Colorado Wild, Western Environmental Law Center and San Juan Citizens Alliance are hosting a fieldtrip to the HD Mountains in the San Juan National Forest. These trips are part of a national effort spearheaded by Patagonia's "Freedom to Roam" campaign to broaden awareness about wildlife corridors, and opportunities for wildlife connectivity conservation.
As you know, Colorado Wild and others have been working for more than a generation to protect the HDs from gas drilling and other threats. Our lawsuit challenging the Forest Service's recent decision to authorize drilling and road building in the heart of the HDs roadless area remains fully briefed and awaiting a court decision.
While we remain optimistic about our lawsuit, we are also pursuing other strategies to keep the HDs a wild and ecologically vibrant area. Protecting the viability of the wildlife corridor connecting the HDs to the Weminuche Wilderness to the north is one of those initiatives.
The purpose of these trips is to train a team of volunteer naturalists who we hope will continue to visit and monitor the corridor over the year (or longer) ahead to monitor conditions, use, threats, etc. The location allows easy access to one of the areas in the HD's that sees extremely heavy wildlife use. It provides a relatively short hike to a dramatic viewpoint, the ability to visualize the corridor, and great views of the HDs, and the Weminuche Wilderness to the north.
Please save the date, and contact Paul Joyce at paul@coloradowild.org or 970-385-9833 for more information.
As you know, Colorado Wild and others have been working for more than a generation to protect the HDs from gas drilling and other threats. Our lawsuit challenging the Forest Service's recent decision to authorize drilling and road building in the heart of the HDs roadless area remains fully briefed and awaiting a court decision.