March 2020

Dear *{{First Name}}* Celebrate the Spring Equinox this March 21 with Wild Connections board members, longtimesupporters, and interested newcomers for a celebration of both the coming of spring and WildConnections' 25th anniversary. Find out more about this free event and the following Wild News:

Upcoming Events3/5 Tabling at NOLS "Action for Adventure" at Patagonia Denver3/21 Wild Connections Celebrate 25! Spring Equinox Event in Colorado Springs

Parkdale Quarry Proposed Expansion onto Wilderness Character Lands at Table MountainBLM comment period open until March 23

Grape Creek Update: Fremont County Commissioners approve gold explorationRed Canyon Update: Proposed Quarry Exchange on Stewardship Trust is withdrawn!Contact your Senators to support the Protecting America's Wilderness ActUse ReFund Colorado tax option to donate to Wild Connections

Upcoming Events

Wild Connections will have a table at NOLS "Action for Adventure"Thursday, March 5, 2020 7:00 PM - 9:00 PMPatagonia Denver (2600 Walnut St) This event will include 30-45 minutes of NOLSExploration Films, 20-30 minute "Passion intoPurpose" presentation with P.O.W. ambassador, andan hour of nonprofit open house time for you to meetand greet Wild Connections and all your otherfavorite local nonprofits. Beer and snacks will be provided!

Wild Connections: Celebrate 25!Spring Equinox & 25th Anniversary CelebrationSaturday March 21, 2020 11:00 AM - 1:00PM (Presentation & Socializing)1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Guided Hike in the Park)Cheyenne Mountain State Park Visitors Center Join us to celebrate our members and WildConnections 25th anniversary as an organization onthe Spring Equinox. For 25 years, we have beenpromoting the protection and connection of wildareas. It is time to celebrate our past achievements& look ahead to the next 25 critical years.

Learn more about Wild Connections history and future plans, including Wild Connections' Conservation Planrevision, threats to our local wildlands network and what you can do, and explore how you can get into thewild with Wild Connections. Enjoy snacks and beverages with Wild Connections old-timers and new supporters alike. The presentation will be followed by an afternoon hike at Cheyenne Mountain State Park, where themountains meet the plains - a perfect model of connected habitats that Wild Connections seeks to preserve.

Note this event is free, however the state park does charge an $8 vehicle admission day-use fee. WildConnections will be arranging a Colorado Springs carpool to take people to the event at the state park. Fordetails, contact Jim Lockhart at 719-385-0045 or jlock@datawest.net.

BLM Released Draft for Parkdale Quarry Proposed Expansiononto Table Mountain Lands with Wilderness Characteristics

Public Comment Period Ends March 23

The BLM Royal Gorge Field Office is consideringand evaluating the proposed expansion of theParkdale Quarry, located west of Cañon City ontoabout 700 aces of BLM public lands, which the BLMhas found to have Lands with WildernessCharacteristics (LWC), and partly onto BLM'sArkansas Canyonlands Area of CriticalEnvironmental Concern (ACEC), an area currentlymanaged and protected for outstanding recreation,scenic views, and critical and valued species. The BLM has released a draft environmental impactstatement and analysis with three alternatives,available at go.usa.gov/xy6tn.

Wild Connections opposes both the Proposed Action (Alternative A) and the Alternative Sale Area(Alternative C) as they are both 100-year life-of-mines that would expand onto BLM's greater 31,918 acreEcho Canyon Lands with Wilderness Characteristics (LWC). As a testament to its wilderness character, thisarea has been proposed for Wilderness numerous times as part of the Table Mountain proposed Wildernessof the Colorado Wilderness Act, identified for its unique and extraordinary biological values. Note, theAlternative Sale Area is east of the Arkansas Canyonlands ACEC, however would have the greatest visualimpact to the Arkansas River corridor. The proposed minerals lease and quarry would permanently impair, and indeed destroy, the wildernessvalues of these lands. Furthermore, BLM should consider deferring the project proposal until completion ofthe ongoing Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan. The BLM recommends submitting comments within the 45-day public comment period, which ends 3/23. Comments must be submitted through BLM's ePlanning site at: go.usa.gov/xy6tn or mailed to ParkdaleQuarry Expansion Comments, 3028 E. Main St., Cañon City, CO 81212. For more info, maps, and talking points go to:http://www.wildconnections.org/conservation/parkdalequarrytablemtn.html.

Fremont County Commissioners Approve Gold Exploration at Grape Creek

On February 24, the Fremont CountyCommissioners unanimously approved goldexploration for the Canadian company, ZephyrMinerals, onto some of the most pristine and wildBLM public lands in the state, at Grape Creek justsouthwest of Cañon City. This triples the size of Zephyr's Conditional UsePermit from the Grape Creek - Horseshoe MountainState Stewardship Trust Parcel, which the ColoradoState Land Board approved for gold exploration lastyear, onto adjacent BLM public lands.

The area approved for gold exploration includes BLM’s Grape Creek Wilderness Study Area, proposed forWilderness in the Colorado Wilderness Act, which passed the US House last month, and BLM’s Grape CreekArea of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).

BLM sums up the values of this area well in their description of the Grape Creek ACEC, which they currentlymanage and protect, “as a corridor of significant natural character with unique desert riparian resources,scenic and visual qualities, flora and fauna values (bighorn sheep and peregrine falcon nesting area).” Additionally, this permit grants county permission to Zephyr to explore for gold and other minerals and pipewater from Grape Creek to drill pad sites, as well as service the sites via low-level helicopter flights into theWilderness Study Area, with severe impacts to wildlife, including the resident herd of bighorn sheep. This county permit proposal was also granted before BLM has even acted on the possibility of permitting theexploration activities onto the BLM public lands in question. As of last week, the BLM had not received aproposal from Zephyr Minerals. Find more info on this important local issue at:http://www.wildconnections.org/conservation/goldmininggrapecreek.html.

Red Canyon Stewardship Proposed Quarry Exchange is Withdrawn!

The Red Canyon Quarry expansion proposal ontothe Red Canyon Stewardship Trust state land hasbeen withdrawn! The Red Canyon Stewardship Trust was designatedfor protection for its “significant natural values, thesound stewardship of which will preserve the long-term benefits and returns to the state.” This natural area and wildlife corridor, adjacent toBLM’s Beaver Creek Wilderness Study Area, whichis proposed for Wilderness in the ColoradoWilderness Act, will remain intact!

The existing lease will remain as is, and no changes to the Stewardship Trust will be made at this time. Thanks so much to everybody that sent in public comments and attended the February 12 workshop. We hadpower in numbers and assuredly had an impact on this decision.

Contact Your Senators to Support The Protecting America's Wilderness Act

Last month, after more than 20 years in the making,the U.S. House of Representatives approved ourColorado Wilderness Act to permanently protectmore than 660,000 acres of wilderness in 36 uniqueareas across Colorado! This was part of a broader legislation package -Protecting America’s Wilderness Act - sponsored byCongresswoman Diana DeGette that will protectnearly 1.4 million acres of wilderness across thecountry!

This historic bill – which is the largest Colorado wilderness-protection package that the House has passed inmore than 40 years – will now head to the Senate. Colorado is known for its treasured landscapes. Protecting more of Colorado’s public lands is essential notonly for our environment, but for our economy as well. Let your senators know that you support the Protecting America's Wilderness Act and that they should too!

US Senator Michael Bennet

(303) 455-7600https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

US Senator Cory Gardner

(202) 224-5941https://www.gardner.senate.gov/contact-cory/email-cory

Use ReFund Colorado tax option to donate to Wild Connections

Colorado's ReFundCo option lets you send a portionof your state income tax refund to a Colorado charityof your choice. Would that make your tax time more meaningful foryou? Even a $10 designation would make itmeaningful for Wild Connections! All you need to do is fill in the information on the taxform for Wild Connections, and its done. Use Wild Connections' registration number on yourtax return: 20093007412. See to https://refundwhatmatters.org/ for moredetails.

Jim, John, Alison, Claude, Karl, Misi, Kristin and John Wild Connections Board and staff

Photos: Wild Connections banner: Jean Smith, WC Tabling at 2019 Indy Gives Event: Misi Ballard, WC Selkirk 2016Restoration Project Thanks You: Deb Overn; Parkdale Quarry: BLM, Grape Creek: John Sztukowski, Red CanyonStewardship Trust parcel: John Sztukowski, Rep DeGette with CWA map: Degette.house.gov, ReFundCO & WC regnumber, refundwhatmatters.org

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