Northern San Juan • Entered by Robyn Cascade on March 30, 2022
Baldy Landscape Resiliency and Habitat Improvement Project
January 1, 2022 – January 14, 2022
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | 0 |
| Post Admin hours | 0 |
| Activity Hours | 12 |
| Participants | 1 |
| Total Hours | 12 |
Key Issue: Public Lands Health & Protection
Activity Type: Advocacy (rallies, lobbying, meeting decision makers, letters/calls/emails)
Key Partners: Rocky Smith, Wild Earth Guardians, USFS, Town of Ridgway, Ouray County
Landscape/area: Uncompahgre National Forest (951767 acres)
Measurable Outcomes
Outcome 1: Advocacy actions (4 elected officials)
Short Description of Activity
The proposed (now finalized) Baldy Veg treatment project encompasses approximately 6100 acres of private, USFS and BLM lands with ~2400 acres within the Baldy Roadless Area (RA.) Broads had standing to protest the EA due to having provided comments during scoping. Robyn read the EA, communicated with numerous coalition partners, spoke at two Ouray County BOCC meetings and one Town of Ridgway Council meeting as well as advised elected officials regarding potential actions. Robyn also communicated with USFS personal and Indigenous partners regarding engagement in this project especially with regard to Traditional Knowledge related to prescribed fire as a tool for ecological health.
Reflection/Evaluation
NSJ Broads decided not to protest the EA and rather restate our concerns re: compliance with the CO Roadless Rule and the excessive 6.2 mile 100-ft wide fire buffer adjacent to or within the RA. Though one Ute Mountain Ute councilman expressed an interest in the project, following Robyn’s email introduction between the councilman and USFS personnel, the USFS indicated they had “other contacts” and it was “early to engage another partner.” In fact Robyn was told she put the USFS in an “awkward position.” Given that one of the “other contacts” was the Ute Museum director who does not represent a sovereign nation, the response of the USFS was intriguing and caused some concern on our part. We continue to have a healthy relationship with the USFS, however we question their genuine desire to conduct authentic Tribal Consultation after numerous attempts to connect Federal representatives with Tribal leaders both with this project and throughout the GMUG Forest Plan revision. NSJBB will continue to hold the USFS accountable to the law related to Tribal Consultation.