TRCP Colorado Roadless Report

8/8/2019 TRCP Colorado Roadless Report

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Adding TEETH to our roadless rule

Backcountry Bounty:

Colorado

A report by the Theodore Roose velt Conservat ion Partnershi p

www.trcp .org

TRADITION ECONOMY EXPERIENCE TROPHIES HABITAT


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Foreground

More than a century ago, President Teodore Roosevelt played an instrumen-tal role in creating Colorados extensive public lands system. Between 1903and 1909, Roosevelt worked to establish a network of national forest lands

in the state, making it possible for all sportsmen, regardless of social stature, to use andenjoy these rich game habitats and stunning landscapes.

Since then, the Centennial States big-game herds have experienced dramatic changes,once approaching extirpation but since rebounding to the plentiful numbers seen today.Due in large part to contributions by sportsmen and the leadership of visionaries likeRoosevelt, Colorado now enjoys the highest elk and mule deer populations of any statein the country.

One feature of Colorados public lands has remained unchanged since Teodore Roos-evelts time: the qualities of the states 4.4 million acres of roadless national forest lands.Commonly called backcountry, roadless areas contain some of the most importanthabitat in the Rocky Mountain West for big game and native fish populations. oo

much human disturbance and too many roads can reduce big-game hiding cover, oftenresulting in shorter hunting seasons and reduced hunter opportunity. Tey also can im-

pair spawning habitat and result in less-productive fisheries. Ultimately, roadless areasoffer some of the best remaining hunting and fishing available on public lands in theUnited States.

While more than 90 percent of the American public and the majority of sportsmen both from Colorado and across the country have consistently indicated support of back-country area conservation, a complicated series of court rulings, federal decision makingand special-interest influence have left management of these areas up in the air.

Beginning in 2007, Colorado has been working with the federal government to es-tablish management guidelines for roadless areas within its borders. Tat collaborationproduced a draft rule that the federal government released to the public on July 25,2008.

Te current effort in Colorado to develop a state-specific roadless rule attempts to end thedebate here, but the release of the draft plan and its substance have elicited concerns

from sportsmen regarding the impacts the plan could have on the states hunting andfishing heritage. Coloradans deserve a roadless plan that benefits not only sportsmen andother public-lands users but also the habitat on which our fish and wildlife depend.

Te Teodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (RCP) is working to involve Col-orado hunters and anglers in the rule-making process so that the final Colorado roadlessrule serves the habitat needs of the states fish and wildlife populations and is consistentwith the interests of sportsmen.

o this end, sportsmen believe that by addingTEETHto the Colorado roadless rule, wecan ensure that backcountry values sportingTraditions, Colorados Economy, hunt-ing and anglingExperiences, Trophy-class animals and irreplaceableHabitat aresustained into the future. By following in the footsteps of Teodore Roosevelt, Americasconservation legacy and our outdoor heritage will live on in the mountains, valleys andwaters of Colorados backcountry.

To uphold Colorados national

forest roadless lands and

sportsmens backcountry

hunting and fishing traditions,

the governor and the Forest

Service must add TEETH to the

Colorado roadless rule and

uphold the values Tradition,

Economy, Experience,Trophies and Habitat that

roadless areas sustain in the

Centennial State.

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Executive Summary

Why roadless areas matter to Colorado

sportsmen

Much of the reason sportsmen continue to experiencehigh-quality hunting and fishing on public lands is be-cause of national forest roadless areas. Broadly defined,backcountry lands contain 5,000 or more contiguous

acres without improved roads and are known by hunt-ers and anglers to contain some of our best remain-ing public-lands fish and wildlife habitat. Roadlessbackcountry is found in 37 states and Puerto Rico andcomprises 58.5 million acres, or 2 percent, of the 2.3 bil-lion-acre land base of the United States.

Roadless areas provide large blocks of exceptional habi-tat for big-game species such as mule deer, elk, bighornsheep and mountain goats. Tese areas also offer themost pristine waterways where trout and other desirablefish species dependent on clean water, stable stream-

flows and consistent lake levels can thrive.

While some roads are important for providing sports-men access to the lands where they hunt and fish, toomany roads are associated with increased big-game

vulnerability and fewer mature bucks and bulls, oftenresulting in shorter seasons and fewer available tags. Elkoccur in greater densities in roadless area compared toroaded areas, and hunter success is higher in roadlessareas compared to roaded areas. Furthermore, the vastmajority of our remaining healthy populations of native

trout are found on unroaded public lands. oo manyroads can increase siltation and decrease the quality oftheir spawning habitat.

Colorado has 345 roadless areas comprising 4.4 millionacres on eight different national forests. Tis backcoun-try helps sustain more elk and mule deer than any otherstate in the country, as well as some of the finest wildtrout fishing in the world.

Roadless areas are also big business. For example, Colo-rado is one of the only states to sell over-the-counterelk tags to nonresidents. Hunters and anglers contribute$1.03 billion to Colorados economy each year.

Most sportsmen and state fish and wildlife agenciesagree that backcountry values must be conserved. How-ever, roadless area management has remained unsettledfor decades, and forces are at work that would fragmentmany of the remaining roadless lands that sportsmenenjoy leaving an uncertain future for some of Ameri-cas best public lands hunting and fishing.

he national struggle to responsibly

manage our backcountry

Established in 2001, the Roadless Area ConservationRule was designed to limit backcountry timber harvestand road construction and reconstruction activities

with the greatest likelihood of altering and fragment-ing landscapes with a goal of upholding the roadless

values found on these public lands. Te rule allows rea-sonable exceptions for management activities to protect

Photo by Jason Gilsinger

Pagoda Roadless Area, Routt National Forest An important area for Colorado River cutthroat trout, elk and mule deer, this region is vulnerable under the draft

Colorado rule.


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communities from wildfire and permits projects fromvalid existing rights to proceed. At the same time, itattempts to conserve key fish and wildlife habitat whilemaintaining existing access to high-quality lands forhunting and fishing.

Te federal rule was adopted following more than 600public meetings and 1.7 million citizen commentsnationally, with more than 95 percent of commentsadvocating roadless area conservation. Despite strongsupport from a variety of interests, including sports-men, the rule has been a victim of legal challenges frompowerful economic interests. Its current status is unre-solved. wo U.S. District Courts have issued conflictingrulings on the 2001 rule, most recently an August 2008movement to enjoin, or invalidate, the rule. Tis rul-ing conflicts with a 2006 decision to reinstate the rule.Legal uncertainty means that the status of the federalroadless rule will not be definitively resolved until after2008.

Sportsmen, both in Colorado and across the country,maintain that the 2001 rule remains the most protec-tive for managing Americas national forest roadlessareas.

Sportsmens concerns in Colorado

In April 2007, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter submitted aroadless petition to promulgate a federal rule-makingprocess by the state of Colorado and the U.S. ForestService. Te governor has stated that roadless areas are

a resource that we must protect and pass on to futuregenerations. On July 25, 2008, the Forest Service releasedthe draft Colorado roadless rule, a plan riddled with loop-holes and exceptions allowing new development in primebackcountry habitats.

Problems with the Colorado roadless rule lie in its details.For example, entire roadless areas could be logged, sup-

posedly to reduce wildfire threats, rather than such effortsbeing focused near communities. Massive power line cor-ridors could be routed through the backcountry insteadof on lands already developed. Approximately 70,000backcountry acres could be opened to road building, andnatural gas pads could be installed in these sensitive road-less areas where less-invasive directional drilling would bemore appropriate.

As currently written, the Colorado rule could changeforever places such as the HD Mountains in the San

Juan National Forest, Mamm Peak in the White River

National Forest and Clear Creek in the Grand Mesa, Un-compahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Fortunately,the Colorado rule is still in draft form. Its flaws can becorrected.

Fixing the Colorado roadless rule

By acting now to right the wrongs of the draft Coloradoroadless rule, Gov. Ritter and the U.S. Forest Service canensure that Colorados backcountry traditions and mil-lions of acres of public lands enjoy a secure future.

Te comment period for the draft Colorado rule closes onOct. 23, 2008. After that date, the Forest Service planningteam will work for several months to revise the rule andaddress the concerns of the public and outdoor interests.Because Colorado is a cooperating partner in the rulesdevelopment, the governor and the Colorado Departmentof Natural Resources can request specific changes, as

well. Te Forest Service and state also can elect to acceptcounsel from the Roadless Area Conservation NationalAdvisory Council, a national advisory group tasked withdeveloping recommendations for resolving some of themany problems with the Colorado rule.

Gov. Ritter and the U.S. Forest Service must listen to thedesires and needs of hunters and anglers to ensure thelong-term conservation of Colorados backcountry fishand wildlife habitat. o uphold Colorados national forestroadless lands and sportsmens backcountry hunting andfishing traditions, the governor and the Forest Servicemust add EEH to the Colorado roadless rule anduphold the values radition, Economy, Experience,

rophies and Habitat that roadless areas sustain in theCentennial State.

Photo by John Stansfield

Thirty-nine Mile Roadless Area, Pike & San Isabel National Forests The draft Colorado roadless rule could result in negative impacts to the areas

crucial winter range for mule deer and elk.


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RADIIONTe draft Colorado rule includes liberal exceptions per-mitting new roads. A good roadless rule will clearly definethe narrow circumstances under which road building anddevelopment are acceptable. o continue the traditions ofhunting and fishing in the state, Coloradans need clean

water, high-quality habitat and backcountry areas to sharewith families and friends.

Te Colorado roadless rule must more narrowly definethe unique circumstances that allow limited road build-ing in backcountry areas if sportsmens traditions are toendure. Loopholes allowing new roads for utility andwater conveyances, grazing, oil and gas, coal, and skiresorts must be closed.

ECONOMYUnless the draft Colorado rule is changed, sportsmensfavorite lands and waters could be subject to increased drill

rig traffi c, water projects, grazing roads and power line cor-ridors. We must uphold the value these backcountry areasbring to businesses in the state. Hunting- and fishing-re-lated activities contribute more than $1 billion annually toColorados economy and are an essential component of astrong and diverse marketplace.

Te Colorado rule must prohibit new leases allowingbackcountry road building for North Fork coal develop-ment in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and GunnisonNational Forests. Road building also must be prohibitedin the development of 70,000 acres of oil and gas leases

sold after the 2001 Roadless Rule was enacted theseprojects should be developed through directional drill-ing operations, located outside backcountry boundaries.

EXPERIENCEWhile protecting communities from wildfire is impor-tant, timber management justified as fuel reduction proj-ects but done deep in the backcountry and away fromhomes doesnt belong in the Colorado rule. Such projectscould damage important habitat and should focus on com-munities. Few experiences are finer than casting a line for

cutthroat trout or calling a rutting bull elk, but withoutintervention f rom Gov. Ritter and the Forest Service, theycould become a thing of the past.

As defined in the Colorado rule, Community WildfireProtection Plans can allow timber cutting in the nameof fuel reduction throughout entire roadless areas. TeColorado roadless rule must more narrowly define com-munity protection areas to ensure that timber cutting isfocused around homes, where fires are the biggest threatto public health and safety.

ROPHIES

New roads in Colorados backcountry could eliminatehiding cover and reduce opportunities for sportsmen totag trophy-class deer and elk. Big bucks and bulls thrivein the habitat security provided by roadless nationalforests, facilitating longer hunting seasons while attract-ing both resident and out-of-state hunters.

Te Colorado roadless rule must specifically outlinecriteria for timber harvest exemptions, includingspecifying that these projects will maintain or improveroadless area characteristics and will be conducted in-frequently, to help conserve secure habitat for maturebucks and bulls.

HABIAImplementation of the draft Colorado rule could in-crease the spread of invasive weeds in roadless areas by

1,000 percent annually. It also would permit new roadson crucial big-game range and near backcountry troutstreams. raditionally, roadless areas have provided largeblocks of exceptional habitat for big game and offer wa-terways where trout dependent on clean water, stablestreamflows and consistent lake storage can thrive.

Te Colorado roadless rule must use crucial habitatinformation from the Colorado Division of Wildlifeto increase protections for areas of habitat identifiedas important to fish and wildlife. Tese backcountryareas represent some of the states best remaining

habitat. Providing them with the highest level oflong-term protection is critical to ensuring the futurequality of hunting and fishing in Colorado.

With 4.4 million acres of national forest backcoun-try, Colorado has a lot at stake in the roadless debate.And with strong public support for conservation ofthese areas, Colorado has an opportunity to get road-less management right. But the draft Colorado roadlessrule sets the stage to alter important backcountry areasand affect roadless area values important to huntersand anglers. Its up to Gov. Ritter and the U.S. Forest

Service to establish a secure future for the CentennialStates backcountry and add EEH to the Coloradoroadless rule.


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FLY FISHING COLORADOSFINEST WATERS

By Benjamin Miller

Chemical Engineering Student

University of Colorado-Boulder

It is not hard for me to explain my love for the state of

Colorado and my love of fly fishing. I was born and raisedin Colorado and spent much of my childhood exploring theRocky Mountains. My past summer was spent almost en-

tirely in rugged and remote areas where I could catch wildcutthroat trout.

For an avid fly fisher, catching a fish that has never or rarelyseen a human-made fly is like scoring an eagle on a cham-

pionship golf course. It simply does not happen often in

this day and age. In my opinion, these secluded streamsare the finest waters in Colorado. The fish that I caught and

the places I saw have ingrained themselves in my brain asthe most beautiful examples of nature in its most pristineform.

I dream that I will be able take my children to places like

the Platte River and Tarryall Mountains and catch nativetrout. For me, ripping through the forests to build roadsnear my beloved trout streams would be like tearing down

my childhood home. Avid anglers and outdoorsmen likemyself have as many fond memories and attachments to

the places that they visit as they do to the places wherethey live.

Tradition

Roadless areas offer places for sportsmen to enjoy time-hon-ored Western traditions like stalking mule deer or fly fishingfor native cutthroats in tranquil, undisturbed settings. Colo-rado has more than 571,000 resident anglers and 138,000resident hunters who head to the fields and waters each year,many wishing to pass on a legacy that began with their parents

and grandparents.

Sportsmen face growing pressure to pursue game and fish onfewer acres. Vacation homes and no trespassing signs con-tinue to eliminate access to private land, while energy devel-opment is affecting millions of acres under both public andprivate ownership. Hunters and anglers find it increasinglydiffi cult to enjoy and share their outdoor heritage. During a10-year period, the number of resident anglers in Coloradodeclined by 5.7 percent, while the number of resident huntersdeclined by 41 percent. Loss of access to hunting and fishingareas contributes to this decline.

Colorados roadless areas represent some of the last, bestplaces to hunt big game or fish for wild trout. Tese places cansustain future generations of Colorado sportsmen. Yet if theColorado rule allows industrialization of the states back-country, sportsmen could lose the chance to participate in andsustain Colorados legendary outdoor traditions.

PhotocourtesyofBenjaminMiller

Photo by John Gale

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Photo by John Gale

Indian Peaks Roadless Area, Arapaho National Forest As drafted, the Coloradoroadless rule could negatively affect Colorado River cutthroat trout, moose, mule deer

and elk habitat in this area.

Economy

Summer and autumn are busy seasons on Colorados WesternSlope. Sportsmen from across the state and the country travel to the area, purchasing food and supplies, bookinghotels, buying fuel, and utilizing guide and outfitter services tohunt and fish.

Hunting- and fishing-related activities annually generate$1.03 billion for Colorados economy. Wildlife watching pro-

vides an additional $1.39 billion. Much of this money is spentat local businesses in small towns throughout the state.

Unlike the boom and bust of many industries, Colorados out-doors-related economy provides long-term, stable sources ofincome, with more than 160 outfitters registered in the state.Responsible roadless area management will ensure that thisrevenue continues to grow. Places such as Mamm Peak in the

White River National Forest, Burning Bear in the Pike andSan Isabel National Forests and Pagoda Peak in the Routt

National Forest provide irreplaceable opportunities for sports-men to go afield.

If Colorados backcountry is compromised, sportsmen willcontinue to be squeezed out of the last remaining placesto hunt and fish in the state and Colorado businesses arebound to feel the effects. Broad exceptions in the draft rule fornew roads and development could permanently damage thissustainable economy.

BACKCOUNTRY CONSERVATIONIS GOOD BUSINESS

By Bill Dvorak

Bill Dvorak Kayak and Rafting Expeditions Inc.Nathrop, Colo.

Ive been guiding fishing trips on Colorados rivers since1979. In 1984, the state began issuing licenses for river

outfitters, and I received the first one.

I truly love leading trips into the backcountry of the wildWest. Visiting roadless areas in national forests such as

the Pike San Isabel, White River and Routt gives my clientsthe chance to discover the beauty of canyon vistas, alpinelandscapes and wildlife in its natural habitat. Their timeafield is enriched by Colorados backcountry landscapes.

The economic benefits of roadless areas literally spill out

onto the surrounding Colorado countryside. My businessdepends on backcountry lands where the unsullied head-

waters of Colorados rivers are located. These waters flowinto famed trout rivers such as the Rio Grande, Dolores andArkansas, where my clients catch big, wild trout. If up-stream areas were roaded and developed, the water quality

of these bread-and-butter fisheries could suffer. This woulddecrease the quality of experiences I can provide c lients andaffect my bottom line.

Sportsmen from across the country choose to come to Colo-rado and spend their money here because of the fine

habitat, clean water and trophy game offerings provided byour backcountry. Roadless areas are critical to the continued

success of my company and the quality of life in Colorado. Astrong Colorado roadless rule will ensure the future successof outdoor-related businesses in the state.

PhotobyKurtBrewer

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Experience

Most sportsmen agree that the best part of hunting andfishing is simply the experience itself. Big mountain views,quaking aspen leaves and the smell of sage draw sportsmenoutdoors year after year.

Many of the Centennial States most memorable hunting

and fishing experiences take place on backcountry nationalforest lands. Tree-quarters of the 4.4 million acres ofroadless lands in Colorado lie within 1 mile of a road andare easily accessible to the public. Tese are areas wherefolks can fish for native trout and never see another angler,or pursue elk and mule deer without crossing paths withanother hunter all day.

Places like the Hermosa Roadless Area in the San JuanNational Forest could be permanently altered if the draftColorado roadless rule is finalized. Road building in this150,000-acre backcountry area could affect populations of

big game and Colorado River cutthroat trout.

ELK HUNTING IN SOUTHWESTCOLORADO: MOUNTAINEERINGWITH A GUN

By David A. Lien

Co-Chair, Colorado Backcountry Hunters and AnglersColorado Springs, Colo.

Its doubtful that anything could have better prepared mefor the rigors of elk hunting in southwest Colorados ruggedSan Juan Mountains than years of high-altitude mountain-

eering experiences in places like Alaska, Antarctica, Tibetand Nepal. Thats because true backcountry elk hunting,the likes of which only can be found in our nations road-less public lands, is the rough equivalent of mountaineer-

ing with a gun.

I hunt north of Durango, Colo., in the Hermosa-HesperusPeak Roadless Area, which at 148,000 acres is the states

largest roadless area. As most hunters know, to find thebiggest and longest-lived elk and other big game, you haveto find the best habitat: wilderness and roadless areas. TheSan Juans are a good place to get away from roads, trucks

and ATVs. As southwest Colorado outfitter and huntingguide Mike Murphy says, This is a place where elk stilldie of old age.

Although last falls warm and snowless post-rut conditions

kept most elk up high, spread out, and hard to find orapproach, I encountered some big bulls, which was morethan enough reward for a hard hunt. Like summits are to

mountaineering, the kill tastes the best to hunters. But itsthe hunt and climb that fills us up.

Photo by John Gale

Hermosa Roadless Area, San Juan National Forest The draft Colorado rulecould negatively affect the regions elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep.

PhotocourtesyofDavidLien

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HUNTING MATURE BUCKS

AND BULLS IN WILD COUNTRYBy Mike Duplan

Outdoorsman and freelance writerSilverthorne, Colo.

More than just a sport, hobby or pastime, hunting deer and

elk in the mountains and canyons of the West is part of mylife that seems to defy explanation. I would have an easiertime explaining why I breathe. Rarely an hour passes with-

out me daydreaming about a grand old bull elk or ghost-like mule deer in some spectacular landscape wild and

raw country that enables wildlife to grow old, evade hunt-ers and become splendid examples of their species.

Personally, I prefer to hunt mature bucks and bulls. I revelin the challenge of hunting these wild and wary animals incountry seldom traveled other than by hardy and adventur-

ous hunters. Some may call me a trophy hunter. I justconsider myself to be pretty picky when it comes to pull-ing the trigger. Rather than take a bull that still has somegrowing up to do, on many occasions I have chosen to take

home a cow or yearling elk for my familys winter meat.

The country that these bucks and bulls call home differs intopography and vegetation. But one recurring theme draws

me back to these places again and again: Roadless, wildbackcountry is the lure, and the rare opportunity to crosspaths with a mature buck or bull is the reward.

Trophies

Record-class deer and elk are a product of three factors:genetics, nutrition and age. Colorados backcountry playsa key role in helping the Colorado Division of Wildlifemaintain mature age-class bucks and bulls without havingto drastically restrict hunting opportunity.

Tirty-three percent of Boone and Crockett trophy-classmule deer have come from Colorado. Te state also hasproduced a number of record-class Rocky Mountain elk.Animals like these have the chance to mature throughcareful game management techniques. It can be a chal-lenge for state wildlife agencies to enable plentiful hunt-ing opportunities for sportsmen while simultaneouslyproviding trophy animals. Roadless areas, however, makemeeting this objective possible. oo many roads result ininsecure habitat, with fewer of these animals remaining togrow to maturity.

As drafted, the Colorado roadless rule would allow un-necessary road building projects and fragment some of thebest big-game habitat in the state. Tese changes couldforce the Division of Wildlife to resort to hunting restric-tions instead of secure habitat to maintain trophy-classanimals in the states big-game populations. ighteningand clarifying development exceptions in the draft rulecould give sportsmen continued opportunities to tag ani-mals of a lifetime.

Photo by CDOW

PhotocourtesyofMikeDuplan

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Habitat

Colorados backcountry offers superior habitat for fish andgame. Roadless areas provide secure big-game range andample hunting opportunity. Roadless area watersheds gener-

ally have higher water quality and important spawning habitat,both key in sustaining native fisheries.

More than 20 percent of Colorados native cutthroat troutstreams are located in roadless areas. Irresponsible backcountrymanagement could cause these species and others to suffer.Greenback cutthroat trout could be devastated by sedimentfrom road building in the Comanche Park Roadless Area inthe Arapaho National Forest. Colorado River cutthroats willtake a hit in the East Animas Roadless Area of the San JuanNational Forest. And the Colorado River cutthroat has beendesignated a species of concern by the Colorado Division of

Wildlife. Continued access to the valuable habitat in roadlessareas will help maintain populations and enable continuedangling opportunities for this prized gamefish.

Te states abundant big-game populations also stand togain from well-managed roadless areas. Colorado has nearly300,000 elk and 600,000 mule deer, more of each than anyother state. Tey thrive in large part because of Colorados ex-pansive backcountry. Conserving national forest roadless areas

will help sustain important wildlife habitat in Colorado.

CONSERVING WILDLIFEAND HABITAT NOW AND IN

THE FUTUREBy John Ellenberger

Biologist, Grand Junction, Colo.

I worked for the Colorado Division of Wildlife for 33 years.

For the last nine years of my career, I was the state big-gamemanager. In that position, I coordinated statewide manage-ment activities for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, moose,bighorn sheep and mountain goats.

Maintaining habitat on public lands for big game is about

security. Maintain the habitat with the right amount of food,cover, water and space, and animals feel secure. Change

that mixture of components, and security decreases. Animalsavoid the area or decrease their use of it.

A substantial body of information concerning the impacts of

roads and recreationists on wildlife has been compiled overthe last 30 years. Studies show a direct loss of big-gamehabitat due to road building, and the habitat effectivenessof adjacent areas is reduced as animals avoid them due to

traffic or human activity. Studies also demonstrate that hunt-ing pressure in areas with high road densities increases themovement of elk from public land to private land, reduc-ing hunter opportunity and the effectiveness of hunting as a

management tool.

In my opinion, roadless areas on public lands are a veryimportant component of big-game habitat. Preserving road-

less areas as they currently exist is an excellent opportunityto protect wildlife and habitat.

Photo by Kurt Kunkle

Thompson Creek Roadless Area, White River National Forest Language in thedraft Colorado rule could negatively affect elk calving habitat and winter range in the area.

PhotocourtesyofJohnEllenberger

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Conclusion

In order to support Colorados world-renowned fish andwildlife populations and legendary hunting and fishing we must work together to add EEH to the Colora-do roadless rule: radition, Economy, Experience, ro-phies, Habitat. Sportsmen in Colorado and across thecountry look to Gov. Ritter and the U.S. Forest Service

for leadership in assuring a future for the states proudconservation legacy. Tey also expect firm guidance bythe Roadless Area Conservation National AdvisoryCouncil so that sportsmens values are represented in thefinal Colorado rule.

With 345 roadless areas comprising 4.4 million acres,Colorado possesses a hunting and fishing heritage foundnowhere else in the world. Tese traditions providemore than $1 billion annually to the states economy andmeaningful opportunities for sportsmen seeking excep-tional outdoor experiences. Exceptions for road buildingand development in roadless areas must be narrowlyand clearly defined to conserve Colorados backcountryvalues and prevent unwanted and unintended changes tothese important lands and waters.

We have an opportunity to craft a robust Coloradoroadless rule and leave a legacy of which sportsmen canbe proud. But hunters and anglers must speak up andget involved to ensure that our concerns are addressedand our traditions are sustained.

Colorados governor and the U.S. Forest Service must act

decisively. Colorado needs and deserves a strengthenedColorado roadless rule. Adding EEH will create it.

For more information or to get involved,visit www.trcp.org or contact

Joel WebsterPolicy Initiative [email protected]

Jason SorterField [email protected]

Katie McKalipCommunications [email protected]

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, theTheodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is a coalitionof organizations and grassroots partners working together topreserve the traditions of hunting and fishing.

TRCP National Office555 Eleventh St. N.W., 6th Flr.Washington, DC 20004877-770-8722www.trcp.org

Photo by John Gale

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Photo b

Guaranteeing you a placeto hunt and fish

1501858 - 2008

TheodoreRooseveltConservationPartnership

T.R.SESQUICENTENNIAL

555 ELEVENTH ST. N.W., 6TH FLR. WASHINGTON, DC 20004

877-770-8722 WWW.TRCP.ORG

TRCP Colorado Roadless Report

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