Protect the Dolores – the other side

Timber Schuman
·2 min read
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NATURITA, Colo. (KREX) — Residents in the small town of Naturita gave Sen. John Hickenlooper an earful of concerns against the Dolores National Monument proposal.

Now, let’s hand the mic to proponents.

Colorado Wildlands Project Director Scott Braden tells Western Slope Now Protect the Dolores, a coalition of conservation, community and business groups started pushing for monument status two years ago, though efforts to protect the canyons stretch back to the late 60s.

Braden tells Western Slope Now Protect the Dolores met with the Forest Service, ranchers and community leaders and sent out petitions – amassing 103,000 signatures. The goal? To convince President Biden to sign off on designating Dolores Canyon a national monument.

Home to the Dolores River and ancient fish like humpback chubs, flannel mouth and bluehead suckers, you’ll find Ute and ancestral Pueblo petroglyphs and archeological sites, bighorn sheep, dinosaur fossils and unforgettable views. Still, there are misconceptions.

Former Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout tells Western Slope Now unlike Colorado National Monument – run by the National Park Service – the Forest Service and BLM would manage the proposed monument exactly as they do now, with no entry fee or harsh restrictions.

Braden and Stout say hunting and cattle grazing would remain unaffected.

But Sean Pond, who created the halt the Dolores petition says while the coalition will grandfather in all existing mines, some fear a hidden agenda. Braden and Stout say 90 percent of all mines are excluded from the proposed borders.

EcoFlight Executive Director Jane Pargiter says with social media nowadays, all hidden gems, like Dolores Canyon, will be exposed soon, so it’s best to set some rules before tourism takes off.

The coalition believes it could even boost economically struggling small towns, like Naturita.

Stout says local opinions matter, but all Coloradans and Americans have a voice on public lands.

While the effort is gaining traction, as Braden tells Western Slope Now, it’s too early to consider amenities. In the meantime, the fate of these canyons hangs in the balance while those on both sides struggle to find common ground.

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