The San Juan National Forest is currently gauging public opinion on the impacts of grazing on 119,000 acres just northwest of Durango. This week, the agency started accepting public comments on the Missionary Ridge-Lakes Landscape Rangeland Allotment. The allotment covers 12 active cattle graz

ing leases including the Bear Creek, Coon Creek, Elkhorn, Graham Creek, Haflin Creek, Jack Creek, Lemon, Lion Creek, Red Creek, Stevens/Shearer, Vallecito and Waldner leases.

The forest has proposed the continued permitting of livestock grazing on the area with a caveat – that prob