As a Montezuma County resident and avid outdoorsman, I was encouraged to see Commissioners Gerald Koppenhafer and Marsha Porter-Norton urge Congressman Hurd to introduce the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act in the U.S. House (Herald, Dec. 14).
This proposal is remarkable because it reflects over a decade of collaboration among diverse stakeholders across Southwest Colorado on how best to manage the Dolores River Canyon below McPhee Reservoir. In my role as assistant regional director for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers in Southwest Colorado, I see the NCA as a thoughtful balance: It protects the river’s ecological and recreational values while respecting the needs of our agricultural community.
The Dolores River sustains local agriculture and provides vital habitat for native fish and wildlife that depend on the river corridor. An NCA designation would help conserve and restore these habitats while offering a clear framework for managing recreation as use continues to grow.
Perhaps most importantly, this legislation is the product of more than a decade of hard conversations among residents who don’t always agree, but who found common ground in their shared commitment to the Dolores River and its importance to our region. Hurd owes it to his constituents to listen to his constituents and advance this bill that has emerged here at home, rather than outside interests who have no stake in what happens in Southwest Colorado.
Jarret Childers
Mancos
