February Monthly Meeting Minutes
Meeting of the Headwaters Group, February 6, 2020, 6:00 PM, held held at the Mt. Royal Room in the Frisco County Commons.
Attendees: Kent Abernethy, Pam Bradley, Rose Pray, Brian Duchinsky, Rick O’Brien, Karn Steigelmeier, John Urban, Aimee Straw, Nancy Hassinger, Marge Schweri, Sheri Sobke and Jan Goodwin. (Names of executive committee members are in italics.)
The minutes of the January 2, 2020, meeting were approved as submitted with no changes.
The group reviewed our four primary focus issues to determine if there should be any changes. They are Wilderness, Wildlife, Water and Weeds. We decided that these four issues were still appropriate for our focus.
The Highway 9 Clean Up project was then discussed. What can we do differently to engage more people? Some ideas were: get involvement from schools, put article in Summit Daily, use banner and signs, perhaps use paint or decal on back of orange vests, and purchase event t-shirts. Discuss with FDRD Youth Engagement Person how to get students involved.
There followed a discussion of the second annual MT (Mountain Town) 2030 event, September 29 to October 1, 2020. Kent stated that the Colorado Chapter might be able to be a sponsor, and Jess Hoover of HC3 is the contact person. As part of that event, Lisa Holenko of Next Page Books & Nosh in Frisco has offered to provide discussions of books with climate change themes. She also will assist in putting together panels of experts. She asked if Headwaters Group would be interested in participating, both in the activities and in some of the planning. Dave Owens and Jan Goodwin volunteered to attend a meeting on February 20 with Lisa.
The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is April 22, 2020. Since that’s right around the corner, Marge Schweri will contact HC3 about collaborating on an event.
Jan Goodwin also volunteered to take the lead on forest health issues under Brian Duchinsky as Conservation Chair. She is a regular attendee of the Forest Health Task Force.
There following a discussion of reviving the Suds and Buzz events. Decided to just do Suds events quarterly at breweries and not do the coffee (Buzz) events. Sheri volunteered to coordinate July or August. Brian Duchinsky, Kent Abernethy and Rose Pray also volunteered as coordinators. These will of course be added to Campfire and we will attempt to put the events in the Summit Daily calendar.
Since Patti McLaughlin could not attend the meeting, Pan Bradley gave a short update on two issues being discussed in the Legislative Committee. (1) HB20-1265 Increase Public Protection Air Toxics Emissions and (2) annual electric vehicle registration fees, which are being pushed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which is funded by the Koch brothers.
Pam Bradley gave short update on the Chapter’s Political Endorsements Subcommittee. All current subcommittee members were reappointed for 2020. ExCom appointed individuals to the larger Political Committee. ExCom appointed Will Walters as interim Political Committee Chair.
Headwaters Group Wolf Team Recent News … As you certainly have heard by now, Initiative 107 is now on the Colorado 2020 ballot!! … But in a surprise move, Sen. Donovan (Vail) also introduced a bill to restore wolves to Colorado in an attempt to negate the need for Initiative 107, and to bring both parties (for and against wolf restoration) together for a potential legislative solution. In its current form, Sen. Donovan’s Bill is not supported by any organizations in favor of wolf restoration, nor is it completely acceptable to those opposing same. Both sides, including lobbyists from our Colorado Chapter, are meeting with Sen. Donovan regularly to try to hammer out provisions that could satisfy all stakeholders. At this point, though, all parties are far apart … Until such a time, if ever, where Sen. Donovan’s Bill is acceptable to those in favor of wolf restoration, we (and other RMWAF Coalition members) are going full steam ahead with wolf education plans and GOTV efforts to pass Initiative 107 in November (first organizational meeting was held last week).
Headwaters Group Conservation Chair Recent News … On January 16, Vail Mayor Dave Chapin announced that the Town of Vail had approached representatives from Vail Resorts and Triumph Development to explore an alternative approach to the Booth Heights housing development planned for East Vail. The centerpiece of these discussions was an exploration of other viable town-owned housing sites that would provide equitable partnership opportunities for Vail Resorts to build deed-restricted homes elsewhere in town. In addition, own Manager Scott Robson was directed by Council to facilitate a recently formed task force focused on improving forest health and wildlife habitat in East Vail in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife … Keep dropping by gorevalley.com for the latest information. You can also sign up for future email updates here.
We ran out of time to discuss possible outings in 2020 but will work on that at the next meeting. We may want to repeat a past successful outing.? Brian Duchinsky offered to lead some hikes this summer.
The next monthly meeting of the Headwaters Group will be 6:00 pm Thu Mar 5 at the Mt. Royal Room in the Frisco County Commons. Please go to the Headwaters Group webpage link below where you will find our calendar - with events and sign-ups. Meetings and event info is also available on our website calendar. Check us out on our Facebook Page: Sierra Club Colorado Chapter Headwaters Group. Notes Submitted by Pam Bradley See ya out there… Kent Chair, Headwaters Group Colorado Sierra Club
We got 50k members in North America, 3500 in Colorado, mostly high energy, that write emails to representatives, op eds in editorials, and volunteer at various initiative's. We have the most energetic membership, willing to get involved than any other conservation org. I sure we have more members in Colorado than any other conservation org, with many members who work for CPW.
We are equally represented in membership by Dem, Rep, and Unaffiliated voters. When I am hunting, or in the outdoors, I feel great camaraderie with other BHA members.
As David said in the final sentences, as hunters we have to recognize that hunting is a privilege and not a right. With the changing demographics in Colorado, more and more voters would be swayed by what is considered to be a fair chase issue with hunting bears that early which could lead to orphaned and dead cubs, just like the public perception on the spring bear hunt was that hunting bears over bait, just emerging from dens, for the sole reason that their hides are in prime condition is not ethical.
We are no longer subsistence hunters, like those living in the Alaskan bush solely for food. We are sport hunters, looking to take prime animals, assigning numbers to their racks, and hanging them on our walls. We also happen to eat them. The sooner we come to terms with the fact that this truth is the way we are viewed in the public forum, the soon we realize that making fair chase and conservation of the resource is the best way to preserve our traditions.
If a bear hunt restriction can pass in 1992, when Colorado had a much more conservative voting block,... What would be the result in 2013 if a total ban was proposed? We are seeing those results with the polling for the wolf initiative.
He is pretty forward thinking in this article, not wanting to see another public initiative that would be devastating to wildlife management of bears.
BHA was formed in 2006, and the bear hunting restrictions were voted in at 1992, by a more conservative voting block than we have now. Who is on the right side of the issue?
But to be fair, the issue never had to go to the ballot in '92. We were offered a choice of eliminating the spring hunt only. Denny Behrens was one of the loud voices who helped convince the Commission to reject that offer and dared them to put it to vote. So they rolled in hounds, fall baiting, and Sept 2 start date into the initiative.
You must have not paid attention at your hunter safery class with the statement that hunting IS a right
Do I wish they'd get involved with the wolf issue, absolutely! Are they a bunch of green hippies, likely. As a group are, they hugely effective in swaying public opinion, you’d better believe it.
I truly wish we still had a spring bear season but too not understand how us hunters are perceived in the eyes of the non-hunting public will be our downfall. To Tradi-doerr’s point “Hunting is a right given by ‘God’ and laws of nature!” I wish buddy, but it’s absolutely not in the world we’re living in today. Like people, I gauge folks on what they do not what they say and I see BHA doing more than most. So to the naysayers, please point out specific issues that BHA is backing that you don’t agree with, I honestly want to make sure I’m not missing something. And maybe I should point out, I am a bit hippie in that I want wild places for my kids to explore. So, if that means fewer roads and places remain hard to access, I’m ok with that.
Nevertheless, BHA definitely has a good membership and great potential. That's why it is so DAMNED frustrating when BHA refuses to channel that organizational potential toward fighting very real threats to hunting opportunity. Instead, leaders speak out publicly against hunting organizations that are leading that charge.
Public lands and wildlife are important, but so are red flag laws, abortion, men using the same bathroom as my daughters, fixing roads, immigration, taxes, gun control and so many other issues.
The clean water act is great if you want to clean up corporate polluters in Cleveland, but it has real cost impacts on regular folks too. The land and water conservation act does a few good things, but if you look at the total spend I could give a crap about all the city parks it is funding. If you followed BHA on those two issues you would think world would end without those bills. The trump bashing is insane, while clearly he is doing some great things for the country. My 401k is much improved.
On local wildlife issues, the lobby against trails is substantial. If you drink the BHA cool-aid rhetoric the decline of elk is soley based on trail expansion and use. Nothing mentioned about season structures, predators, overharvest, or PLO. I don't know how you can ignore pertinent facts.
There is never any high level mention that having ONE party in control of both the house and senate is a disaster. Take a look at the agenda that was passed last year in Colorado. I will place a bet their next voter questionnaire will reflect negatively on Cory Gardner, and how ever you feel about Gardner it is critical for the country republicans retain the US Senate. I am voting for Gardner, and none of it has to do with public lands or wildlife.
I am not looking to disparage any group. I am a fan of Tim Brass, and many others. Expanding the mission to SUPPORT hunters and unite hunters, and defeat wolves would be appreciated. Things will get weirder this summer when lose 3 commissioners who actually hunt big game. I am not optimistic at all about Colorado's hunting future, I think the good old days are gone.
