Aspen’s crown jewels are its mountains, wild lands, and natural beauty. The United States Forest Service (USFS) maintains the White River National Forest (WRNF) upon which nearly all its outdoor recreation relies. USFS has recently lost thousands of employees and funding. In Aspen, the Public Lands Campaign Team is a local advocacy group fighting to preserve the future that the USFS funding cuts have jeopardized. The Public Lands Campaign Team recently joined with the Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition to create a joint education initiative that emphasizes the importance of public lands.
“Our local public lands are more than just a backdrop; they are our lifeblood,” Adam McCurdy, Forest and Climate Director at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), said. “Our entire local economy is built on their health. But we cannot take without giving back. The areas we use most require active stewardship, not neglect.”
The WRNF generates nearly $1.60 billion annually in economic activity.
“By defunding and dismantling the agencies that care for public lands, the federal government is mortgaging the future of our community,” McCurdy said.
Aspen relies on public lands, so maintenance of them is crucial for everyone in the area. Consequently, many local organizations have thrown their support behind the group, from the Aspen Historical Society and ACES to the City of Aspen itself.
The Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition also fights for public lands to remain public, an issue common to many Colorado mountain towns. In Vail, locals fought against Vail Resorts, which owns Vail Mountain, for over a decade to prevent the construction of employee housing in a bighorn sheep habitat. In Steamboat, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) asked to build a maintenance facility in a state wildlife area. Locals immediately petitioned the county, asking CDOT to build elsewhere.
“Once they’re gone, we can’t get them back,” a marketing flyer for the Outdoor Coalition reads. “Please stand up for Colorado’s public lands—and give these agencies the support they need to protect them for future generations.”
The Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition urges those interested to take action.
“Our public lands are inimitable [unique],” Kelly Murphy, President and CEO of Aspen Historical Society, said. “Whether you ski them, hike or bike them, or simply love looking at them, we all need to do our part to protect and preserve them so future access isn’t only through history books. Those interested in supporting these special places can learn how by visiting RoaringForkPublicLands.org.”
