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Now is the time to protect our wild areas

A letter from Jim Lockhart, Wild Connections' President, appealing for your financial support

Dear Reader, These are challenging times. In the past few years, we all have experienced political, environmental, health care, and economic stress. Many people have reacted to this by going to the outdoors. Our wild areas are feeling the stress, just as we are. So now is the time to protect these wild areas. With your financial help, Wild Connections will ramp up our efforts to protect the wild areas that we all love and enjoy. Go online to make a donation at the Pikes Peak region Give!, the state-wide Colorado Gives Day, or directly to Wild Connections.

The coming year will bring many opportunities to protect the vital lands of our region:

Post and cable removal in Wildcat Canyon. Photo USFS

• The new National Forest Travel Management Plan enabled initial restoration work in Farnum roadless area and Wildcat Canyon. In 2023 Wild Connections will carry out further habitat restoration work in these areas, as well as other places in our National Forest.

• Outside 285 - we are on the coalitions' steering committee - is identifying recreation opportunities along the US 285 corridor and in South Park. This planning will promote non-motorized recreation while still protecting wildlife and wild areas by designating trail and facility locations, as well as habitat restoration options beneficial to wildlife.
• The Bureau of Land Management’s Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan, expected in 2023, will create additional restoration opportunities in our critical low-elevation public lands.
• We are fighting climate change by identifying cold air pools and  “climate refugia” in our region.
• Engaging citizens in governmental agency public processes will help protect wild areas.
• Hosting outdoor events, trips to former restoration and threatened areas, and wildlands hikes are ongoing.
• Our Keep It Wild Campaign will expand staff and make Wild Connections a more effective organization.

As you can see, we are working hard to protect and connect wildlife corridors and wild areas like Grape Creek: the “wild connections” from which we take our name.

Grape Creek Wilderness Study Area. Photo Jim Lockhart

If you have given to Wild Connections in the past, please consider continuing or increasing your donation. If you have not yet given, will you send your first gift today? If you've already done it, many thanks!
A gift of any size can make a difference. Go online to make your contribution at Give!, Colorado Gives Day, or directly to Wild Connections through our secure credit card site.
With gratitude and best wishes for a meaningful Thanksgiving,

Jim Lockhart, President on behalf of the Board and staff

PS. We’re counting on you! About 45% of our annual income comes from individuals like you

Go to our Donate page for other ways you can help.

Wild Connections stands in solidarity with our friends, families and community in Colorado Springs and beyond affected by the senseless act of violence at Cub Q. This attack on the LGBTQ+ community is an attack on all. No one has a safe place unless everyone has a safe place. Our condolences go out to the families of those killed and injured, and our deepest thanks to those who prevented more killing, treated the wounded and captured the suspected perpetrator.

Thanksgiving

We are thankful for all of you in the Wild Connections comunity and for the wildlife and wildlands that we protect. May your lives be blessed with full moons to light the way.

Photo: Roosting turkeys before dawn. Jean C Smith. When Wild Connection's office was in Florissant, we had our own flock of about 60 turkeys. At night they roosted in the pines and aspen just beyond west deck.

Pike-San Isabel Travel Plan Finanalized

Wildcat Canyon at the S Platte River

Forest travel under new managementForest Supervisor Diana Trujillo issued the Record of Decision on the long awaited Motorized Travel Management (MVUM) Analysis Project on September 26th. Wild Connections and other conservation groups are reviewing the more than 20 documents in the Decision folder! Here are two decisions on decommissioning travel routes that affect Wild Connections' restoration projects.

Hikers resting at the river near Corral Creek in WildcaCanyon. Photo Curt Nimz

Corral Creek 540, Hacket 220, Crossover 220A, Widow Maker 220B and Longwater 221 are decomissioned, thus protecting water quality, fisheries and quiet recreation on both sides of the S Platte River. This river segment is managed as though it is a Wild and Scenic River under the South Platte Protection Plan.

N Farnum Peak FR 233

Post and cable was instlled at the decommissioned USFS route 233, a cherrystem route at the northern end of the Farnum Roadless Area, just southwest of the Tarryall Reservoir.  This route was closed due to illegal public dumping and camping, as well as illegal motorized routes that cut across the roadless area to Packer Gulch. 
Next year, we will revisit this project area and assess it with the USFS for a future 2023 restoration volunteer day.