Stewards of the Land - The Durango Herald

Programs help children explore outdoors up close

With subzero temperatures and snow one week, then warm sun followed by rain and thunderstorms and T-shirt weather the next, it seems like the weather is confused about what season it is. ...

DATE: Feb 12, 2021 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

Time to rethink how we handle challenges to public lands

It needs no saying that 2020 was a radical departure from normal, and it’s becoming quite clear that it left its mark on our nation’s most iconic public lands. Countless trails a...

DATE: Jan 8, 2021 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

Standing up for public lands in the face of mounting challenges

This year, getting outside became a lifeline for Americans of all stripes, and our public lands became more popular than ever. For me, a long hike anywhere on our public lands is...

DATE: Dec 11, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

Allison’s Turkey Packers Co-op provided income during hard times

By Ruth E. Lambert During the dark days of the Depression, the residents of La Plata County struggled to survive, and in the rural areas, families helped to sustain themselves as ...

DATE: Nov 13, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

Wilderness crew clears trails, educates public

By David Taft During summer 2019, our community was deeply concerned about the state of the Weminuche Wilderness. Visitation was exploding (as it still is), avalanches...

DATE: Oct 9, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

For young ‘explorers,’ learning comes naturally in the outdoors

By Mike Bienkowski San Juan Mountains Association It is early June, and we are five minutes into our first day of San Juan Mountains Association’s “San Juan Ramblers” n...

DATE: Sep 11, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

Pandemic escape: Sharing public lands during COVID-19

I, like many of you, have been connecting more than ever via social media in order to fill the void left by lack of real interaction. But some of the things I read make me wonder if we have ...

DATE: Aug 5, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

The rugged, rewarding work of wilderness stewards

By Harry Bellow San Juan Mountains Association Traveling through the wilderness of the San Juan Mountains, you might not have seen us. We are an elusive bunch. ...

DATE: Jul 12, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

The bright sides to the problem of beetle-killed trees

Deep in the Weminuche Wilderness there is a trail that dead ends at the head of a verdant valley crowned by majestic mountains. My two dogs and I wandered up there in August 2016...

DATE: Jun 15, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

San Juan Mountains Association seeks to inspire public lands conservation

By Lexie Stetson-Lee San Juan Mountains Association is developing a pipeline of conservation education programs to connect local community members with their public lands. ...

DATE: May 8, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

SJMA hopes to pursue wilderness efforts safely amid pandemic

By David Taft San Juan Mountains Association As one of Durango’s longest running public lands education and stewardship organizations, San Juan Mountains Association ha...

DATE: Apr 17, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land

Southwest Colorado residents can join effort to protect public lands

Open skies, big mountains, wild rivers, great trails and great people. We live in a vibrant, thriving community surrounded by spectacular public lands. We are drawn to Southwest ...

DATE: Apr 13, 2020 | CATEGORY: Stewards of the Land