wildlife Archives - San Juan Citizens Alliance

Dec 04 2023

Take Action: Help Improve the BLM’s Big Game Plan

By Rane Dickerson Lands Protection, Take Action, Wildlife

Please join the San Juan Citizens Alliance in showing our support for BLM’s new public lands rule on Conservation and Landscape Health. The new rule emphasizes the importance of conservation on federal public lands and creates and refines tools to…

Dec 04 2023

PRESS RELEASE: Big Game Migrations, Habitat May Benefit with Draft Colorado Plan

By Rane Dickerson Lands Protection, Press Release, Wildlife

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) just released its Draft Big Game Resource Management Plan Amendment (plan) which covers 8.3 million surface acres and 4.7 million acres of mineral estate extending to every Colorado BLM Field Office and to every corner of…

Sep 07 2023

What is an Icon? Why Desert Bighorns Should Matter to Us

By sjca

Bighorns today still face obstacles. Among them are changing landscapes, the growing human footprint, and wild recreational activities in many forms. Can they adapt? This is what Joel Berger will describe with photos, video, and a lively presentation.

Aug 15 2023

ECOFLIGHT: Migration Corridors on Wolf Creek Pass

By sjca Lands Protection, Wildlife, Wolf Creek

This summer the San Juan Citizens Alliance teamed up with Ecoflight for a flyover of the Southern San Juans. EcoFlight is a nonprofit organization that educates and advocates for the protection of remaining wild lands and wildlife habitat using small aircraft.…

Jun 14 2023

PRESS RELEASE: Lawsuit Targets Timber Sale Threatening Rare Mature Forests, Wildlife in Colorado

By sjca Forest Health, Lands Protection, Press Release, Wildlife

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2023 DOLORES, Colo.— Forest advocates sued the U.S. Forest Service today for violating environmental laws when it approved a nearly 23,000-acre timber sale that would cut large, century-old ponderosa pine trees and threaten wildlife in…

Jan 27 2022

Support Colorado’s Bighorn Sheep

By Gary Skiba Wildlife

We all recognize the iconic value of bighorn sheep in Colorado. As the state mammal, bighorns are one of our most important species. But bighorns in Colorado could and should be doing much better. The single biggest threat and cause of…

Jan 20 2022

Restoring Bighorns & Wolves

By Gary Skiba Climate Change, Newsletter, Rivers

Imagine Colorado 150 years ago, when hearing a faraway wolf howl or seeing a bighorn was not rare. While many things have changed in those 150 years, our Wildlife Program aims to restore this wildlife and ensure that it happens…

Jun 02 2021

June Monthly Scoop: Gary Skiba on Wildlife

By Rane Dickerson

Join in for our June Monthly Scoop with SJCA's wildlife manager, Gary Skiba. Beyond Gary's extensive background with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, his personal passion for wildlife is infectious. Expect an update of wolf restoration progress, bighorn sheep management,…

May 28 2021

Protecting Wolves with the Endangered Species Act

By Gary Skiba Species

The Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, and the Sierra Club have petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), requesting the restoration of federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray…

Apr 23 2021

Domestic Sheep Grazing Halted at Coller State Wildlife Area

By Gary Skiba Species

Last winter SJCA, (along with our partners at Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society) scored a victory to keep bighorn sheep safe and improve the management of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) State Wildlife Areas (SWAs).…

Sep 25 2020

Will wolves join lynx as recovered species in Colorado?

By Mark Pearson Durango Herald Column, Species

Twenty years ago, Colorado wildlife officials restored long-missing lynx to the state’s forests and mountains. It was a joy to watch lynx bound away from their release point at Rio Grande Reservoir and take to their native habitat. Changing societal…

Jul 02 2020

TAKE ACTION: Stop Purgatory’s Destruction of Lynx Habitat

By sjca In the News, Lands Protection

Purgatory Resort is pushing its expansion dreams by resurrecting the Ice Creek Lift Pod, a regretful proposal that was purposefully dropped from its 2008 Master Development Plan (MDP) due to the concerns of degrading Canada lynx habitat. Unfortunately, Purgatory is…

Jun 12 2020

Key Findings on Gray Wolves Released

By Gary Skiba Of Interest, Species

This November, Colorado residents will vote on Proposition 107. If passed, it will require the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife to reintroduce wolves to the state by the end of 2023. Colorado State University’s Center for Carnivore-Human Coexistence, in…

Jun 11 2020

The Myth of the “Canadian Wolf”

By Gary Skiba Species

Opponents to wolf restoration, whether here in Colorado or Yellowstone, claim that the wolves that would be released are a different species than the wolves that were originally there. Colorado wolf opponents claim that reintroduced wolves would wreak havoc because…

Apr 10 2020

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part V: The Right Thing to Do

By sjca Lands Protection, Species

Photo: National Park Service In our original blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado, we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. Now, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. You can also check…

Jan 08 2020

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part IV: Intentional Reintroduction Allows Flexibility

By sjca Lands Protection, Species

Photo: National Park Service In our original blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. Now, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. You can also check…

Nov 12 2019

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part III: The Public Wants It

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Species

Nov 08 2019

Bighorn Sheep: An Introduction

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Species

Background Bighorn sheep are an iconic species of the American West. They call some of our country’s most rugged and remote landscapes home. Their cultural, ecological, aesthetic and economic value has made bighorn sheep a vital part of North American…

Oct 31 2019

CORE Act Passes the House!

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Rivers, Species

We know that meaningful and permanent public lands protections take time. Lots of time. Lots of stakeholders are at the table and compromises are hashed out over years, not weeks. Often times such efforts are framed by politicians as being…

Oct 15 2019

Wolf Creek Update – Pagosa Springs

By Erika Brown

Photo: Alex Pullen SJCA Open House & Wolf Creek Campaign Update Tuesday, October 29th 5-7 pm Pagosa Brewing & Grill 118 N. Pagosa Blvd., Pagosa Springs Wondering what the latest is with our decade-long campaign to protect Wolf Creek…

Oct 11 2019

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part II: Colorado is the Missing Link

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Species

Photo: Wikimedia Commons In our original blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. Now, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. You can also check out Part…

Aug 23 2019

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part I: Ecology

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Species

In our previous blog, ‘Why Restore Wolves to Colorado,’ we briefly discussed the top five reasons wolves should be reintroduced to the state. In this and future blogs, we’re digging deeper into each of those arguments. Blogs by Gary Skiba,…

Jun 11 2019

Forest Service Rescinds Approval of Chainsaws in Wilderness!

By Erika Brown Lands Protection

Photo: Tom Sykes The Forest Service has rescinded its approval to use chainsaws in Weminuche and South San Juan Wildernesses! We were surprised last month to hear about Regional Forester's illegal approval to use motorized equipment in the form of…

Jun 03 2019

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado?

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Species

Photo: Fish and Wildlife Service Wolves have long stirred strong emotions in this country and still do. The idea of bringing wolves back to Colorado generates passionate support as well as die-hard opposition. Yet from an ecological standpoint, wolves belong…

May 28 2019

Challenging the Forest Service (again) over Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Clean off those 'No Pillage' bumperstickers*, because here we go again. If you've lived in the area for long, you know the Village has a decades-long history. The short story is that a billionaire from Texas has long wanted to…

Feb 28 2019

Rio Grande National Forest Again Sides with Developer in Wolf Creek Access Issue

By Erika Brown Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Photo: Alex Pullen OK, here we go again. Many of you joined us in submitting protests this last fall on the draft decision to provide road access to the Village. And for good reason. It's not surprising they went ahead and…

Feb 17 2019

Land conservation overcomes congressional gridlock

By Mark Pearson Durango Herald Column, Lands Protection, Rivers, Species

Photo: Jason Hatfield Fans of Utah’s spectacular redrock country can savor congressional action this week that advanced protections for a million acres of the incomparable San Rafael Swell, and one of the Colorado Plateau’s longest wild river segments through Desolation…

Jan 25 2019

CORE Act Gives San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act Another Chance!

By Erika Brown Lands Protection

Photo: Jack Brauer Senator Bennet and Representative Neguse are breathiing new life into the decade-long campaign to permanently protect iconic, yet vulnerable, alpine landscapes in the San Juan Mountains. Next week, they're introducing a new bill, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation &…

Nov 15 2018

Protecting Wildlife and Quiet Use on San Juan National Forest

By Erika Brown Forest Health, Lands Protection, Species

Photo: Wikipedia Commons We've been advocating for wildlife, quiet use and watershed protections within the Rico West Dolores Travel Management Plan for a decade. Many of you have joined us in demanding that the region be managed for the those…

Nov 08 2018

Wolf Symposium

By Erika Brown

Durango Wolf Symposium Thursday, November 29th Fort Lewis College Student Life Center Gymnasium 8:30 am-12:00 pm (4 speakers) 1:00-4:30 pm (5 speakers) 7:00-9:00 pm Public Discussion The Ft. Lewis College Department of Biology is hosting a free, open-to-the-public symposium, at the…

Aug 07 2017

Demanding Quiet-Use Trails for Rico/West Dolores

By sjca Lands Protection

Last opportunity to speak out for quiet-use trails in Rico/West Dolores! Striving for strong protections for the Rico/West Dolores area has been a priority of San Juan Citizens Alliance for nearly 10 years and we will continue our persistence. However,…

Apr 07 2016

WCF Exhibit 5: “McCombs is rattling cages.”

By sjca Wolf Creek

This is part of our Wolf Creek Files blog series. Each post explains, in detail, the context behind an email or string of emails: who is writing, what is being discussed, and why it concerns us. Click here to see…

Feb 27 2016

A hunter says #NoPillage

By sjca Lands Protection

“It is one of the best elk hunting experiences … people wait upwards of ten years to actually get the tag … and it would be forever changed to have a population center in literally a world class elk unit.”…

Jan 28 2016

An environmentalist says #NoPillage

By sjca Lands Protection

“I think that the only hope we have to preserve this area is by the gathering of community to fight with political power.” For three decades we have fought to protect Wolf Creek Pass from Texas-billionaire Red McCombs’ “Village at…

wildlife

Take Action: Help Improve the BLM’s Big Game Plan

PRESS RELEASE: Big Game Migrations, Habitat May Benefit with Draft Colorado Plan

What is an Icon? Why Desert Bighorns Should Matter to Us

ECOFLIGHT: Migration Corridors on Wolf Creek Pass

PRESS RELEASE: Lawsuit Targets Timber Sale Threatening Rare Mature Forests, Wildlife in Colorado

Support Colorado’s Bighorn Sheep

June Monthly Scoop: Gary Skiba on Wildlife

Protecting Wolves with the Endangered Species Act

Domestic Sheep Grazing Halted at Coller State Wildlife Area

Will wolves join lynx as recovered species in Colorado?

TAKE ACTION: Stop Purgatory’s Destruction of Lynx Habitat

Key Findings on Gray Wolves Released

The Myth of the “Canadian Wolf”

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part V: The Right Thing to Do

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part IV: Intentional Reintroduction Allows Flexibility

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part III: The Public Wants It

Bighorn Sheep: An Introduction

CORE Act Passes the House!

Wolf Creek Update – Pagosa Springs

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part II: Colorado is the Missing Link

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado Part I: Ecology

Forest Service Rescinds Approval of Chainsaws in Wilderness!

Why Restore Wolves to Colorado?

Challenging the Forest Service (again) over Village at Wolf Creek

Rio Grande National Forest Again Sides with Developer in Wolf Creek Access Issue

Land conservation overcomes congressional gridlock

CORE Act Gives San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act Another Chance!

Protecting Wildlife and Quiet Use on San Juan National Forest

Wolf Symposium

Demanding Quiet-Use Trails for Rico/West Dolores

WCF Exhibit 5: “McCombs is rattling cages.”

A hunter says #NoPillage

An environmentalist says #NoPillage

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