Some of the most important environmental protections are at risk of being rolled back. Environment Colorado and its allies are working at the state and national level to ensure that our environment remains protected.

Protecting Colorado’s forests
On Feb. 24, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper joined a broad coalition in support of Colorado’s national forests. At the Denver task force meeting, Hickenlooper urged the bi-partisan task force to maintain protections for all 4.4 million acres of roadless areas. Mayor Hickenlooper testified that “our citizens have spoken long and loudly about maintaining our roadless areas.”

Coloradans have shown statewide support for roadless areas and the value that public lands that are free from roads possess. More than 36,000 Colorado residents commented on the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. More than 90 percent of the comments supported the proposed standards for protecting the most wild portions of the state’s national forests. The 2001 Rule provided protections from logging, mining and energy development on more than 4.4 million acres of the last remaining roadless lands in our state’s national forests.

Recently, over 60,000 Coloradans expressed support for roadless areas again during the current administration’s most recent attempts to weaken the rule.

Besides public support, 100 percent of the field staff from the Colorado Division of Wildlife supported protecting roadless areas. Their report stated, “It is the consensus opinion based on science, local expertise and sound knowledge that all Inventoried Roadless Areas in Colorado should be protected, preserved, enhanced, managed and maintained in a manner that provides the maximum benefit for wildlife and wildlife habitat, and that in turn can then provide significant return benefits to local and distant citizens and to forest visitors.”

The Denver meeting was the third in a series of meetings to get public input on the national forests. Sometime this fall the task force is expected to finalize recommendations to Gov. Owens regarding which roadless areas ought to be protected.

“At these meetings, we’ve seen local businesses join with hunters and environmentalists in protection of our roadless areas,” said Matt Garrington, Environment Colorado field organizer. “These areas are important to Coloradans for many reasons.”

Endangered Species Act at risk
For over 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has served as a safety net for plants and animals that are on the brink of extinction. By any reasonable measure, the Act has been a remarkable success. Of the 1,800 plants and animals under the Act’s protection, only nine have been declared extinct, and more than two-thirds of protected species with known scientific trends are moving towards recovery with stable and improving populations.

Last September, the House of Representatives passed Rep. Richard Pombo’s “Wildlife Extinction” bill—a controversial bill that eliminates protections across the board for endangered species while creating new loopholes and giveaways to big developers. Most recently, several senators were working to pass another bill that would weaken the Endangered Species Act.

“The Endangered Species Act is the most important tool we have to bring species back from the brink of extinction,” said Matt Garrington, Environment Colorado’s field organizer. “Unfortunately, developers and other powerful interests are trying to dismantle the Endangered Species Act.”

In Colorado, the Endangered Species Act has helped protect species ranging from the Canada lynx to the bald eagle. The Center for Native Ecosystems recently released documented the successes of the Endangered Species Act in Colorado.

According to the report, one prominent success is the Canada lynx. Although Canada lynx historically ranged across the Southern Rockies, sustained trapping, habitat degradation, and habitat loss reduced lynx in the region to very small numbers and possibly extirpated them altogether. Colorado initiated a release effort in 1999 that has, so far, enjoyed significant success. Although recovery of lynx in the region is still uncertain, the increase in births of wild lynx kittens each of the last three years marks a key milestone in this effort.

As the threats to wildlife and endangered species continue to grow, additional threats loom as big developers and other powerful interests are working with their allies in Congress to weaken the Endangered Species Act. While their efforts are disguised as legitimate reforms, their true intentions are clear: advance the economic interests of big industry at the expense of wildlife and the law that has successfully protected America’s threatened and endangered species for more than 30 years.

“Coloradans widely support protecting endangered species and our natural heritage,” said Garrington. “If we make sure that our senators hear this message loud and clear, we can help ensure the survival of species such as the Canada lynx and the greenback cutthroat trout.”

The map shows forests at risk of logging and mining. The areas shaded blue are Colorado’s national forests. To learn more about forests at risk visit our coalition Web site at www.roadless.net.

What’s at stake?

Some of Colorado’s most beloved places are at risk because of rollbacks of forest and endangered species protections. Dome Peak and East Elk Creek could be opened up to development.

Dome Peak provides crucial habitat for threatened and endangered species such as the northern goshawk and the federally threatened Canada lynx. This area is threatened by logging.

East Elk Creek provides important lower elevation habitats, less common than other wild lands. Native cutthroat trout populate this area.

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