Colorado’s Roan Plateau, a favorite backcountry zone for hunters, anglers and hikers because of its high-quality wildlife habitat, is once being proposed for oil and gas development. The Bureau of Land Management, in accordance with direction from the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act to hold lease sales in Colorado every quarter, has listed four leases on top of the plateau in its proposed December sale, with two additional leases nearby.
Author Archives: Elizabeth Stewart-Severy
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy is a freelance journalist based in Snowmass Village. She grew up in Aspen and has worked as an editor at Aspen Journalism, reporter at Aspen Public Radio and an English and journalism teacher at Aspen High School.
Posted inEnvironment
‘Where’s our bench?’
All departments/programs at the White River National Forest have seen reductions in the workforce, except the forest leadership team, which has been able to fill positions with Forest Service employees who have left other roles within the agency. Recreation, engineering and specialist roles have been particularly hard-hit.
Posted inEnvironment
Latest North Star plan includes ‘peak-use’ policy, commitment to conservation
The plan lays out 39 indicators that are meant to guide Open Space and Trails in ensuring that management is on track to meet the desired conditions, with thresholds that raise a red flag if something is amiss.
Posted inEnvironment
Local public-lands group moving from crisis reaction to long-term plan
This was not a typical summer season for the White River National Forest, but thanks to unprecedented efforts from local organizations, visitors may not have noticed. The U.S. Forest Service did not hire seasonal workers to manage the influx of crowds, but it did offer incentives for employees to quit. Funding shrank and uncertainty grew. […]
Posted inEnvironment
Snowmass Village’s wilderness water source poses unique wildfire risk
“There are some quite vulnerable systems in the Roaring Fork Valley — Snowmass being at the very top of that list — that really need some advance planning,” said a senior hydrologist with Wright Water Engineers.
Posted inEnvironment
‘The public is losing out’
Working two full-time jobs was taxing, and it’s true that the federal government pays far less than local governments in the same resort communities. But the real push to leave the agency came from Washington.
Posted inEnvironment
Volunteers report uptick in illegal campfire rings
Given the moment’s urgency, the Forest Conservancy is seeing record levels of staffing, recruitment, total hours and in-kind value. Through Aug. 17, volunteers with Forest Conservancy have worked more than 8,800 service hours, which Johnson said represents an in-kind contribution value of more than $340,000, or the equivalent of 10 to 12 seasonal employees.
Posted inEnvironment
‘Voice of wildlife’ takes early retirement from the Forest Service
Nyland was involved in a wide array of projects across the White River National Forest. But his legacy is clearest in his work to improve wildlife habitat through prescribed fire, and his departure raised alarm in at least one partner agency.
Posted inEnvironment
Local groups unite over concern for forests’ future
Forest Service functions across the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District and the wider White River National Forest have been deeply affected by the reductions, which were driven by the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
Posted inEnvironment
Rep. Hurd voices concern about Forest Service cuts
“The loss of red-card holders threatens public safety, undercuts local economies and undermines years of local wildfire prevention efforts. We urge you to restore the Forest Service red-card holders without delay.”