Congressman Joel Hefley and Senator Wayne Allard have introduced wilderness legislation for Brown's Canyon. The legislation would protect as wilderness some 20,000 acres of rugged canyon country adjacent to one of the top float-fishing and rafting stretches of the Arkansas River. The bill enjoys bipartisan support - in addition to the Allard/Hefley bill, the same area is part of Diana DeGette's comprehensive Colorado wilderness proposal. Unfortunately, recent and ill-advised opposition from the National Rifle Association threatens to derail this bill. Contrary to the NRA's claims, a wilderness designation will not eliminate hunting - indeed, protection of the area will help maintain important habitat that should help protect herds. It will also help protect a portion of the watershed for one of Colorado's premier fisheries, the Arkansas River.
Please contact Senator Allard at (202) 224-5941 (phone), (202) 224-6471 (fax), or online at: http://allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home. Thank him for sponsoring this important legislation and urge him to work to ensure its passage before the end of this session of Congress. Let him know that protection of lands and watersheds benefits anglers and hunters, and urge him to maintain leadership in promoting protection for Brown's Canyon.
The Arkansas River by Browns Canyon (photo courtesy of Reed Dils).
Background:
Just north of the town of Salida lies the Brown's Canyon Wilderness Study Area (WSA). Brown's Canyon is the view shed for a large stretch of the Arkansas River -- the most popular whitewater rafting destination in Colorado. This rugged area is dotted with granite boulders and pinion-juniper forest, and is home to bighorn sheep and other important species.
The BLM recommended the WSA for wilderness protection in 1991; conservation groups and local citizens have been advocating wilderness protection for the WSA, as well as for surrounding BLM and National Forest land, for over a decade.
On August 29, 2005, Congressman Hefley hosted a public hearing in the town of Salida, featuring public testimony from a rancher, backcountry horsemen, river outfitters, and a Trout Unlimited representative, all in support of wilderness designation for the Browns Canyon area. With this show of public support, Congressman Hefley and Senator Allard introduced legislation to add the WSA, plus citizen-proposed wilderness on both BLM and National Forest lands, to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
The Friends of Brown's Canyon, a local grassroots group based in Salida, has been working to organize their local community in support of protecting Brown's Canyon, and to educate the public about the wilderness values of the area. As a result of their efforts, the Chaffee County Commissioners, Arkansas River Outfitter Association, Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Buffalo Peaks Back Country Horsemen, Collegiate Peaks Trout Unlimited, and the Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition have all endorsed this wilderness proposal.