In December 2021, The Sopris Sun reported on a proposed land swap near Pagosa Springs involving 380 acres of public land, including roadless areas, wetlands and dispersed camping. The Valle Seco Land Exchange has since been delayed.
“The appraisal will be reconsidered due to our work arguing that the original August 2020 release reflects a much different real estate market than the one we see now,” informed a recent Colorado Wild Public Lands (COWPL) press release.
Graham Ward, COWPL’s sole staffer, told The Sopris Sun that the estimated time for a re-appraisal process is between two and four months. After that, the Forest Service could release a decision within days.
COWPL’s mission is to monitor land exchanges in the state and advocate on behalf of the public’s interest, often by forming partnerships with local advocacy groups. This is achieved on a modest budget, thanks to dedicated volunteers, combing through news releases and federal records. “People with money and resources know how to use [land exchanges] to their advantage, and often at a disadvantage to the public,” said Ward.
According to their annual report, 2021 was one of the organization’s busiest years. In addition to a high volume of exchanges, they saw a level of engagement reminiscent of the growing organization’s early days, when COWPL formed in response to the Sutey Ranch Land Exchange in 2014.
The Basalt-based group is setting out to make 2022 a year of even greater engagement, with more plans to interface with the public they serve throughout the entire state. “To get our name out there,” explained Ward, “at a time when there’s so many new users of public lands and shifts with how agencies are managing areas.”
The first of these events will take place at Ute Mountaineer (210 S. Galena Street, Aspen) on April 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Aspen Public Radio News Director Brent Gardner-Smith will moderate a conversation with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails (PCOST) and the U.S. Forest Service on the topic of balancing public lands access with protection.
“I think it’s important for people to keep their eyes on the science,” said Dale Will, who will represent PCOST. “There seems to be a kind of blanket conclusion that all recreation is harmful. Yet, when you dig into the science of it, it’s a more complicated question than that. Different species have different tolerance for humans at different times in the year.”
Will continued, “There’s also kind of a privatization movement in the West, though it doesn’t call itself that, with people trying to block public access … Wildlife issues have become a convenient cloak for people that want to close public lands.”
He called the folks at COWPL “conscientious about protecting public access,” and, “at the same time, very conscientious environmentalists.”
“We fully recognize there’s not one end-all-be-all solution to promoting recreation and conservation at the same time,” concluded Ward. And often, “Recreation is what drives you to get involved.”
Tickets for Thursday’s event are by donation and door prizes, supplied by Patagonia, will be raffled off. Attendance is limited. To RSVP, email coloradowildpubliclands@gmail.com