San Juan Citizens Alliance

Public lands protection: San Juan Citizens Alliance spearheaded public outreach and education to improve conservation management across the San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands in southwest Colorado. SJCA continued to lead public opposition to the massive proposed Village at Wolf Creek development project, a planned city of 8,000 people atop Wolf Creek Pass that continues to be stalled almost 40 years after originally proposed. SJCA engaged the public to review and comment on development activities including proposed timber sales, oil and gas leases, and travel management plans to ensure the protection of wildlife habitat and quiet recreation uses, with a particular focus on the HD Mountains, the ponderosa pine forests west of Dolores, and the undeveloped alpine valley of Minnie Gulch above Silverton.

Animas River: The organization advocated for improved public recreation access to increase public awareness of water quality and water quantity issues facing the Animas River. SJCA worked with partners to identify and secure public river access points upstream and downstream of Durango. SJCA led water quality sampling efforts on the Animas River below Silverton, and played a key role in the development of an Animas River watershed management plan.

Wildlife: San Juan Citizens Alliance organized public outreach and education around pending reintroduction of wolves to Colorado, and advocated for improved management to increase herds of native bighorn sheep.