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Tell the BLM to protect favorite places

Our little corner of Southwest Colorado boasts some of the best mountain biking trails in the state. One of the local’s favorites, Phil’s World, contains nearly 27 miles of top-notch single-track that attracts fellow outdoor enthusiasts from across the country. This spot, as well as the other trail systems in the area, is recognized as a major driver of our local tourism economy.

Last February, the Bureau of Land Management came out with a plan that dictates how we can use and access our BLM lands, like Phil’s World, for the next 15 years. Unfortunately, rather than permanently protecting our cherished trails, the plan allows for gas and oil drilling within and around Phil’s World should a company decide to apply for a lease. No matter what your views are on gas and oil drilling, it’s hard to support the claim that rigs inside one of our most loved and popular mountain biking areas can be a good thing.

Luckily, we have a chance to speak up and protect not just Phil’s World but all of our local BLM lands. The BLM is holding two public meetings on Feb. 11, one in Durango and one in Mancos, to hear the public’s opinion on a proposed Master Leasing Plan. The plan allows the BLM to take a closer look at a specific area within the original plan and establish new and more protective measures for certain areas like Phil’s World.

If you love mountain biking in La Plata and Montezuma counties, now is the time to use your voice and support the Master Leasing Plan. The first meeting will be at 10 a.m. on Feb. 11 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in Durango. The second meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Mancos School gym.

The BLM needs to hear that we support Phil’s World, so go and tell them we need a Master Leasing Plan to protect the places we love most.

Emily Haefner

Durango



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