It takes time.
In our days of planning and review required by laws and regulations, it can take years to turn good public land-use ideas into reality.
It can take a decade, even more.
First proposed as the result of collaborative discussions between a wide range of local folks back in 2006, the Hermosa Creek Watershed Management Plan is nearly complete.
Hikers and horseback riders, ranchers, hunters and anglers, mountain bike enthusiasts, snowmobilers and some who just like to find a shady spot in the forest to park a camper came together around a common goal: Protect the beautiful stream drainage that is so close to Durango, but feels miles and miles further away.
After much discussion, lobbying and craftsmanship, the proposal was made law with President Barack Obama’s signature in 2014. The result is 37,400 acres set aside as wilderness, and 70,600 acres designated as a special-management area. Roughly, Hermosa Creek itself forms the divide between the wilderness to the west, and the special-use area to the north and east of the stream.
Since the signing, the U.S. Forest Service has been working on its management plan for the area, one that encompasses a wide range of recreation and travel alternatives. The San Juan National Forest released its environmental assessment of the plan last week, and is accepting public comments on it until July 10. It can be viewed online at http://bit.ly/2rKLmBY.
The most helpful, and impressive, feature of the site is a full-color interactive map with detailed overviews of the watershed. Selecting features to display, such as project proposals or special management areas, adds layers to the map, making coordinating the map with the written assessment details easier.
More information, including a demonstration of the map features, will be available at a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m June 22 at the San Juan Public Lands Center.
It takes time, yes. Children in the first grade when the watershed plan was proposed just graduated from high school in May.
But do not give up on the process now. As with every step of making this plan a reality, your voice should be heard.
