By presidential proclamation, Browns Canyon National Monument became Colorado’s eighth such site thanks to Barack Obama on February 19. Future generations can look forward to exploring this stupendous American wilderness: looking out over the Sangre de Cristo Range, a colorful array of mountain outcroppings, vistas and cliffs, a forested Aspen Ridge to the east, garnet-riddled Ruby Mountain to the northwest, mining ghost town of Turret, turned off-grid mountain settlement, to the South, and Arkansas River corridor to the west.
To Protect Browns Canyon, President Obama used his authority under the 1906 Antiquities Act to protect ecological or historically significant sites. In response, Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate are engaging in legislative efforts to restrict future presidents from making new monuments. Click here to protect the Antiquities Act.
Following 1980s studies, the Bureau of Land management first proposed wilderness designation for Chaffee County’s roughly 22,000 acres (including the 9,500-acre Browns Canyon Wilderness Study Area) in 1991, but legislation in the U.S. Congress stalled.
Former U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley initially introduced bills and former Sens. Ken Salazar and Mark Udall reintroduced those proposals in both 2008 and 2013.The Sierra Club and other environmental organizations celebrated the victory, a decade in the making, by enjoying the now officially protected Browns Canyon national monument by recognizing instrumental locals and their representatives.
The Sierra Club honored the dedicated work of local, state, and federal officials, some of whom were presented with ceremonial symbols of appreciation, in a 90-minute dedication ceremony. Community leaders, conservationists, local business owners and residents joined in the fun.
Browns National Monument and the river corridor, henceforth jointly supervised under U.S. Forest Service and BLM authority, are no longer subject to rule re-evaluation every 20 years concerning the area’s traditional livestock grazing, hunting, and fishing.
Owing to the weather, supporters gathered in a Buena Vista High School gymnasium rather than outside as originally planned. Sierra Club President Aaron Mair and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell were among those who gave impassioned speeches.
The Club cohosted a Saturday morning hike with Latino Conservation Week. Dignitaries enjoyed a Browns Canyon raft trip through the geological rift that separates Buena Vista and Salida, on the Arkansas River corridor.
Affected Native American tribes, long-time residents (10,000 years and counting!) of the land spanning Nathrop to Salida, will prepare a management plan with Federal offices. President Obama’s executive action safe-guards the natural, historical, and cultural heritage of these peoples, specifically the Ute and Jicarilla Apache.
Water agreements or rights regarding the 1,000 cubic feet per second river flows along the monument’s western boundary remain unaffected by the designation.
The annual influx of approximately 100,000 water sports enthusiasts, float-fishing anglers, kayakers, and most notably whitewater rafters, rejoice in this thoughtful provision.
In addition to the lower-elevation recreational opportunities of the canyon, the new national monument features topography that ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 feet in elevation.
The monument’s gorgeous riparian ecosystem scenery lends itself to the full spectrum of out-of-doors experiences and is also significant in terms of wildlife livelihood. The wilderness study area is an important winter range to deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and others residing therein.
"As we grow and we urbanize and we diversify as a nation, and we get more and more disconnected from the outdoors and nature, it is more important today to protect these special places than ever before" -- U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell
Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra, an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF), partners with faith based and community leaders in the southwestern United States and nationally. HAF and Latino Conservation Week raise awareness of environmental issues and publicize their inspiring efforts. Latino Conservation Week organizes opportunities for civic engagement, education, and connection with natural resources for Latinos in the U.S.
Latino(a) members, citizens typically disproportinately effected by environmental justice issues due to racial injustice, participating in community based conservation activism paired with enjoyable group outings, effectively aid in "permanently protecting our land, water, and air".
Please click here to view Latino Conservation Week's Browns National Monument event page.
ACCIÓN: ¡Send your message to protect the Antiquities Act!