Taylor Park Fence Building
With 25 total hours of volunteer time, this group built 8 fences (totaling 102 linear feet), installed 6 USFS travel management signs, and restored previously impacted roads which will improve watershed health and terrestrial wildlife along the Taylor River.
Groups Urge More Wilderness in GMUG National Forests' Draft Plan
The U.S. Forest Service has released its draft management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests. The plan includes a significant increase in the amount of land that would be available for logging, and groups that advocate for public lands are raising concerns that it recommends only 34,000 acres of new wilderness across the forest.
HCCA Annual Meeting
It’s that time of year again when our conservation community comes together to celebrate the Public Lands and Waters of Gunnison County and the work that goes into protecting them. Come and join the festivities, chat with the HCCA Board and Staff, hear an illuminating talk from Dr. John Hausdoerffer, and share a potluck dinner with our conservation community. We can’t wait to see you all!
Labor Day Weekend Volunteer Opportunities!
Join High Country Conservation Advocates, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District to restore riparian and wet meadow habitats in sagebrush shrublands.
GMUG releases draft forest plan for public review
The U.S. Forest Service has released its draft revised plan for managing the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, an action likely to be followed by intensified debate over how things such as logging, recreation and wildlife habitat should be managed on those forests in coming years.
The GMUG Draft Revised Forest Plan is Here!
At long last, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest published its draft revised forest plan and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) today. This initiates a 90-day comment period that will conclude on November 11th, 2021. This is a critical opportunity for YOU to submit comments to the Forest Service…
Upcoming GMUG Webinars & Virtual Open Houses
The GMUG national forest is excited to host a virtual webinar series to provide an introduction to the Draft Forest Plan. We will give an overview of the planning process and the plan alternatives on Tuesday August 17th and delve deeper into key issues identified by the public on Thursday August 19th. Your questions and feedback are welcome. Additionally, dates have been selected for virtual open houses in September.
A ‘generational’ opportunity
The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest has a dubious distinction: they are managed under one of the oldest forest plans in the country, dating back to 1983. That means the document guiding decisions on 1.2 million acres of public lands in Gunnison County ignores the changing climate, the dominant uses of recreation and Colorado’s shift away from extractive industries.
Red Lady Ball Recap!
High Country Conservation Advocates would like to thank everyone for supporting the 44th annual Red Lady Salvation Ball. We had to wait just a little longer this year, but thanks to the hard work and generous donations from so many of you, this year’s Ball was a huge success for all the right reasons. We soaked in the summer sunshine, danced to fabulous local music, supported the work to protect Red Lady/Mt. Emmons, and of course, we crowned our newest Red Lady—Audrey Anderson!
Upcoming GMUG's Draft Forest Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Love trees and forests? Then we encourage you to participate in the upcoming 90-day comment period for the GMUG's Draft Forest Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The Forest Service will publish the draft revised forest plan and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on Friday August 13th, 2021. This will initiate a formal 90-day comment period that will conclude on November 11th, 2021.
West Elk Royalty Rate Reduction
Gunnison County's public lands, waters, communities, and climate took a direct hit with the Biden administration's recent approval of royalty relief for the West Elk coal mine - a move that flies in the face of the administration's own climate agenda.
Ninemile Hill Stewardship Recap
This past Saturday, HCCA volunteers joined BLM staff to improve wildlife habitat and protect sensitive areas in the Ninemile Hill area south of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Volunteers constructed worm fences and strategically placed rock and woody debris to effectively treat head cuts forming in the meadow on site.
Path Cleared to Eliminate Mining at Red Lady
High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) is excited to announce another positive development in our community’s four decade-plus battle to save Mount Emmons (Red Lady) from a destructive molybdenum mine. This week the Town of Crested Butte, Gunnison County, and the Mount Emmons Mining Company (MEMC) agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that plots the path forward to end the threat of mining on Red Lady.
44th Annual Red Lady Salvation Ball
For 44 years, the Red Lady Ball has brought together our community to not only celebrate another year of keeping Mount Emmons mine-free, but also to raise funds to sustain HCCA’s Red Lady defense fund until the threat of mining on Red Lady is gone forever.
This year’s Ball will commence at 6:00 p.m., featuring a happy hour with complementary appetizers, cocktail specials. At 7:30p.m., Floodgate Operators take center stage. And don’t forget the Red Lady coronation and the legendary raffle, which will take place around 8:30 p.m.
Oh-Be-Joyful Kayak Race
On the weekend of June 5, High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) held the Oh-Be-Joyful Kayak Race, drawing both local and professional kayakers to the event. Pro kayaker Rush Sturges took home the 1st place trophy while local kayaking legend Rob Dickinson was ceremoniously allowed to wear the infamous “Boof” belt buckle for going big on the iconic 23-foot waterfall (see photo).
30 x 30 and GMUG - What’s the Connection? What are the Possibilities?
The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest (GMUG) is revising its forest plan, with a Draft Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement scheduled to be released this year. There is a once-in-a-generation opportunity on the 3.16-million acre GMUG to proactively tackle biodiversity loss, climate change, equitable access, and other issues so important to Coloradans.
River Cleanup
On the first day of May, High Country Conservation Advocates and the Gunnison River Guide Coalition kicked off the summer guide season by hosting a "Ramp to Ramp" cleanup of the Gunnison and Taylor Rivers.
2021 HCCA Hikes
To all our hiking friends, and those we haven’t yet met, we are so pleased to announce the resumption of our Don Baker Legacy Hikes, now in their 29th season.
Welcome Eli
HCCA is thrilled to announce that Eli Smith, a current graduate student at Western Colorado University in the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) program, has been hired as our first Environmental Stewardship Fellow.
HCCA on KBUT
Please take a moment to listen to this great interview from KBUT with our Water Program Director, Julie Nania, and Board President, Sue Navy.