Governor muzzles wildlife agency, supports ATVs over wildlife

[Oak]

Ah, our good Governor Owens and his yes-man Greg Walcher at it again! Now, Owens' administration makes a feeble effort to pass this off as a simple breakdown of communication in the beginning of the article. But read between the lines and pay especially close attention to comments by retired DOW personel, and I think you can see what's really going on. If you still don't see it, I'll provide some personal examples.

Sunday, March 16, 2003 - A report by state biologists urging the White River National Forest to close certain roads and trails was never forwarded to decisionmakers, prompting critics to complain that the Owens administration cares more for ATVs than wildlife.

Ultimately, state Department of Natural Resources Director Greg Walcher told Forest Service officials that Colorado opposes any road closures in the White River National Forest, which sprawls from Dillon to Aspen across an area twice the size of Delaware.

Environmentalists and retired wildlife agency staffers said it was the second time the Department of Natural Resources has ignored state biologists' concerns about motorized recreation in the forest.

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Oak

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 03-16-2003 21:42: Message edited by: Colorado Oak ]</font>

 

[Ten Bears]

That's gotta hurt, may not be right,but it's gotta hurt. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Bruce McCloskey, ... says he didn't forward the comments because he was not convinced the conclusions the biologists reached were accurate.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> "This gets to the guts of this issue," said McCloskey, a former district wildlife manager. "Can our folks prove that road closures have this effect or that effect? There's different opinions on that; there's differences within our own organization." <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> The wildlife agency's own studies show how ATV use in the fall drives elk off of the national forest and onto private land, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Have they looked at other herds movements with the onset of hunting season? <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>... some should be closed to vehicles during spring to avoid disturbing elk calving areas, they said. Others should be closed during the fall hunt.... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Correct for the most part, but doesn't call for complete closure nor unrestricted riding.