Chat
Last week a working draft preview came out for the revised forest plan for three major National Forests in southwest Colorado: Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison. Page 27 of the proposed plan says:
"FW-STND-SPEC-16: To maintain effective separation among species in habitat occupied by bighorn sheep, the use of recreational pack goats and the use of goats and sheep for invasives and/or noxious weed management is prohibited."
Since most of this enormous territory can arguably be claimed as bighorn sheep habitat, this means we could lose access to all three of these National Forests. We held our 2017 Rendezvous in Uncompahgre NF, and our current NAPgA banner was taken on top of Uncompahgre Peak. We cannot lose access to these magnificent places!
That said, we have a very unique opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this forest plan. The draft is not yet published and we are not even to the objection stage yet. This may be the earliest we have ever had access to one of these plans, and we may be able to change it before it hits the press.
They are holding their Part 1 webinar on Monday, June 24th from 9:00-11.00 and 4:00 - 6:00 MST. Part 2 will be held on Wednesday Jun 26th from 9:00-11:00 and 4:00 - 6:00. It is especially crucial that our Colorado members try to attend these sessions so our voices can be heard.
There will also be several public meetings held between July 9-18th in various locations in western Colorado. If any of our Colorado members can attend any of these public meetings, please do so!
Links and instructions for attending the webinars, and dates and times for the public meetings can be found here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gmug/land...eprd638482
The working draft of the Forest Plan can be read here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC...638492.pdf
I would like us to pay particular attention to page 8 under "Public Enjoyment". A long list of recreational activities is provided and goat packing is not on that list. If we can get ourselves added to this list, it will be much harder for them to slap us with a blanket ban. We are here and we are important!
"FW-STND-SPEC-16: To maintain effective separation among species in habitat occupied by bighorn sheep, the use of recreational pack goats and the use of goats and sheep for invasives and/or noxious weed management is prohibited."
Since most of this enormous territory can arguably be claimed as bighorn sheep habitat, this means we could lose access to all three of these National Forests. We held our 2017 Rendezvous in Uncompahgre NF, and our current NAPgA banner was taken on top of Uncompahgre Peak. We cannot lose access to these magnificent places!
That said, we have a very unique opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this forest plan. The draft is not yet published and we are not even to the objection stage yet. This may be the earliest we have ever had access to one of these plans, and we may be able to change it before it hits the press.
They are holding their Part 1 webinar on Monday, June 24th from 9:00-11.00 and 4:00 - 6:00 MST. Part 2 will be held on Wednesday Jun 26th from 9:00-11:00 and 4:00 - 6:00. It is especially crucial that our Colorado members try to attend these sessions so our voices can be heard.
There will also be several public meetings held between July 9-18th in various locations in western Colorado. If any of our Colorado members can attend any of these public meetings, please do so!
Links and instructions for attending the webinars, and dates and times for the public meetings can be found here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gmug/land...eprd638482
The working draft of the Forest Plan can be read here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC...638492.pdf
I would like us to pay particular attention to page 8 under "Public Enjoyment". A long list of recreational activities is provided and goat packing is not on that list. If we can get ourselves added to this list, it will be much harder for them to slap us with a blanket ban. We are here and we are important!