Sportsmen and sportswomen have sought to conserve fish and wildlife habitat on public lands and waters in Colorado’s Dolores Canyons region for decades. Now is the time to deliver permanent protection for this treasured and wild landscape.
The Dolores Canyons are home to desert bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, wild trout and native Colorado River cutthroat, and several non-game species like native sucker and chub. The area surrounding the Dolores River represents one of the largest and most biodiverse expanses of unprotected public lands in Colorado.
Establishment of a national monument in the Dolores Canyons will ensure permanent protection for the region while preserving the ability for all Americans to hunt and fish in this incredible landscape. Join Trout Unlimited and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers in urging President Biden to designate the Dolores Canyons National Monument and ensure hunting and angling traditions that rely on intact habitat can continue on this landscape for generations to come.
Dear President Biden, Senator Bennet, and Senator Hickenlooper,
As hunters and anglers, we are writing to express our strong support for the designation of the Dolores Canyons National Monument via the Antiquities Act of 1906. The lands and waters within the Dolores Canyons have exceptional fish and wildlife, recreational, and cultural values and represent one of the largest expanses of unprotected public lands in Colorado.
The Dolores Canyons face threats from industrial scale mining, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and unmanaged recreation. Protecting intact habitat for mule deer, elk, and desert bighorn sheep, particularly winter range and movement corridors, is essential for retaining quality sporting opportunities. Additionally, protection of the Dolores River and its tributaries is essential for native Colorado River cutthroat and other trout populations.
Colorado is a fast-growing state, and people are increasingly recreating in previously quiet and seldom visited areas of the backcountry. As unmanaged recreation grows, we need to conserve valuable fish and wildlife habitat, plan for increased visitation, and secure additional resources for recreation infrastructure.
After decades of advocacy from local hunters and anglers to protect the Dolores Canyons, now is the time to take action and deliver conservation measures. 84% of Colorado voters, including 71% of Republicans and 93% of Democrats, support designating a national monument to protect the Dolores Canyons. A national monument designation will ensure protection of this treasured landscape while allowing the ability for traditional land uses like hunting, fishing, and grazing to continue.
We respectfully ask you to permanently protect the Dolores Canyons through a national monument designation this year. It is time to protect the fish and wildlife, communities, and local businesses who depend on these public lands and waters for their livelihood, as well as the incredible cultural and environmental values this region contains. Hunters and anglers are counting on you to ensure sporting opportunities in the Dolores Canyons for future generations. Thank you for your leadership on conservation in Colorado.