It might be late in the session in an election year,
but Colorado’s senators continue to push for additional wilderness
designations in the state, recognizing the economic and and
environmental benefits of untrammeled land. Last week, Senator Michael
Bennet introduced a bill to protect more than 100,000 acres of the
Hermosa Creek Watershed, an area in the San Juan National Forest north
of Durango.
The bill would establish a long-term management plan for the land
based on recommendations from the Hermosa Creek River Protection
Workgroup, which includes local water officials, conservationists,
sportsmen, mountain bikers, off-road-vehicle users, outfitters, property
owners, grazing permit holders, and other interested citizens.
