November, 2002

CONSERVATION NOTES

by Dave Johnson

The Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Great Outdoors Colorado and various non-governmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy have launched a voluntary incentive based program to protect wildlife species and at the same time help landowners. Under the program landowners who own certain types of habitat such as wetlands or short grass prairie will be paid to protect that habitat. It has long been recognized that participation by private landowners is vital to the recovery of threatened and endangered species.

The existing Endangered Species Act has been widely criticized and condemned by conservative legislators and property rights groups for requiring landowners to maintain habitat for T&E species. Many “takings” lawsuits have resulted. Although most of these have been defeated, the contentiousness and time invested in these legal wrangles have definitely impeded progress.

Finally state governments such as Colorado are taking steps to side-step the legal requirements of the ESA by acting proactively. The philosophy has become “Let’s do something now to protect the environment and avoid the necessity of listing certain species under the ESA.”

Giving landowners the opportunity to actively assist with the management and protection of declining species can bring together an array of species protection and land conservation tools that haven’t been available before. The financial incentive to the landowners can improve the viability of their operations and reduce the chance they may be tempted sell out to a developer or a water speculator.

Species that are seen as probable beneficiaries of this innovative program include the Gunnison sage grouse, black-tailed prairie dog, burrowing owl, mountain plover and ferruginous hawk. The importance of working with private landowners is underscored when one realizes that only 4% of occupied prairie dog range occurs on public land. Obviously, adequate conservation can’t be met on public land alone.

This is an exciting new tool for conservation-oriented land stewardship and deserves the support of environmentalists.

How Have Your Political Representatives Voted on Environmental Issues?

AVAS encourages all Auduboners to become knowledgeable about the voting records of incumbent candidates in their districts. Colorado Conservation Voters has compiled statistics for our state legislators concerning votes impacting the environment. See their website at

http://www.coloradoconservationvoters.org/  (no spaces) or contact Leon Bright (719) 561-1108 for more information.

CCAP FORCES CHANGES IN CEMENT PLANT PERMIT

In late September Pueblo based Concerned Citizens Against Pollution were successful in greatly strengthening the pollution controls in the permit for a cement plant south of the city.

Several AVAS members were instrumental in the outcome, including CCAP president Margaret Barber (former Harrier editor) and Dave Barber (former AVAS president). Great work, CCAP activists!

AVAS ELECTIONS TO BE HELD AT NOVEMBER MEETING

At its October meeting the AVAS Board approved a slate recommended by the Nominating Committee. The few changes in officers are: Margie Joy is nominated to chair Field Trips and Donna Emmons as a regular At-Large member.

At this time the Fundraising chair and representative to Audubon of Colorado are still open. Nominations are welcome at the program meeting on Nov. 8—please volunteer!!