Our public lands are treasured by most Americans and they deserve our protection. But there are rare exceptions when public lands can best be protected by key parcels of conserved private land. Most land incorporated into wilderness today is remote, high elevation mining claims. But with some land — like Snowmass Falls Ranch (SFR), with […]
conservation
Posted inEnvironment
‘Wild for Good’ report directs advocacy for endangered landscapes
On Friday, Sept. 29, Carbondale-based conservation advocacy nonprofit Wilderness Workshop released Wild for Good, a report highlighting 10 of western Colorado’s most ecologically-rich landscapes now at increasing risk of development. The report was released as a call to action to protect Coloradan public lands, and directs citizens to both experience their local landscapes for themselves […]
Posted inEnvironment
New NEPA regulations reduce public voice in energy development
In response to President Donald Trump’s Unleashing American Energy executive order, multiple governmental agencies have introduced new rules for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Eight federal agencies have introduced policies like faster deadlines, page limits and removal of public input in order to expedite domestic energy production. The White House lauds these new […]
Posted inEnvironment
AVLT, Eagle County and Pitkin County partner on open space acquisition
On Jan. 3, Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT), Eagle County and Pitkin County announced a massive joint acquisition project, wherein the three parties plan to pull together $27.7 million to conserve a property measuring more than 4,000 acres in Missouri Heights. The property, Three Meadows Ranch, is currently the largest contiguous property in the Roaring […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘Trouble Dog’ delights readers of all ages
Tucker is not your average troublesome pup. Sure, he might destroy your house, dig up the entire garden or maybe tackle you with kisses, but he’s smart, focused, and with the right kind of love and attention, he might just be the greatest conservation dog ever. Inspired by the real-life hero dogs of the world-wide […]
Posted inEnvironment
Western Watersheds Project on conserving public lands
Advocating for healthy public lands and wildlife is at the heart of the Western Watersheds Project (WWP). The organization started in 1993, then the Idaho Watersheds Project, as a form of citizen protest to ranching practices in Lake Creek, Idaho. WWP’s work is done through a lens of maintaining and restoring ecosystem balance in places […]
Posted inNews
Conservation easement a ‘moral choice’ for prime habitat
Imagine a swarm of ecologists, birders, soil scientists, climate scientists, teachers and students descending upon a landscape for several days. Toting equipment and personal hydration systems, they peer into magnifying glasses at insects and plants, take soil samples, identify birds, wildlife and water sources, and take photos of everything – all to figure out what […]
Posted inEnvironment
Mixed feelings for mixed-use trail along the Crystal River
On June 28, 2024, the White River National Forest released their final Decision Notice authorizing the construction of a seven-mile, multi-use trail from Redstone to McClure Pass, which would become a part of the larger 83-mile Carbondale to Crested Butte trail.While exciting to overnight cyclists and thruhikers looking for safer passage up the Crystal River […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Pitkin County’s bike path through the Crystal River Corridor to Crested Butte: An ecological perspective
By Roaring Fork Audubon and Colorado Sierra Club The Redstone to McClure Pass section of the Carbondale to Crested Butte trail development project will pass through some of the most ecologically important and beautiful breeding bird habitats remaining in the Crystal River Valley. While this is exciting for bikers, it is an ecological tragedy for […]
Posted inObituaries
Rex Allen Coffman
January 30, 1931 – June 10, 2024 On June 10, Rex Allen Coffman, 93, passed away at the Sopris Lodge in Carbondale. He was surrounded by his family in the hours previous to his passing. Family was important to him, and the family lived by the code: “Work hard, play hard!” Rex, an only child, […]