On June 17, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) released the Working Draft of the Forest Plan for public comment. The GMUG is specifically asking for feedback on “what direction works, and what needs improvement.” If you care about the future of your local national forests, today is a great day to help shape their long-term sustainability by commenting to the agency.

How to Comment

We’re asking you to take two actions today.

First, add your name to the list of supporters of the Community Conservation Proposal. Click that link and join hundreds of other people and businesses who say “yes” to a conservation-prioritized GMUG.

Second, submit comments by July 29 to the GMUG on what’s working, and what needs improvement, in their Working Draft by clicking this link. Please consider raising some or all of the following points in your comment:

o Overall, the plan provides very weak, and in some cases non-existent, direction for the protection of important resources. More standards, i.e., mandatory limits on action, need to be in the plan.

o Frustratingly, there is only land in the San Juans recommended for Wilderness, even though many other areas exhibit wilderness characteristics. Let the agency know that you support new wilderness areas, including those in the Community Conservation Proposal.

o Under a proposed standard, timber harvest would be allowed in high-quality lynx habitat. This must not be allowed.

o Guidelines for protecting big game (deer, elk, bighorn sheep) on birthing grounds and winter range would be voluntary. They need to be mandatory.

o The plan proposes to establish conservation watershed networks to protect watersheds and sensitive species like trout and boreal toad but provides no detail on how these networks would be applied and maintained.

Update

Today, Representative Scott Tipton (CO-03) released draft text for a public lands package called the Colorado Recreation Enhancement and Conservation Act (Colorado REC Act). The proposed legislation only selects parts of a bill already moving through Congress — the Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act — but fails to include widely supported protections on the western slope and central mountains, and would roll back conservation protections for parts of canyon country in southwestern Colorado by opening wildlands to development and extractive industries. Senator Cory Gardner is expected to introduce companion legislation that aligns with Rep. Tipton’s bill as well. Tipton’s proposal falls short of what wilderness advocates, conservationists, local businesses and numerous county leaders have been calling for and we continue to invite the Congressman to support and contribute to the passage of the CORE Act.

Our public lands leaders are working to understand the finer points of Tipton’s draft and will send more information soon. Read the introduction here.