Planned Village Threatens to Block Wildlife Movement

Planned Village Threatens to Block Wildlife Movement

The Wolf Creek Pass Wildlife Linkage spans the Continental Divide at 10,857 feet and lies almost entirely within National Forest lands. The San Juan National Forest encompasses the west side of the Divide, while the Rio Grand National Forest lies on the east side. The Wiminuche Wilderness and the South San Juan Wilderness are “held together” by the Wolf Creek linkage. Despite this critical interconnectedness, a major development scheme to build a city of up to 10,000 people just below the Continental Divide is now being planned. This development would decimate the biological significance of this linkage. The planned Village at Wolf Creek threatens critical wildlife habitat, watersheds, and wetlands and would impair the San Juan core area and the designated Wolf Creek Pass Lynx Linkage that are vital to the recovery of the southern Rockies Lynx population. In addition to Lynx, a variety of wildlife is known to move through the area including mountain lion, black bear, bobcat, pine marten, elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep. Many birds, amphibians, other small mammals and plants depend on this rich habitat for year round use and migration as well.

The Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project (SREP) has been actively working to protect corridors and linkages in Colorado and the Southern Rockies. Fighting the monsoon weather that has dominated Colorado this summer, EcoFlight teamed up with SREP for a day of very successful flights, flying State Senator Isgar and staff from Senator Salazar’s office, along with reporters and photographers over this remote and threatened wilderness region. As often happens, the experience of flying this region brought this issue into sharp focus, allowing participants and the public, through press reports, a closer view of the great impact the Village project could impart upon this important wildlife linkage area. Following the flight Senator Salazar issued a press release stating, "At the end of the day, I just don't see how a project of this scope can continue. I've met with the involved parties and asked questions. With the Forest Service's latest answers, it has become even clearer the proposal would require many special concessions without the promise of any real gain for the greater community. Instead, the development brings the threat of dangerous roads, contaminated water and harm to the very wildlife and landscape that makes this area so unique. I will not support a project that hurts the community I represent."

Linkages and Corridors: Critical Connectivity

From the air it quickly becomes clear that sizable habitat for wildlife is rapidly disappearing. To prevent wildlands from becoming islands unable to sustain long-term ecosystem functions, scientists propose the use of corridors and linkages. A corridor implies animal migration travel routes; a linkage refers to a broad area of habitat where dependant species can find food, shelter and security and provide connectivity between larger habitat blocks.