Activity Report Explorer

Northern San Juan • Entered by Robyn Cascade on May 3, 2023

GMUG Forest Plan revision

January 10, 2023 – March 29, 2023

Key Issue: Landscape Planning (Forest Plans, RMPs, TMPs, etc.)
Activity Type: Advocacy (rallies, lobbying, meeting decision makers, letters/calls/emails)
Key Partners: HCCA, USFS, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
Landscape/area: Uncompahgre National Forest (951767 acres)

Short Description of Activity

Continuing to advocate for wildlife and wild places as we wait for release of the GMUG Forest final EIS and plan (expected release summer 2023.) Also continuing to forge relationships with Indigenous leaders, staff and tribal members

Reflection/Evaluation

An effort in 2023 has been to encourage Ute Mountain Ute elected leaders and staff to participate in the forest plan revision process. Though the forest plan process in approaching the latter phases, there is still time for input from Indigenous voices if they so choose. Robyn has made a few new contacts: Ute Mtn Ute Councilman Conrad Jacket with whom she spoke by phone and emailed and Ute Mtn Ute wildlife biologist Ben Robinson with whom she corresponded by email after making a connection (via Zoom) at the March BLM SW subRAC committee meeting (regarding bighorn sheep and domestic sheep grazing.) Both Ben and Conrad have indicated an interest to know more and Robyn will keep fostering these relationships as well as staying in contact with Councilman Lyndreth Wall and Broads’ Council of Advisor Regina Lopez Whiteskunk. Robyn also held an hour long phone call with GMUG Forest Supervisor Chad Stewart during which she advocated for effective separation of bighorn sheep (specifically Tier 1 herd SB-21) and domestic sheep and inquired further regarding the forest plan in general and Indigenous engagement in particular. One other conversation with Matt Reed at HCCA focused on how and if we could encourage the GMUG and/or Indigenous sovereign nations to engage in some form of co-stewardship and/or co-management and how language regarding such intention might be written into the GMUG Forest Plan (since it is too late to actually initiate a specific co-stewardship/management project.) Slow moving with our Indigenous partners. Delighted (and hopefully influential) to have the ear of the GMUG Forest Supervisor who actually invited me to a conversation after I forwarded info regarding bighorn sheep. He now has the 2022 Bighorn Sheep Monitoring report and it will be time to follow up with him about the data.