BHA in Action: Habitat Stewardship & Community Engagement
🐾 2024 Fence Removal Success – A Big Thank You!
Thanks to our incredible volunteers, Colorado BHA completed one of its most ambitious habitat restoration seasons yet! Thanks to a grant from the Colorado RESTORE program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, we were able to:
✔ Remove 14.55 miles of obsolete fencing
✔ Modify 1.16 miles to improve wildlife movement
✔ Inventory an additional 15 miles for future work
✔ Host 17 volunteer-driven stewardship events
✔ Contribute 2,293 hours of conservation work
These efforts directly improve habitat connectivity, allowing elk, deer, and other wildlife to move freely across the landscape. Thank you to all who participated—our public lands are better because of you!
💧 Fighting for Stream Access
Colorado BHA is excited to announce the formation of the Colorado Stream Access Coalition! Despite Colorado being the most popular destination for river recreation in the country, we have some of the worst public access laws in the West. The Coalition is fighting to secure legal public access to our rivers while ensuring responsible management and environmental conservation. We believe everyone should have the right to paddle, fish, wade, and explore Colorado’s rivers without fear of trespassing on private property. The Coalition has posted an information-packed website with opportunities to sign-up organizations and individuals for future actions. Get involved at: https://coloradostreamaccess.org/.
📚 BHA’s Gwinn Joins Colorado Wildlife Council – Educating the Public
Colorado BHA’s legislative liaison, Bryan Gwinn, was recently appointed by CPW Director Jeff Davis to the Colorado Wildlife Council as the Eastern Slope’s hunter representative. $1.50 from every hunting and fishing license goes into a fund (currently about $3 million annually) that the Council used to educate the general public about the benefits of wildlife, wildlife management, and wildlife-related recreational opportunities in Colorado, specifically hunting and fishing. Gwinn notes, “Colorado is only one of a few states that has something like this - a council funded by licenses whose sole mission is to tout the benefits of hunting and fishing to the general public. If something like this was proposed in the current climate there's no guarantee it would pass, so it's a great advocacy opportunity we shouldn't take for granted.”
📅 Upcoming Public Meetings – Make Your Voice Heard
As public land advocates, one of the most impactful ways to get involved is by attending BLM and CPW Commission meetings. These meetings shape public land management, hunting regulations, and wildlife policies.
Tentative Schedule for Upcoming BLM Colorado Recreation Summits:
🗓️ April 15 - Rifle, CO
🗓️ May 1 – Kremmling, CO
🗓️ May 7 – Cañon City, CO
🗓️ May 8 – Craig, CO
🗓️ June 11 – Monte Vista, CO
🗓️ July 31 – Meeker, CO
🗓️ August 12 – Montrose, CO
🗓️ September 10 – Gunnison, CO
🗓️ October 8 – Dolores, CO
Contact your local BLM office or visit blm.gov to confirm meeting dates and locations.
Visit the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission site for upcoming meetings and agenda materials.
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