Category: News (Older posts)

  • Camp Hale-Continental Divide Designated as a National Monument

    On October 12, 2022, President Biden designated the 53,804-acre Camp Hale-Continental Divide as a national monument pursuant to the Antiquities Act. During World War II, Camp Hale had served as a training facility for the Army’s 10th Mountain Division and the designation honors their legendary service. In addition, “It will safeguard important wildlife habitat in the upper Eagle River watershed, expand fishing and hunting opportunity and provide an economic boost for communities in the area,” said CWF board president Robin Knox. œWe are grateful for the collaboration and leadership that made this designation possible so that a broad array of wildlife species, including trout, elk, bear, and mule deer, will thrive for generations to come. œFor over a decade, a broad, bipartisan coalition of Coloradans have urged the conservation of Camp Hale and surrounding area to honor military veterans and to safeguard important wildlife habitat. Hunters and anglers understand well that we are not making new habitat and that the best way to maintain our sporting traditions is to keep these important landscapes and healthy habitat intact, said Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy for the National Wildlife Federation.

    The US Forest Service will manage the national monument. The national monument is subject to valid existing water and mineral rights and permits held by ski resorts.

    In addition, the BLM and US Forest Service announced steps to conserve the Thompson Divide area which CWF and many others have advocated for years. The two Departments are submitting a 20-year withdrawal petition for the 225,000-acre area that would prohibit new mining claims and new federal mineral leases. During the two-year period after Secretary of the Department of the Interior accepts the petition, the two agencies will seek public comment and conduct an environmental analysis of the impacts of the proposed 20-year withdrawal. We will keep you posted and will ask that you submit individual letters in support!

  • Colorado Landscape Summit- Transformative Change for a Resilient Future

    The Colorado Wildlife Conservation Board (CWCB) and Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms is presenting Colorado Landscape Summit – transformative Change for a Resilient Future on November 9 at 9:00 am – 4: 00 pm.  It will be held at Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms, 8500 West Deer Creek Canyon Road in Littleton. The Summit is free. The timing is very good as the Governor signed into law the “Cash for Turf” bill earlier this year. Funds were appropriated by the general assembly to implement the program beginning in July for residential, commercial, and industrial categories. Also CWCB’s draft 2023 Colorado Water Plan is available for viewing. (The comment deadline was September 30 and CWF submitted a comment letter.) CWF is a founding member of the Colorado Native Landscape Coalition (along with Colorado Native Plant Society, Audubon Society, People and Pollinators Action Network, and Wild Ones) and so is particularly interested in this Summit. Note that CWF partners with National Wildlife Federation to offer the backyard habitat certification program in Colorado. For information, go to the tab on our homepage – under Programs, click on garden habitat certification.

    Here is the link to sign up for the Summit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/colorado-landscape-summit-transformative-change-for-a-resilient-future-tickets-414857880087

  • 70% Americans support Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill

    According to a survey conducted by Responsive Management*, 70 % of Americans are in support of Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.  Only 5 % oppose this bill! You likely have been following the progress of this essential bill for our wildlife species of greatest conservation need, via our website and elsewhere.  The bill passed the House earlier this year and we eagerly anticipate it will be on the Senate Floor this fall as a stand-alone bill or within a package. It will provide $1.4 B to states and tribes to help implement their respective State Wildlife Action Plans. Passage will make a huge difference for Colorado Parks and Wildlife to address the 55 species that it has designated as Tier 1 species of greatest conservation need and the even longer list of Tier 2 species.

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    *Responsive Management is an internationally recognized survey research firm specializing in natural resource and outdoor recreation issues. Responsive Management has conducted research for federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, conservation and environmental NGOs, outdoor equipment manufacturers, and universities throughout the United States for 32 years.

     

  • CWF, NWF submit amicus brief re US Forest Service failure to protect migration corridors in Rio Grande National Forest

    On August 12, 2022 Colorado Wildlife Federation and National Wildlife Federation submitted a joint amicus brief focusing on failure of the US Forest Service (USFS) to protect migration corridors in the Rio Grande National Forest in its forest plan. This landscape is situated in south-central Colorado and functions as a crucial, narrow corridor for wildlife migrating to their winter range in north-central New Mexico. Big game migrate from scattered high-elevation summer ranges in Colorado to this at-risk low elevation winter range in the Chalma Basin special interest area. This region has complex wildlife movements evidenced by data gathered from numerous telemetry studies.The Spruce Hole special interest area in the Rio Grande National Forest plays a key role in wildlife connectivity and migration in the Upper Rio Grande watershed. The 36,000-acre Spruce Hole special interest area also is identified as a major wildlife movement zone by Natural Heritage New Mexico and contains key wildlife corridors at the Colorado-New Mexico border. It is incumbent on the USFS to safeguard the area from fragmentation and development so that this wildlife connectivity can remain healthy. The brief was filed in support of Petitioners’ Opening Brief. Case is filed in the US District Court for the District of Colorado.  Earlier, CWF and NWF had protested the USFS Rio Grande National Forest plan, after advocating unsuccessfully for these protections consistently throughout the USFS planning process.

     

  • Gov., CPW and GOCO announce support funding for 4 Regional Partnerships

    The Governor, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) announced on August 2, 2022 the 4 outdoor regional partnerships that are awarded a grant in this second round of funding to work to “preserve and protect Colorado’s  world-class outdoors, iconic wildlife, and precious water resources now and for generations to come.”  With this second round of funding, 10 regional partnerships have been awarded grants from CPW and GOCO. Here is the press release from the Governor’s office:   https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=3595
    The four recipients of the grants in this second round of funding are:
    Northwest Colorado Outdoor Coalition – Located in Moffat and Rio Blanco CountiesNorthwest Colorado Outdoor Coalition fills a critical geographic gap by bringing together land managers, local government, and outdoors stakeholders in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties.Central Colorado Recreation Partnership – Located in Chaffee, Gunnison, and Lake CountiesCentral Colorado Recreation Partnership convenes the Chaffee County Envision Recreation in Balance Partnership, the Gunnison County Sustainable Tourism and Recreation Committee (STOR), and a developing Lake County partnership that covers over 4,600 square miles stretching across Central Colorado’s mountainous landscape.Outside 285 Partnership – Located in Clear Creek, Douglas, Jefferson, and Park CountiesOutside 285 Partnership leads a new approach to collaborate on a vision for recreation and conservation along the US 285 corridor including the upper South Platte River watershed. CWF is an active participant on the steering committee of this regional partnership.Two Rivers Conservation and Recreation Roundtable– Located in Mesa, Delta, and Montrose CountiesTwo Rivers Conservation and Recreation Roundtable convenes outdoor recreation and conservation leaders, local governments, and land managers across the Grand Valley. Existing coalitions in Mesa County will collaborate toward a shared vision while engaging with Delta and Montrose counties to define regional boundaries.

  • DNR’s Doug Vilsack named to head Colorado BLM office

    CWF is pleased that Doug Vilsack has been named at Bureau of Land Management’s Colorado State Director. Doug has been serving as Colorado Department of Natural Resources Assistant Director for Parks, Wildlife and Lands. He will begin at BLM on August 14. Doug is an excellent selection and CWF applauds his appointment. See BLM press release

  • BLM issues Notice of Intent re Colorado statewide amendment to resource mgmt plans

    On July 18, 2022 the Bureau of Land Management issued its Notice of Intent to begin the scoping phase of its very important process to develop a Colorado statewide amendment to its resource management plans as to big game conservation of seasonal habitats and migration corridors on the lands and minerals it manages in Colorado. CWF appreciates this process!  The NOI states, “This action is needed to ensure that the BLM considers current big game population and habitat data, including maps of high priority habitat, and to evaluate management consistency of other federal agencies, state and local governments and tribes….”  CWF will submit comments and will ask that our members and supporters take action to submit comments, too. We note that BLM intends to exclude bighorn sheep from this process, stating they primarily occur at higher elevation levels with low oil and gas potential. The process is not confined to the context of oil and gas and CWF disagrees with this proposed exclusion as some bighorn sheep populations are dependent upon BLM lands to survive. Scoping comments are due September 2. CWF will post our comments when they are ready. We urge that you comment as well and call us if you wish to discuss. 303-987-0400

    BLM will hold 2 virtual meetings: August 3 at 1:00 MDT and August 4 at 6:00 pm MDT. To register click here, scroll down and then click on Register for whichever meeting you select:  Click here to register for virtual meeting

    In addition, BLM will host 2 in person meetings:

    • August 8, 2022 at 5:00pm (MT) –  CPW Regional Office, 4255 Sinton Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
    • August 11, 2022 at 5:00pm (MT) – Courtyard by Marriott (Room Merlot 1), 765 Horizon Dr, Grand Junction, CO 81506
    • August 12, 2022 at 6:00pm (MT) – Ute Mountain Museum (Chipeta Room), 17253 Chipeta Rd, Montrose, CO 81403

    To register for an in person meeting, click here https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2018400/510

    To read the Notice of Intent click here:   Notice of Intent

  • Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill Passes US House

    Late afternoon on June 14, 2022 the bi-partisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill passed the US House on a vote of 231-190. This bill, the most important bill for species of greatest conservation need in decades, now moves to the Senate floor. There are 35 cosponsors in the Senate including Senator John Hickenlooper, an early co-sponsor.  We are looking for a vote in the Senate on this bill to safeguard our wildlife heritage this summer.

  • Colorado General Assembly final updates relevant to wildlife

    S 22-151 Safe Crossings for Colorado Wildlife and Motorists has passed both Senate and House. (House passed May 10.) Now onto the Governor’s desk. See news article about this bill. The bill was introduced on March 8. CWF enthusiastically supports this bill which creates a cash fund to help CDOT fund projects for safe road crossings for wildlife connectivity and reduce collisions with vehicles. Sponsors are Sen. Danielson and Story and Representatives McCluskie and Will and Roberts.  Here is the fact sheet: 2022 CO Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Proposal Factsheet_20220311
    Here is the bill text:

    House Bill 22-1072 is to reauthorize the Habitat Partnership Program (HPP) permanently. This is very effective program. The purpose of the HPP is to reduce wildlife conflicts, particularly those associated with forage and fences through problem solving, and to assist ColoradoParks and Wildlife in meeting game management objectives. HPP works through local committees comprised of landowners, land management agencies and sportspersons. The program is funded from five percent of the net annual sales of big game licenses used in the geographic areas represented by the local habitat partnership committees. The bill will expand the program to encourage maintaining big game critical access to their migration corridors. It also will allow for HPP assistance in any location within Colorado. CWF firmly supports this bill. The bill passed out of the House Agriculture, Livestock & Water Committee unanimously on a 11-0 vote , passed Appropriations Committee unamended on 2/17 and passed the House on February 22 and has passed Senate. Governor Polis signed this bill into law April 21.

    House Bill 22-1168 would allow local schools to provide a hunter education course to all seventh graders. It requires an agreement with an individual or entity that offer the courses that are certified by CPW. The bill passed out of the Agriculture, Livestock & Water Committee on February 24 to the House floor with 1 amendment – to provide that nothing in the bill precludes a local education provider from offering hunter ed courses as an elective in any other grade.  The bill passed out of the House on March 3 and then by the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee 5-2 on March 16. Bill has passed both House and Senate  March 31. The Governor signed this bill into law on April 21.

    Senate Bill 22-031  which would have banned hunting of bobcats and mountain lions was defeated in Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on a 4-1 vote.  CWF opposed the bill as it is our firm belief,  expressed consistently over the years, that all wildlife management policies must remain within the purview of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.  It is important that CPW retain the authority to responsibly manage these species using its science-based principles that factor in habitat, populations and maintaining sustainable ecological balance, mitigation of conflicts and other components. The healthy populations of bobcat and mountain lion are due to CPW’s careful management of these species within the larger ecological structure, guided by science, retain its jurisdiction over these species populations and habitats.

    HB 22-1151 cash for turf replacement passed the House Agriculture, Livestock & Water Committee, amended and passed the House May 4, Senate Appropriations Committee and House second reading on May 6.
    SB 22-131 “Protect health of pollinators and people”  is before the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. It was rejected in Committee on March 3 on a 6-1 vote.

    S 22- 169 Sensitive species data bill  passed the Senate and the House on April 29 and to the Governor’s desk.  CWF supported.

    S 22-158 Species Conservation Trust Fund bill moved unamended through Senate and House and was signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate on May 6 and to the Governor’s desk. CWF supported.

    S 22-168 Backcountry Search and Rescue passed both Senate and House and to the Governor’s desk May 3. CWF supported.

     

     

  • CO Senate Passes Bill to fund Wildlife Highway Crossings

    On May 3, the Colorado Senate passed the bill to provide $5 million in funding for wildlife highway crossing projects on areas of roads that experience high rates of wildlife -motor vehicle collisions. In short, the Safe Crossings for Colorado Wildlife and Motorists bill (SB 22-151) would set up a “Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund” with a $5 million appropriation. A very good start. The Senate co-sponsors are Senators Danielson and Story. the House co-sponsors are Representatives McCluskie and Will. CWF strongly supports the bill. Next step is the Colorado House.

    Here is the bill text:  Safe Crossings bill