Colorado Advocacy Alert!

[John Fisch]

The USFS is taking public comments until Mar 27 for the plan for the Bear Creek Watershed.

I wrote an article on this topic here:
http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-tr … ient-fish/

More recently, the Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates have taken a very well thought out position which I believe should be echoed by as many as who have a stake in this decision. That position is published here (I urge everyone to read it before commenting):
http://www.waltpub.com/Magazine/chey/index.html#/4

KEY POINT
The portions of the very popular Captain Jacks trail which lie outside the watershed and the equally popular Palmer/Section 16 loop (also very popular with hikers) remain closed despite having nothing to do with the "threatened" greenback cutthroat trout. Their continuing closure following last summer’s heavy rains remains a very sore spot 😈 and no valid justification has been given ("Safety concerns," but no specifics).

Comments to the plan can be made here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/hom … RDB5397304
The specifics of each alternative are spelled out here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC … 791584.pdf
A map of the area in question is and the impact of alternatives is here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC … 791364.pdf

While alternative B looks like the best option we have at this point, the fact remains that the Jack’s and Section 16 closures are well outside the purview of the USFS concern for the fish and need to be addressed immediately. These routes cross a variety of properties, including USFS, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), and City Park lands. Our elected and appointed officials need to hear from as many of us as possible that this situation is unacceptable. Here’s the e-mail list:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

One final note: Doug Krieger, senior aquatic biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Greenback Cutthroat Trout Recovery Team Leader, provided an update on the condition of the fish at the 2/25/14 public meeting. He said: “the fish are doing just fine” and that the breeding in fisheries now has over 3,500 GBT available for stocking (they started with 64 in the breeding program 3 years ago). The approximately 1,000 fish in Bear Creek are not known to have been harmed by last year’s flood or the drought conditions of previous years.

[blixet]

fish fry !

[Funrover]

Still can’t believe this. I just don’t get it

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