As mayor of Ridgway and one of the Western Coloradans who delivered postcards to legislators supporting protection for the San Juan Mountains in April, John Clark is uniquely positioned to discuss fighting for public lands. We sat down to chat with John in May, and this was our conversation:

Over the past 20 years you’ve held positions on the Ridgway Town Council, Planning Commission, and most currently Mayor. How have you experienced the evolution of San Juan wilderness proposals throughout that time? And how have you seen the impacts of Western Colorado Alliance members in this work?

Town Council has supported the San Juan Wilderness, in all its forms, for well over a decade now. I think local activist Jim Stephenson definitely deserves a shoutout for shepherding the effort for many years. WCC, now WCA, has undoubtedly been a major contributor to the effort to get the Wilderness finally designated.

Rural communities across the Western Slope are working to develop diverse and vibrant economies. What are two ways the passage of the CORE Act would support a healthy economy in Ridgway?

I believe anything we can do to preserve and protect our natural resources will obviously have diverse benefits for centuries to come. Ridgway’s economic vitality relies heavily on the natural beauty that surrounds us, and responsible outdoor recreation is a huge, and rapidly growing, side benefit. This will only expand if we can get the CORE Act across the finish line. Also, in light of climate change and its obvious and direct impact on things like Ridgway’s water supply, anything we can do to further protect our water source is critical.

The delegation that traveled to D.C. for the hearing included County Commissioners, Outdoor Rec industry leaders, and other elected officials from across the state. Why was it important for you to go and represent your community?

I feel incredibly fortunate and humbled to have been able to join that effort. It was an eye-opening experience, to say the least. Despite the archaic and
hierarchical nature of the process in D.C., it was abundantly clear that it makes a huge impression when groups of elected officials make the effort to show up and (attempt to) meet with our Senators and Representatives. It doesn’t go unnoticed, whether we actually get to meet with them or not.

Describe a particular highlight or unexpected moment of your time in Washington, D.C.

I would say the highlight of our visit for me was to get a private after-hours tour of the Capital with Rep. Joe Neguse. It was an amazing experience, getting to see the seat of our government, “up close and personal” like that, and Rep. Neguse was an unbelievably engaged and gracious host. A side highlight was the fact that one of our Capital Police escorts was a surprisingly knowledgeable source of little-known facts and tidbits throughout the tour.

The management, use and stewarding of our public lands can often be a divisive topic. How have you witnessed your community coming together to have these conversations? What challenges still remain?

We obviously live in divisive times, and Ridgway is no exception. I’m encouraged, however, that for the most part, our community is in agreement about the value of our public lands, and despite disagreements over some of the finer details, there is almost universal agreement that passing the CORE Act is a good thing for our region.

The biggest challenge is overcoming the misinformation coming from some on the other side, about the details in the San Juan Wilderness, as well as other aspects of the Act. Unfortunately, some groups are claiming things that are wildly inaccurate, for example, that many of our iconic jeep roads would be closed by the Act, which is obviously untrue.

As the CORE Act makes its way through legislative processes at the federal level, what’s the most important action members can take right now to make an impact?

We simply need to keep up the pressure on Representative Tipton and Senator Gardner to support the Act. Opposing important legislation like this, in the works for decades, and of obvious benefit to their constituents, cannot be allowed to continue simply because the Democrats are backing it!