The U.S. House of Representatives has approved our Colorado Wilderness Act to permanently protect more than 660,000 acres of wilderness in 36 unique areas across Colorado. This historic bill – which is the largest Colorado wilderness-protection package that the House has passed in more than 40 years – will now head to the Senate. (Source: Rep. DeGette' at https://degette.house.gov/)
Table Mountain proposed Wilderness. Photo Kate Spinelli.
The Colorado Wilderness Act includes more than 150,000 acres in the Arkansas River watershed: Browns Canyon, Badger Creek, Table Mountain, McIntyre Hills, Grape Creek, and Beaver Creek. More details here...
Thank you Rep. DeGette!
Contact Your Senators to Support the Protecting America's Wilderness Act
Colorado is known for its treasured landscapes. Protecting more of Colorado’s public lands is essential not only for our environment, but for our economy as well.
Let your senators know that you support the Protecting America's Wilderness Act and that they should too!
When face-to-face events are again possible, we will offer this show and other events to groups in communities across the region.
Wild Connections has cancelled all face to face events to help prevent the spread of the corono virus. We will continue to plan for 2020 and our 25th Anniversary celebrations, monitor threatened public lands, and engage with partners and public land agencies. You can can be proactive by exploring the issues below. Your involvement is needed as agencies continue many of their operations.
.
AND COLORADO
Parkdale Quarry Proposed Expansion onto 700 acres of BLM's Echo Canyon Lands with Wilderness Characteristics
Parkdale Quarry in Bighorn Sheep Canyon. Photo BLM.
Gold Mining Expansion at Grape Creek
threatens future
Wilderness and Wildlife
Looking into Grape Creak Valley Photo John Stansfield
On February 24, the Fremont County Commissioners unanimously approved gold exploration for the Canadian company, Zephyr Minerals, onto some of the most pristine and wild BLM public lands in the state, at Grape Creek just southwest of Cañon City. This triples the size of Zephyr's Conditional Use Permit from the Grape Creek - Horseshoe Mountain State Stewardship Trust Parcel, which the Colorado State Land Board approved for gold exploration last year, onto adjacent BLM public lands, including BLM’s Grape Creek Wilderness Study Area, proposed for Wilderness in the Colorado Wilderness Act, which passed the US House last month, and BLM’s Grape Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).
