On Monday, Dec. 18, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) released five gray wolves from Oregon onto public land in Grand County. It was a historic moment, putting into motion a ballot measure that voters in the Centennial State decided on back in 2020, with a narrow margin. Much support came from voters on the Front […]
Environment
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Spring Gulch aglow with new Nordic trail amenities; capital campaign continues
Carbondale’s shiniest wintertime gem, the Spring Gulch Nordic Ski Trail System, has been busy polishing its bright shine for the past couple of years.The new cross country season officially began with the cutting of a ribbon at the new Marion Gulch parking lot and trailhead on Dec. 5.The event was followed by the Mount Sopris […]
Posted inEnvironment
USFS seeks input for Thompson Divide withdrawal proposal
On Dec. 8, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft environmental assessment for the Thompson Divide Withdrawal. If approved, this would withdraw nearly 225,000 acres of public land from future mining and oil and gas development for a period of 20 years.The draft assessment is […]
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Wild Rose hosts a polar visitor for Antarctica Day
On Wednesday, Nov. 29, Wild Rose Education, a Carbondale-based nonprofit, virtually hosted engineer Sarah Wilson live from the South Pole to share her experiences with educators in the Roaring Fork Valley, just two days in advance of Antarctica Day, celebrated annually on Dec. 1. The discussion was oriented towards educators and mentors in order to […]
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Western Slope shows support for conservation in BLM plan
In August of this year, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to be appended to both the Colorado River Valley and Grand Junction resource management plans, affecting usage policy for approximately 2 million acres of land for the next two decades. After a two-month period of public […]
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Avalanches, avalanche safety and a milestone
Snow is accumulating on the peaks, Indy Pass is closed for the season, snow guns are roaring at the ski resorts and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is observing its 50th anniversary of avalanche forecasting and education. In an Oct. 26 press release marking the milestone, CAIC Director Ethan Greene said, “Much has changed […]
Posted inEnvironment
Carbondale geothermal project wins Dept. of Energy grant
Dave Reed is communications director at CLEER. A local team has kicked off the design phase of an innovative geothermal demonstration project in Carbondale, with test drilling likely to begin in early November. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gave the official go-ahead to the Carbondale Community Geothermal Coalition to begin work on the project […]
Posted inEnvironment
Crystal River committee hosts community summit, Oct. 26
Few would disagree that the Crystal River is a treasure worthy of protecting. This undammed, wild river is boasted for its scenic beauty, sustaining local agriculture, residences, recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat. The river has faced previous threats, including two dam attempts, one of which would have flooded Redstone. In 2013, the Colorado River District […]
Posted inEnvironment
Glenwood receives $600k federal forestry grant
On Sept. 14, the City of Glenwood Springs was awarded a $600,000 grant for urban and community forestry, expanding the city’s community forestry program sixfold over the course of the next five years to make for a greener, more environmentally equitable Glenwood. The grant was received as part of a sweeping action by the U.S. […]