Pew Applauds Browns Canyon National Monument Designation

Press Releases and Statements Read time:
Projects: U.S. Public Lands

Navigate to:

  • Table of Contents
Pew Applauds Browns Canyon National Monument Designation

Washington, DC—The Pew Charitable Trusts today applauded the designation of the Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado.

Mike Matz, Pew’s director of U.S. public lands, issued the following statement:

“Browns Canyon and the stretch of the Arkansas River that runs through it are economic powerhouses in central Colorado, drawing people from all over the country for outdoor recreation. For years, visitors have enjoyed the river’s white waters and the canyon’s wild features. Those destinations now have a well-deserved monument designation.

“In addition to being one of the most popular rafting destinations in the country, the area that is now Browns Canyon National Monument attracts visitors for hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, skiing, and bird-watching. The rugged cliffs and spectacular backcountry are home to a variety of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, peregrine falcons, and golden eagles. And the Arkansas River has an outstanding wild-trout fishery.

The protection of Browns Canyon gives 2015 a rousing start for conservation as we look to preserve more lands, such as Boulder-White Clouds in Idaho and the Birthplace of Rivers in West Virginia.Mike Matz

“This designation was made possible by the Antiquities Act of 1906, which gives the president the power to conserve for future generations natural, historical, and cultural treasures. The act is one of our nation’s most critical preservation tools. Republican and Democratic presidents alike—Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, to name a few—have relied on it to safeguard our nation’s heritage.

“The protection of Browns Canyon gives 2015 a rousing start for conservation as we look to preserve more lands, such as Boulder-White Clouds in Idaho and the Birthplace of Rivers in West Virginia.”

Last year, congressional and presidential actions were taken to conserve a number of America’s wild places, including Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks in New Mexico, and Nevada’s Pine Forest Range. 

# # #

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Learn more at www.pewtrusts.org.

Related Experts
Mike Matz
Mike Matz
America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
RELATED
Topics
Land Conservation
Projects
U.S. Public Lands
Experts
Mike Matz
Places
Colorado

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

An aerial view of a vast wetland, with scattered vegetation visible on sandy islands.

Article

April 19, 2024 In Western Australia, a Conservation Model for the World
A large group of people in formal or traditional attire stands together on a stage, with a digital background depicting marine life and the large text “WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.”

Article

April 10, 2024 WTO Needs to Redouble Its Effort on Fishing Subsidies
A man in a winter hat and sunglasses kneels on a rocky shoreline in front of a campfire, holding a metal mug with gloved hands. Behind him, in the water, a motorboat is moored to the shore. Cliffs rise on both sides of the water.

Article

April 4, 2024 Why Newfoundland’s South Coast Fjords Are Sacred

MORE FROM PEW

A presentation being given by a businesswoman to a group of participants at a business conference. Four Plan Features Can Boost 'Retirement Readiness'
An illustration of a couple holding hands walking away from an outline of houses behind them Pathways to Homeownership: Housing in America
A photograph of City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia to Address Pressing Policy Challenges
A bright blue T-cell infected by HIV is engulfed by hundreds of yellow virions. Pew Researcher Seeks to Crack Code on HIV Cure
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.