The Southwest Chapter of the Colorado Native Plant Society is sponsoring a wildflower trip to Lizard Head Pass on Saturday.
The hike will follow a gentle trail through wetland and meadow habitats, eventually entering evergreen forest to discover what’s growing along streams and out of rocky crevices. A wide variety of species and spectacular views will highlight the trip. Trip leader Connie Colter has previously led groups to this subalpine habitat.
The event is free and open to the public, but participation is limited.
For the meeting time and location, contact Connie Colter at 728-4678 or cwcolter@gmail.com.
For more information about this trip and other Colorado Native Plant Society activities, https://conps.org/mfm-event-list/#!event-list.
The Center for Biological Diversity recently sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over denial of Endangered Species Act protection to the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, a cold-water fish of the headwaters of the Rio Grande and several other river systems in Colorado and New Mexico.
After initially determining the trout warranted the listing in 2008 because of habitat loss, introduction of nonnative trout and climate change, the Fish and Wildlife Service revised its decision in 2014 and recommended not listing the species. The 2014 decision said hybrid Rio Grande cutthroats, with up to 10 percent ancestry from non-native species such as rainbow trout, could help maintain the species. The agency identified 55 regional cutthroat populations that could be considered marginally secure based on absence of exotic trout, number of fish and the length of streams they inhabited.
The Center for Biological Diversity disputes the 10 percent hybridization allowance, arguing it should be limited to 1 percent. The group also argues endangered species protection decisions should be based on the trout’s full historic range instead of its current range.
The U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Pack String will be the subject of a free presentation from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Dolores Public Lands Center, 29211 Highway 184 in Dolores.
The presentation will show how the team’s mules are packed for heavy work in backcountry and wilderness areas. The mule string is in the San Juan National Forest this month to help carry in materials for a maintenance project on the Calico Trail.
The pack string consists of 11 highly trained pack mules and two saddle horses. Working in two mule strings, the operation uses special packing equipment, such as gravel bags, lumber racks and swivel bunks to carry loads into remote work sites.
The pack string supports a wide variety of projects on national forests, including hauling materials and gear to support agency and volunteer trail crews, assisting in building bridges and other structures, hauling trash out of backcountry areas and carrying fish to stock remote streams and lakes. The packers and their mules also support a variety of community events, such as parades, rodeos and fairs.
For more information about the event, call the Dolores District Office at 882-7296. For more information about the Rocky Mountain Region Pack String, visit http://bit.ly/1OZgNJj.
Colorado Proud’s Follow Your Fruits & Veggies Journey will arrive at the Durango Farmers Market on Aug. 13.
The stop is part of a monthlong, historical and interactive trek across Colorado to link the stages of locally-grown produce and connect Coloradans to local farmers.
The tour kicked off Aug. 1 in Denver and stops in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Grand Junction, Hotchkiss, Frisco, Dillon, Yuma and Littleton. The program was created to educate Coloradans about how and where their food is grown, integrate agricultural communities and celebrate farmers.
For more information about Colorado Proud, visit www.colorado.gov/agmarkets/colorado-proud.
Herald Staff
