Public lands: Feds finalizing management plan for wildlife refuges in Colorado’s San Luis Valley

Restoration and public use among the key focus areas Staff Report FRISCO — After years of planning and public input, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials this week said they’ve completed all the environmental studies and a conservation plan for the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, in south-central Colorado. The plan covers about

Wildlife: Sandhill cranes migrating through Colorado

Tours and viewing opportunities abound in San Luis Valley Staff Report One of Colorado’s great wildlife migrations peaks this weekend, as vast flocks of sandhill cranes stop in the San Luis Valley on their way from New Mexico north to Montana, Idaho and Canada. By mid-march, the fields, ranches and wetlands in the valley may

Colorado: Landscape-level preservation eyed in San Luis Valley to protect wetlands, riparian corridors & wildlife

Effort focusing on voluntary conservation easements and collaboration By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY —The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is taking some first steps toward a large-scale preservation effort in Colorado’s San Luis Valley that could ultimately protect up to 530,000 acres of wetlands, riparian corridors, and important upland habitats through voluntary conservation easements. The

Colorado: San Luis Valley sites get national recognition

Trujillo Homesteads designated as national historic landmarks, honoring Colorado’s Latino heritage By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is making good on his intent to include Latino heritage in the iconic landscapes of the National Park system. This week, Salazar designated the Trujillo Homesteads, an early Latino settlement in Colorado’s San Luis

San Luis Valley preservation powwow set for Jan. 4

Feds, state and local officials eye preservation and recreation opportunities in the San Luis Valley By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY — The San Luis Valley has been identified as one of three priority areas in Colorado for the Obama Administration’s Great Outdoors initiative, and this week, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S.

National Park Service studies cultural and natural resources in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Luis Valley

Region is a fundamental part of Colorado history By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY — The cultural and natural resource treasures of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Luis Valley are getting some long-overdue love, as the Department of Interior works to identify areas and sites that could some day be made part of

BLM to hold Colorado hearing on western solar plan

Agency responds to citizen requests for local session By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY —Colorado residents will get one more chance to offer input on a plan that could potentially open more than 111,000 acres of public lands in Colorado for industrial solar development.In response to strong public outcry, the Bureau of Land Management recently reversed its

Latino-themed sites nominated for National Park status

Trujillo Homestead in Colorado’s San Luis Valley is one of the nominated landmarks By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY —As part of the Department of the Interior’s efforts to expand the story of the American Latino within the National Park System, Secretary Salazar announced four new Latino-themed National Historic landmark nominations, including the historic Trujillo Homestead

Colorado: Deal eases threat of drilling in Baca wildlife refuge

Stakeholders work toward buyout of mineral rights in San Luis Valley By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY — Groups working to protect public lands in the San Luis Valley of Colorado say they’ve ended their 2007 lawsuit  against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The litigation by the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council and the Citizens

Colorado: Input wanted on wildlife refuge plans

San Luis Valley wetlands an uncommon biodiversity hotspot By Summit Voice SUMMIT COUNTY — Deep in the bony heart of Colorado, where rusted pickups sit under wind-tilted cottonwoods, there’s a complex of wetlands and meadows with uncommon biological diversity that seasonally shelters more than 200 species of nesting, migratory and wintering birds. Pelicans grebes, herons,