Memorial Day has come and gone, and the San Juan Mountains Association field crews are out in full force. The unofficial start of summer is upon us, and we have already seen an uptick in visitors to our public lands. As our federal land managers scramble to salvage what’s left of their reduced budgets and crews, SJMA has ratcheted up efforts to support partners and public lands.
Working with the San Juan National Forest, Visit Durango, San Juan County and donors, SJMA has secured funding to ensure the 14 bathrooms across the San Juan National Forest’s Columbine District will be open for the season. We are also working to secure ongoing funding for porta-potties at Ice Lake Trailhead. Providing this much needed resource to such a heavily visited area is vital to helping keep the forest clean and our watersheds healthy.
In addition to helping our public lands with “waste management,” SJMA has also increased efforts to help improve trail access. We have two SJMA Forest Ambassadors who have obtained crosscut saw certifications. With this skill, they can add to the efforts of our four person Wilderness Crew, in collaboration with San Juan National Forest personnel, to clear trails and improve access into the Weminuche. During their first hitch out, SJMA’s Wilderness Crew cleared 82 downed trees from about four miles of the Lake Fork trail (from Pine River trail to Emerald Lake) – amazing!
While the Wilderness Crew is in the backcountry, the Forest Ambassadors work at the busiest trailheads and along the Alpine Loop, educating visitors on recreating responsibly while enjoying our forest and BLM lands, sharing essential messages on topics such as wildfire and campfire safety and caring for these destinations so everyone can continue to enjoy them. As they roam, it is a great asset to have the extra boots and eyes on the ground to complement the reduced boots-on-the-ground capabilities of our federal partners.
We all have a role to play in caring for and protecting our public lands. It is time to step out of the “somebody else will do it” mindset and support our public lands and the organizations that work so diligently to protect them. It will take everyone to contribute what they can, whether that takes the form of volunteering, making monetary donations or becoming a member to support conservation organizations in your area. Through these turbulent times, please take a moment to remember what first ignited your passion for our wide-open spaces, and that we want to preserve that experience for generations to come.
Meg Burke is the SJMA Stewardship Director and lives in Mancos with her husband, and their many dogs and chickens.
