowledge and preference.
• Safety Hazard – create a dangerous mix of cars, trucks and OHVs on public roads at speeds up to 45 mph. National data shows that accidents and fatalities increase with OHV use on public roads. OHV manufacturers have warned against the dangers of operating these vehicles on paved roads and in automobile traffic.
• Harmful to the Economy - OHV users make up less than 10% of public land users[1]. The human powered, active outdoor industry generates over $10 billion in economic activity and over 100,000 jobs in Colorado[2]. HB 1066 would drive away visitors looking for quiet human-powered opportunities.  

Contact your STATE legislators today and ask them to vote NO on HB 1066!

 

Click here to find your state legislators

 

Then enter your address to the left and select the + next to "legislators" under the “Choose Categories” box. Then select “State House of Representatives” and “State Senators”.  The results should show up below the map. You can also click where you live on the map to ID your legislative district.

 

[1] USFS, National Visitor Use Monitoring Report 2010

[2] Outdoor Industry Association, National Economic Impact Report

 

For questions or more information, please contact:
Scott Braden, Director of Conservation and Education
(303) 996-2768     scottbraden@cmc.org