The 8-10 acre fire that spread from a Carbondale agricultural burn in late March is not common. But it’s also not uncommon. That’s according to Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District Fire Chief Rob Goodwin, who said agricultural burns often begin in March and April, and can escape their set margins under windy conditions — […]
Environment
Posted inEnvironment
Local beaver advocates discuss dead-in-the-water legislation
In March, the Colorado legislature considered House Bill 26-1323, “Wildfire Resiliency Prohibiting Taking of Beavers,” sponsored by HD57 Rep Elizabeth Velasco. The proposed legislation would limit hunting or killing of beavers on public lands to protect the animals and stabilize their role in ecosystems, which also serves as a mode of wildfire management. The Colorado […]
Posted inEnvironment
Continued drought and high temperatures set regional records, prompting early ski closures and water restrictions
Colorado and Roaring Fork Valley snowpack plummeted in March, due to a combination of above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation. Early in the month, watershed nonprofit Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) raised alarms in a community newsletter, highlighting that snowpack in the Valley was at 65% of normal on March 4, with average site depths of 8.7 […]
Posted inEnvironment
‘Beyond the ice and trout’
What began as a new experience for many became a day filled with learning, connection and shared discovery. On March 7, Wilderness Workshop joined 62 community members at Sylvan Lake State Park for the first-ever Defiende Nuestra Tierra ice fishing event. Among those who attended, 25 participants received sponsored day fishing licenses and many learned […]
Posted inEnvironment
Fire & Water takes cinematic journey along Colorado River and through wildfire
The Middle Colorado Watershed Council (MCWC) will host the second event of its 2026 Fire & Water Speaker Series next week. The Rifle-based nonprofit organizes events each spring to engage community on topics around water, wildlife and humans within the Colorado River Basin. The first event, hosted last month, introduced hydrologist and writer Robert R. […]
Posted inEnvironment
Public has until March 25 to comment on BLM proposal permitting e-bikes on local trails
A proposal from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) could significantly expand where electric mountain bikes are allowed on public trails across the central Colorado River Valley — and the idea is drawing strong reactions from local trail users. At a public meeting in Eagle on March 11, staff from the BLM’s Colorado River Valley […]
Posted inEnvironment
Public lands and greenhouse gas regulations threatened by D.C.
Only three months into 2026, the nomination of a new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) director and the repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, which regulates greenhouse gas emissions, pose new threats to Western Slope public lands, as well as public health. On Wednesday, March 4, former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce […]
Posted inEnvironment
One year after founder’s tragic death, Seed Peace and Wild Mountain Seeds continue strong
Casey Piscura took his life on Feb. 2, 2025 — a Sunday. That week the news broke slowly, then quickly rippled through the community, opening a chasm of grief shared among the people who knew and admired this seemingly unstoppable farmer. Several memorials were held in the weeks that followed, including a gathering of hundreds […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Planning recommends denial of Harvest Village
On Wednesday, March 11, the Garfield County Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend denying the application for a proposed 1,500-unit development in unincorporated Garfield County, between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. The commission denied the application at nearly 11:30pm, after hundreds of citizens came to the meeting in opposition to the project. Much of the time […]
Posted inEnvironment
Carbondale developing advanced wildfire mitigation modeling
The Town of Carbondale and the Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District (CRFPD) have joined forces with the Wildfire Collaborative Roaring Fork Valley (WCRFV) aiming to develop what will be the most detailed and accurate prediction of how a wildfire could affect our community. To implement this, they have teamed up with Dr. Hussam Mahmoud […]