The Durango Herald recently reported on America's Great Outdoors and opportunities to get involved in listening sessions as well as provide comments in other ways.

As global events and economies increasingly affect our way of life in western Colorado, it becomes ever more important to stay active in planning for our lands and resources.

Several opportunities are especially relevant to the southwestern corner of our state, one a nationally based opportunity and one much more local. At the national level, a series of "listening sessions" are being held regarding our national outdoor resources. On a much more local level, community interests have joined efforts to promote conservation of our special resources along the Dolores River.

On July 16, Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell hosted a listening session in Grand Junction as part of the America's Great Outdoors tour to gather public comment about how to manage public lands, specifically focused on the important values we place in the great outdoors.

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The listening tour will influence how a number of federal agencies make decisions about conservation, including the Departments of Interior and Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on Environmental Quality. The goals of the initiative are to reconnect Americans - especially children - to the outdoors; to building upon state, local, private and tribal priorities; and to use science-based management practices. According to Tidwell, the results of this listening tour will "set the stage for where (the government) heads with conservation efforts."

The public still has the opportunity to offer input. The Obama administration will be accepting written comments through July 29. Anyone who has an interest in contributing to the American Great Outdoors listening tour and help direct future conservation efforts should visit www.doi.gov/americas greatoutdoors/, e-mail comments to ago@ios.doi.gov, or mail them to Department of Interior, America's Great Outdoors, 1849 C St. NW, Mailstop 3156, Washington, D.C. 20240.