So if this Editorial shows up in your local paper, let me know and surely respond to it. And what is very interesting is that the Weld County ie, Greeley, the County Commissioners have recently developed and signed a County Resolution OPPOSING the forced introduction of the gray wolf, along with 29 other counties. Their support of the Colorado Wildlife Commission (CPW Resolution 16-01) is much appreciated. My best, Paul
Those (Rock Mt Wolf Project,etc) who WANT to Force the reintroduction of the Gray Wolf into Colorado found a “loop hole” in that Colorado is a ballot initiative state & that wildlife issues can be tested before the general public & many times against the recommendations of the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Those forcing the issue, have already spent nearly one million dollars to get Ballot Initiative 107 to the voting public in November of 2020. It has been reported that 99% of those monies came from out of state sources. Ballot Initiative 107, many believe, is full of FALSE narratives as follows: 1. Wolves will only be introduced on Public land. 2, Wolves will only be introduced west of the Continental Divide. 3. Once established, the Gray Wolf will bring back the critical balance of Nature to Colorado. 4. Wolves were eliminated in Colorado over 80 years ago; & while that is true, only 1.2 million persons resided in Colorado at that time; currently Colorado is pushing 6 MIL residents statewide. Colorado has twice the population of Idaho, Montana & Wyoming combined where some wolves reside today.
Thirteen years ago, the Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a plan entitled, "Findings & Recommendations for Managing Wolves which Migrate into Colorado," which was in response to the reintroduction of the gray wolf by the USFWS into the Yellowstone National Park area. That same year a migrating wolf from Wyoming was found dead on Colorado's West I-70, & others have been observed since then in Colorado. The above plan (CPW Resolution 16-01) was developed by a group with various interests in Colorado, ie., Colorado Wolf Management Working Group, made up of environmentalists, sportsmen, local government, wildlife biologists & livestock producers. The results were comprehensive & not anti-wolf at all but developed a Colorado Wolf Management framework as follows:
1. accepting a (migrating) wolf presence in Colorado with conditions. 2. urging that wolves migrating into Colorado be allowed to live with "no boundaries" where they find habitat 3. advocating that wolves be left wherever found, providing they are not causing problems 4. taking measures to avoid conflicts through non-lethal methods if possible & if wolves cause problems, manage them to resolve the problem 5. recommending that funding for wolf management come from sources other than hunting license sales, & then, the Resolution concluded that: "any introduction or reintroduction of the wolves into Colorado is a potential conflict with the State's livestock industry and current big game management efforts."
The current Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, appointed by the Governor, and then approved by the State Legislature, for the past 100 years, is mandated to oversee and then using current scientific big & small game management practices here in Colorado (not Ballot Box Biology), resolved the following: "That the (current year 2016) Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission affirms its support of the Wolf Working Group's recommendations adopted by the Wildlife Commission in May 2005, OPPOSING the intentional release of any wolves into Colorado......" (adopted, January 13, 2016) Most Colorado citizens believe in the legitimacy of the Colorado Wildlife Commission & the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director and staff to scientifically manage Colorado's big game populations & we should follow their lead and recommendations concerning this FORCED wolf introduction issue. If you understand & believe in the science of Colorado’s big game wildllife management and the North American Conservation Model, you will support their recommendations.
Currently, there are 29 Colorado Counties which have signed a County Resolution opposing the forced reintroduction of the gray wolf into Colorado. (nine are Front Range Counties) These counties have studied & examined the effects that forced introduction of the gray wolf may have on its communities, its citizens, its wildlife and its livestock, both commercial & domestic. No doubt the subject of the wolf can be a very emotional subject & the voting public needs to EXAMINE all sides of this Colorado issue before voting for or against the Forced Introduction of the gray wolf to Colorado.. I would recommend visiting the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website & also visit the Stopthewolf.org website & see for yourself that there is more to this Wolf issue than one can imagine.
Paul Navarre, Ft. Collins Co
This "below letter" I use to debate Mr Pribyl and Mr Washburn's OPINION. You can use one or both, but you can do some personal input of your own or something different all together. It seems that these two guys have a mission to send their message to as many news papers as possible.
My Comments., Mr. Pribyl and Mr. Washburn should be ashamed of themselves for their unfactual self indulging comments. This is not an anti wolf issue but an issue concerning the FORCED INTRODUCTION of the gray wolf into Colorado using the ballot box and NOT big game management science that is use by the CPW biologists and staff.
The very Colorado Wildlife Commission that Mr. Pribyl served on is in TOTAL OPPOSITION of any forced introduction of any wolf, and is on record, (CPW Resolution 16-01) stating so. Currently there are 29 Colorado Counties, of which 9 are Front Range, that have signed a Resolution OPPOSING the forced introduction of the gray wolf. The big question is, what does the Colorado Wildlife Commission, the CPW biologists and staff know, and also, what do these 29 Colorado Counties know that Mr. Pribyl and Mr. Washburn do not know or do not care to know?
Re. The wolf introduction: 100% opposed.
It’s just good common sense to NOT force wolf introduction on the taxpayers of CO. The professionals & experts at CPW already have a plan for managing wolves AND they are opposed to this ballot measure. Look what happened in ID, MT, WY. It will end up costing CO hundreds of millions of dollars. Plus there is a pack ALREADY established in NW CO.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/opinion-dont-be-misled-about-wolves/ar-BBZdGn0?ocid=spartandhp
samman's Link
Can a group of Colorado Counties sue the State over this introduction issue because of health, safety, welfare and economic reasons. Maybe, but I do not know. I do believe there are now 31 Colorado Counties that has signed a Resolution. I know STW is working on more. Too bad Larimer County decided not to.
Infiltrate a sierra club email listing and go to any meeting they might have you don't need to put up money!!! Use an alias of course.
1.3 Million paid for 107 and willing to pay 4 MILLON or more to get it passed!!!
Below is from Jan 17th.
Dear Paul, this month's eNews highlights the great news about wolf restoration in Colorado, some well-deserved volunteer awards, a word from our Chair, and the minutes from our January monthly Executive Committee (ExComm) meeting.
You're also invited to our next monthly General meeting, Thu Feb 6 from 6:00-7:30 pm, in the Mount Royal Room at the Frisco County Commons, across from the Frisco Library. Members and their guests are welcome. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. You Did It !!!
On Monday, January 6th, after several years of groundwork and six grueling months gathering voter signatures, the Colorado Chapter of the Sierra Club is proud to announce that Ballot Initiative 107 – the Restoration of Gray Wolves Initiative – will be included on the statewide 2020 ballot.
This is the first time that the potential restoration of an endangered species would be initiated through a direct vote of the people.
Initiative 107 instructs Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop, after public input, a science-based plan for restoring wolves to Western Colorado by December 2023. It also directs the Colorado General Assembly to develop a means to compensate ranchers for the small number of livestock that could potentially be lost to wolves each year. Read the full text of the Initiative here.
This wolf restoration initiative, supported by Colorado Sierra Club volunteers and members across our state, is the ground-breaking manifestation of broad public support – marrying wildlife conservation with direct democracy.
And announced just in time to help us celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Gray Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone this January 12th!
Would you consider a $25 donation to help us restore Gray Wolves to Colorado, now that Initiative 107 is officially on the ballot?
So much more to come in 2020 ...
Howl Yes, I'll Donate! Colorado Chapter Awards
On Friday night, January 10th, the Colorado Sierra Club celebrated the outstanding individual and team achievements from volunteers, staff and legislators in service to the Sierra Club. Our Headwaters Group, and tireless member Rose Pray, both received well-deserved recognition. Congratulations! 2019 ACTIVIST OF THE YEAR AWARD - ROSE PRAY
For outstanding organizing with members of the public (associated with the Initiative 107 Wolf Restoration signature-gathering campaign)
L-R: Rose Pray, Fran Silva-Blayney (Chapter Chair), Megan Rast (Chapter Vice-Chair) 2019 GROUP OF THE YEAR AWARD - HEADWATERS GROUP
For outstanding achievement and service in conservation, wolf restoration and wildlife, highway cleanups, outings and group vitality
L-R: Fran Silva-Blayney (Chapter Chair), Brian Duchinsky, Rose Pray, Kent Abernethy (HG Chair), Megan Rast (Chapter Vice-Chair) From The Chair ...
The Headwaters Group focuses on Wilderness, Wildlife, Water and Weeds. Additionally, we have secured Ready for 100 commitments for Breck, Frisco and Summit County. Adding to our advocacy and educational programs, we get on the ground by keeping our adopted Highway 9 clean, restoring riparian areas as well as fun and educational outings.
Recognizing and helping folks contribute their best to the causes they are most passionate about and accessing the resources the Club provides, is integral to the success of the Headwaters Group. We added three new outing leaders this year. All six of our incumbent ExCom Board members were re-elected to another term (including me). Our current ExCom made all our group’s successes possible and have expanded their service on committees vital to the Chapter’s success as well.
The commitment, energy and ongoing dedication the Headwater’s ExCom and our core volunteers bring to the Club, is something I prize being a part of. Over the last four years I have worked on expanding our Club’s work with a renewed emphasis and a return to our grassroots structure and power base, which is all of you, members and supporters.
Thank you for your support, you can count on mine.
Forward,
Kent Abernethy
January Monthly Meeting Minutes
Meeting of the Headwaters Group, January 3, 2019, 6:00 PM, held held at the Mt. Royal Room in the Frisco County Commons.
Attendees: Kent Abernethy, Pam Bradley, Rose Pray, Brian Duchinsky, Andy Massell, Patti McLaughlin, Frank Lilly, Rick O’Brien, Karn Steigelmeier with guest Thomas Davidson, Dave Owens, Bruce Trigg, John Urban, and Jim Bradley. (Names of executive committee members are in italics.)
The minutes of the December 5, 2019, meeting were approved as submitted with no changes. Kent presented Pam Bradley with an Outstanding Achievement award for superior note taking!
Dave Owens gave his environmental moment. He learned a new word – ubiquitous (found everywhere) – recently and said that applies to plastic in our world. For example, 90% of rainfall samples in Colorado when analyzed contain tiny pieces of plastic. He also mentioned that the Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance (formerly Fiends of the Eagles Nest Wilderness) would like to participate with our group in another weed pull in July 2020. The group gave Dave the OK to continue with plans for this project.
Rose Pray gave membership report. We had 23 new members (8 of which are in Eagle County), 7 members transferred into the Headwaters Group, and we lost 16 members.
Rose also discussed a possible outing and social event for Sunday, February 9, during the full moon. She suggests a snowshoe hike out of Lagoon Townhomes in Frisco where she and Rick have a townhome. We can use the facility’s rec room for our social gathering afterward. Rose will look into this and report back.
We discussed ways to engage members in Eagle County, such as using Zoom video conferencing for meetings. Kent and Brian will be doing follow up on that.
Frank Lilly, Treasurer, gave the following report:
There is $2,111.84 in the HG bank account which includes $165.30 attributable to the wolf project.
Karn Stiegelmeier discussed Mountain Towns 2030 Project. This was held in Summit County, Utah last year and she suggests that we have the conference in Summit County, Colorado, at end of September 2020. She is looking for someone to coordinate.
Then Karn and Thomas Davidson discussed the issue of the possible Fiester Preserve eminent domain action in Summit County and gave additional details as to the current status.
Headwaters Group Wolf Team
Recent News … We delivered 211,000 raw signatures in support of Initiative 107 to the Secretary of State’s office on Tue Dec 10. This should be enough after validation to get on the 2020 ballot! Timing is still indeterminate as to when CO Secretary of State will approve ... RMWAF announced they raised and spent $1.3M for paid signature gathering and processing. They also estimate that a robust “Vote Yes on 107” Campaign could cost almost $4M! … Our first 2020 Farmer’s Market application has come up for consideration (Dillon Farmer’s Market). If interested, we need to apply and pay in full by Fri Apr 3 (Fri Feb 7 for Early Bird rates).
Upcoming Events … We will be celebrating the Wolf Moon (the first full moon) with a beautiful daytime snowshoe/hike in Spraddle Creek (a proposed addition to the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness Area), just north of the main Vail I-70 interchange, Sat Jan 11, starting at 10 am ... Sun Jan 12 marks the 25th anniversary of the release of gray wolves into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. We’ll likely mark the day with a Chapter-wide fundraising kick-off … A Full Moon (evening) Snowshoe is in the works for February ... We’re also looking at possible dates in mid-March for our next Howl Yes! Film Event at CMC Edwards.
Headwaters Group Conservation Chair
Recent News … Recent accomplishments from the Gore Valley Citizens Alliance include helping replace a Vail Town Council that supported any development claiming to include a housing component with a majority that is not only pro-housing, but which seeks balance with our community’s other needs, including open space and wildlife; and stopping the Booth Heights development … There will be opportunities coming up in January to participate in the ongoing Design Review Board discussions about Booth Heights. And in 2020, the terms of several Planning and Environmental Commission members will be ending and we will need to find and support candidates for Vail’s second highest governing body … Keep dropping by gorevalley.com for the latest information. You can also sign up for future email updates here.
Upcoming Events … See you in February!
