Congressman Joel Hefley and Senator Wayne Allard have introduced wilderness legislation for Browns Canyon and citizens are eager to see the wilderness proposal move quickly through Congress to protect a much-loved piece of Colorado’s rugged canyon country.
The Browns Canyon Wilderness Act would designate approximately 20,000 acres of National Forest and adjacent land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) near Salida, Colorado, as Browns Canyon Wilderness.
The Wilderness Society is currently working with Congressman Hefley to refine the water protection language for the proposed wilderness area, and hopes to see the details resolved shortly. With your help, Browns Canyon’s wilderness designation will be approved this year.
Background
Just north of the town of Salida lies the Browns Canyon Wilderness Study Area (WSA). Browns Canyon is the view shed for a large stretch of the Arkansas River -- the most popular whitewater rafting destination in Colorado. This rugged area is dotted with granite boulders and pinion-juniper forest, and is home to bighorn sheep and other important species.
The BLM recommended the WSA for wilderness protection in 1991; conservation groups and local citizens have been advocating wilderness protection for the WSA, as well as for surrounding BLM and National Forest land, for over a decade. The expanded Browns Canyon proposed wilderness area is included in Congresswoman Diana DeGette's Colorado Wilderness Act.
On August 29, 2005, Congressman Hefley hosted a public hearing in the town of Salida, featuring public testimony from a rancher, backcountry horsemen, river outfitters, and a Trout Unlimited representative, all in support of wilderness designation for the Browns Canyon area. With this show of public support, Congressman Hefley and Senator Allard introduced legislation to add the WSA, plus citizen-proposed wilderness on both BLM and National Forest lands, to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Strong Local Support
The Friends of Browns Canyon, a local grassroots group based in Salida, has been working to organize their local community in support of protecting Browns Canyon, and to educate the public about the wilderness values of the area. As a result of their efforts, the Chaffee County Commissioners, Arkansas River Outfitter Association, Buffalo Peaks Back Country Horsemen, Collegiate Peaks Trout Unlimited, and the Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition have all endorsed this wilderness proposal.
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