Wild Works

Tres Logros de Nuestro Programa Defiende Nuestra Tierra Este artículo apareció por primera vez en la edición de invierno de 2024 de Wild Works. Las asociaciones rinden frutos. Este año, nuestra asociación de décadas con el Servicio Forestal y la relación continua con miembros de la comunidad lograron tres éxitos para las personas y las tierras públicas: cifras récord en nuestra tercera semana de conservación latina anual, un premio a la diversidad cultural del Servicio Forestal y señales bilingües en 26 sitios del área silvestre de Maroon Bells-Snowmass. 1) Junto con el Servicio Forestal y la ciudad de Glenwood, en [...]

El Wilderness Act Cumplió 60 Años Este artículo apareció por primera vez en la edición de invierno de 2024 de Wild Works.Este año marca el 60 aniversario de la ley de protección de áreas silvestres, originalmente aprobada en 1964. Las áreas silvestres son la forma más fuerte de protección para nuestras tierras públicas. Estas áreas cumplen un propósito que va más allá que el uso humano: juegan un papel crucial en la lucha contra el cambio climático, la preservación de la biodiversidad y el mantenimiento de cuencas hidrográficas limpias. Hoy en día, las áreas silvestres son más importantes que [...]

Remembering Mary Dominick-Coomer (May 25, 1936 – August 22, 2024)This article first appeared in our Winter 2024 edition of Wild Works.   "She had that spirit, the wild spirit. She loved being out in the backcountry and doing things that she couldn't do anywhere else. Mary was a fantastic human being. Her spirit just glowed around her.”—Sven Coomer, husband of Mary On August 22nd, the Roaring Fork community mourned the passing of Mary Dominick-Coomer. Mary was a patron of the arts, outdoorswoman, and a dedicated conservationist. Mary served on our Board for 27 years. The work we do, the community [...]

Three Wins for Our Defiende Nuestra Tierra Program This article first appeared in our Winter 2024 edition of Wild Works.Partnerships pay off. This past year, our decades-long partnership with the Forest Service and continued relationship building with community members netted three wins for people and public lands: record numbers at our 3rd annual ¡Celebremos al Aire Libre!, a Forest Service Cultural Diversity Award and bilingual signs at 26 trailheads in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. 1) Along with the Forest Service and the City of Glenwood, this past September we hosted our annual ¡Celebremos al Aire Libre! as part [...]

Welcoming Gordon Bronson and Ben JohnstonThis article first appeared in our Winter 2024 edition of Wild Works. Join Us in Welcoming Ben Johnston to the Wilderness Workshop Board As a founding partner of JVAM, a law firm based in the Rocky Mountains, Ben works with individuals, businesses and non-profits to help plot and navigate their legal trajectory. In his free time, Ben loves to ski, fish, golf and mountain bike with his kids. When asked about the importance of being on the board of an environmental non-profit, Ben said: “The mission is meaningful because I’ve always lived by the same personal [...]

Two Successes for Wildlife on the Crystal Trail This article first appeared in our Winter 2024 edition of Wild Works.This past June, our advocacy on the proposed Carbondale to Crested Butte trail plan resulted in two significant changes for the benefit of the ecosystems in the Crystal River Valley. Utilizing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, we convinced both Pitkin County and the Forest Service to commit to a holistic environmental analysis of the entire trail prior to construction or approval of any future trail segment. A holistic analysis ensures that impacts to wildlife from increased recreational use are [...]

Select Highlights from Our 2024 Events! This article first appeared in the Winter 2024 edition of Wild Works. "A Wild Ride": Storytelling Event In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, we partnered with Alya Howe of Writ Large to host “A Wild Ride,” a live storytelling event at The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW). Throughout the evening, our five storytellers explored their different perspectives on and connections to wilderness. We laughed, we cried and left the event feeling inspired to advocate on behalf of these wild places! (Photo credit: Ayla Howe) Community Party This past summer, [...]

New Management Plan for Western Colorado Notches Conservation Wins This article first appeared in the Winter 2024 edition of Wild Works.Every 15-20 years, the BLM undertakes planning processes, resulting in Resource Management Plans (RMP) that determine how large tracts of land will be managed for decades to come. In 2015, the BLM finalized the Colorado River Valley and Grand Junction RMPs, after nearly a decade of work. These two planning areas cover nearly 1.5 million acres of public land in western Colorado (see map right). The region is home to some of the state’s most vital wildlife habitats, cherished [...]