Category: News (Older posts)

On May 3 at its meeting in Glenwood Springs, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved the final Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. Here is the link to the Final Plan:

Final Plan 

The new Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director, Jeff Davis, was formally voted in by the CPW Commission on April 6 on a unanimous vote. He was selected on March 20. He had served as the State of Washington Department of Fish and Game’s Director of Conservation Policy. A nationwide search and competitive process was conducted.

Mr. Davis briefly addressed (virtually) the CPW Commission at the April 6 Commission meeting. He noted that in his 20-plus years with State of Washington Fish and Game he experienced several transitions “and that all transitions have led to opportunities for transformations” and looks forward to working with CPW staff, Commission, state and local officials, tribes, and stakeholders, “to realize our full potential at CPW.” He also thanked Acting Director Dugan for her assistance. Mr. Davis will begin serving as Director on May 1.

The 2023 Colorado College State of the Rockies Conservation in the West Poll released February 15, 2023, is the 13th year of this important bipartisan poll. As in other years, voters in 8 western states were surveyed to ascertain their opinions on a variety of conservation issues. You can view combined results and also select any of the 8 states. The research was conducted again by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, a national Democratic opinion research firm and by New Bridge Strategy, a Colorado-based Republican opinion research firm.

2023 Poll

Colorado results include these highlights: 82% “support a national goal of conserving 30% of America’s land and waters by the year 2030.” 90% “support protecting existing public lands surrounding the Dolores River Canyon to conserve important wildlife habitat, and safeguard the area’s scenic beauty and support outdoor recreation.”

83% “believe the Colorado River is critical to the state’s economy” and 77% “believe that the Colorado River is need of urgent action.” 88% “support requiring local governments to determine whether there is enough water available before approving new residential development projects.” 81% support providing financial incentives to homeowners and businesses to replace lawns and grassy areas with water-saving landscaping.”

71% “support only allowing oil and gas companies the right to drill in areas where there is high likelihood to actually produce oil and gas.” The same percentage “prefer that leaders place more emphasis on protecting, water, air, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities over maximizing the amount of land available for drilling and mining.”

Bureau of Land Management issued a Notice of Decision to approve the Blue Valley Ranch Exchange On January 17, 2023. BLM will convey 9 parcels totaling 1,489 acres, to Blue Valley Ranch in exchange for its privately owned 1,830 acres in Grand and Summit Counties when the transaction is closed. This is a 341-acre net gain of public land acres. As stated in the BLM and the Blue Valley Ranch press releases, “the exchange expands access along about a mile of the Blue River near its confluence with the Colorado River, plus an additional 1.66 miles of hike-in access to the Blue River that is currently inaccessible except by floating.” The exchange consolidates public land and transfers small, isolated public land parcels that have little to no public access. Blue Valley Ranch has agreed to fund several improvements on public and private lands, including fishery habitat improvements and recreation facilities on the Blue River near the confluence with the Colorado River. The exchange also will benefit wildlife habitat on public land. CWF applauds and has supported this land exchange.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced at the CPW Commission meeting on January 18 its designation of the Gunnison and Taylor Rivers as Gold Medal Waters. Of course, as this designation likely will precipitate even greater use of these waters, great attention to stewardship is needed by all to ensure long term conservation of this valuable resource. Below is the CPW press release:

CPW press release

Colorado Parks and Wildlife released its draft Wolf Restoration and Management Plan on December 9. The virtual Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission met on December 9 and asked good questions (as they had received the draft plan a few days earlier). CWF will study the plan and submit its comments in early January in advance of the Commission meeting that will be held January 17-19. Please take a look at the plan or listen to the transcript of the December 9 virtual meeting. Let us know your questions and comments. Thanks.

Draft Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan 

Do you live in the San Luis Valley or enjoy outdoor recreation and/or wildlife related activities there? If so, please take approximately 15 minutes to complete this important survey. The survey closes January 9. The San Luis Valley GO! (SLV GO!) Coalition and regional partnership has developed this survey re outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation. The regional partnerships are community driven coalitions and are formed to balance wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation. The statewide conservation, outdoor recreation and climate resiliency planning will support regional partnerships’ efforts and enable regional priorities to drive this planning. CWF is an active participant in SLV GO! and helped to develop the conservation portions of this survey.  Thanks!!!

Survey

On November 15, 2022 the Bureau of Land Management issued an Instructional Memorandum that provides its national policy for wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity on the public lands it manages. The goal is “maintaining, improving, and /or conserving habitat connectivity and restoring degraded fish and wildlife habitat to provide for increased habitat connectivity.” It directs its state offices to inventory and “assess areas of habitat connectivity and conduct planning, on-the-ground management actions, and conservation and restoration efforts to ensure those areas remain intact and healthy, and able to support diverse wildlife and plant populations.” “State Directors will determine which priority species and which priority habitats to prioritize for initial assessment in consultation with states and Tribes.” It defines habitat connectivity as ‘habitats on BLM administered public lands that support or facilitate priority species movements and other ecological processes, such as seed dispersal, migrations, and stopover sites.” BLM notes that habitat connectivity, permeability and resilience has become a “significant need” as habitats are increasingly fragmented and degraded. The policy emphasizes collaboration with state agencies and Tribes, and other stakeholders.

This policy is important for the BLM’s resource management plans in Colorado and its current work to develop a statewide amendment to its resource management plans. CWF had submitted comments on the first phase (scoping) of the statewide amendment development process in early September and looks forward to the draft plan.

Here is the link to the BLM’s press release.

Colorado Dept. of Transportation announced on November 3 that it is beginning the 1-70 Genesee wildlife crossing project. A wildlife crossing underpass will be constructed between the Lookout Mountain exit and Genesee exit. Wildlife fencing will be erected along east and westbound 1-70 between these exits. In its press released the CDOT executive director noted that this will be the first major wildlife crossing project along the 1-70 corridor.

Anyone who has driven along this stretch frequently knows how important this wildlife crossing will become both for wildlife and motorist safety.For more info click here for CDOT press release 

Wildlife-crossing projects that have been completed recently or are under construction include:

• I-25 Gap Project Monument to Castle Rock (five underpasses, high fencing and one overpass currently in design)
• I-25 Castle Rock to Lone Tree (high fencing, escape ramps and deer guards)
• CO 13 Fortification Creek Project north of Craig (one underpass, a wildlife radar detection system and high fencing)
• S. 24/285 east of Johnson Village (high fencing, escape ramps and deer guards)
• S. 160  west of Pagosa Springs (one underpass, one overpass and high fencing)
• S. 550 south of Durango (two underpasses, several small mammal underpasses and high fencing)