Sportsmen for the Hermosa Act

To the editor,
Recently, the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) – the sportsman’s Voice for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife – held their North American Rendezvous in Denver (March 21-23), where some 300 members from across the country celebrated BHA’s 10-year anniversary. 

The protection of backcountry habitat for elk and other wildlife in places like the Hermosa Creek watershed is the driving force behind BHA. U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, joined us in Denver and talked about fishing the West Slope’s many streams and rivers, and how the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act will help preserve some of those waters for future generations.

Hermosa Creek is Colorado’s largest unprotected roadless area and can be accessed just a few miles from downtown Durango. The Hermosa Creek watershed – named for the Spanish word meaning “beautiful” or “gorgeous” – harbors a native cutthroat population surrounded by some of the best backcountry big game habitat in Colorado.

I hunted elk for the first time in this region, and as most hunters know, to find the biggest and longest-lived elk and other big game you have to find the best habitat: wilderness and roadless areas. The lands and water protected by the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act will preserve such habitat. As a longtime Southwest Colorado outfitter and hunting guide, Mike Murphy, said: “This is a place where elk still die of old age.”

The Hermosa Creek legislation was jointly introduced in both houses of Congress in April of 2013 (by Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Rep. Tipton). Recently Congressmen Tipton successfully ushered his bill through the House’s subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. When enacted, the bill will be the first of its kind to protect an entire watershed as an intact ecological unit.

Hunting and fishing are traditional American values and activities that bind families and friends in healthy, outdoor activities. But without habitat and healthy game, the sporting endeavors fail to exist. Habitat equals opportunity, and sportsmen support protecting some of the best of the best in the Hermosa Creek watershed.
– David Lien, chairman, Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers


An assault on public education

To the editor,
The La Plata County Republican party had its assembly last week, and Barbara Ann Smith came from Grand Junction to announce her candidacy for the State Board of Education, as was reported in the Durango Herald, March 22. In addition to the usual obligatory denunciation of President Obama, she also let it be known that she had bought an assault rifle.

Good grief! I wonder if she bought a Bushmaster, 4 similar to the one Adam Lanza used on the children and teachers at Sandy Hook? Had she run for governor, would she have felt obliged to buy a larger weapon, like a howitzer?

It causes me great concern to think that a person of such a mindset would be making policy for the education of our children. The assault rifle was specifically designed to kill people, and nothing else.  The public announcement of ownership of one carries an inferred threat of a willingness to use it. “Armed and dangerous” makes such a person uniquely unqualified for any public office.
– Christopher Isensee, Durango


Protecting the meadow mouse

To the editor,
Often times, when focusing on environmental matters, the first issue that comes to mind is global warming. Now, while global warming is of paramount importance worldwide, and requires the whole world to address it, there are also local issues that affect our community. One environmental concern involves the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, which is probably unknown to the majority of our community. It is a species that lives in the Southwest and is proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

I didn’t know much about this mouse until I interned at Ecosphere Environmental Services for three weeks in March. While there, I learned that this mouse actually has some pretty cool and unique features.

For example, did you know it can jump 3 feet, or 10 times it body length? It also has elongated feet and a long tail that help propel it in the water.

While you might think a mouse is quite common and shouldn’t be listed as endangered, this specific species is becoming rarer and relies on the unique riparian habitats in the Southwest to survive. The scrub-shrub wetlands that surround us are extremely important for New Mexico meadow jumping mice because they hibernate nine months out of the year and need to stock up on seeds, bugs and slugs to provide them with enough fuel to last the whole winter. Riparian habitats provide a lot of rich food very close to the nests.

Riparian areas (where the land borders streams/rivers and provides tall vegetation) include only 1 percent of all of the land in the Southwest. These areas are threatened from grazing by cattle. Climate change, agricultural water use, off-roading, camping and beaver removal

are other factors that also degrade the riparian habitat.

While the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) tries to protect the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse on federal lands by listing it on the Endangered Species list, there isn’t much it can do on private and tribal lands. The critical habitat being proposed for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse is located in 12 counties spread across Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

Two of those locations are in La Plata County, where the species has been documented. One follows the Florida River for 8.4 miles. This habitat is mostly on private lands, with some Bureau of Land Management land. The second location is just west of Sambrito Creek, immediately south of Archuleta County Road 977.

The USFWS must make a decision about listing the species on the Endangered Species list by June. In the meantime, what can you do to help protect these endangered critters? Since beavers build damns that help create healthy riparian habitats for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, preserve and protect the beaver population. In addition, if you own cattle, look into some creative cattle grazing practices to ensure that they don’t totally destroy the riparian habitat. The leading cause of species endangerment and extinction worldwide is habitat loss. For that reason, the most important thing you can do to help the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse is help protect its habitat. This can be done effectively even in small ways, like avoiding off-road four-wheeling and camping in riparian habitats, and educating others.
– Avra Saslow, junior,\ Animas High School, Durango


Women Voters present ag panel

To the editor,
How much do you know about the variety of farming and ranching activities happening all over La Plata County? The League of Women Voters has organized a panel of farmers and ranchers to discuss their operations, and their current and future concerns in a warming and drying climate. The meeting will be held Wed., April 16, 7-8:30 p.m. in the Program Room of the Durango Public Library and is co-sponsored by the Library as part of its ongoing civic education endeavor.

Dryside farmer Trent Taylor, of Blue Horizons Farms; cattle rancher Patti Buck, the recently elected president of American National Cattlewomen; and Southern Ute ranching family member Maria Baker will describe their agricultural operations, current problems and future concerns. Steve Harris, of Harris Water Engineering, will discuss irrigation water issues; and Darrin Parmenter, county director and CSU Extension Agent, will talk about smaller, nontraditional and/or organic farming operations around the county.

Speakers have been invited to discuss their views on the likelihood of continuing success of full-time farming or ranching; irrigation water; changing climate; technology; financing; government regulation; markets; competition; transportation/distribution; etc. After introductory remarks by each speaker, the audience will be invited to ask questions of the panel.

Check the LWV or Library’s websites for more info.
– Marilyn Brown, LWV agriculture update chair, Durango

In this week's issue...

January 25, 2024
Bagging it

State plastic bag ban is in full effect, but enforcement varies

January 26, 2024
Paper chase

The Sneer is back – and no we’re not talking about Billy Idol’s comeback tour.

January 11, 2024
High and dry

New state climate report projects continued warming, declining streamflows