300,000 Acres of Wild Lands in Eastern Colorado Gain Protections

Situated on a high plateau in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Royal Gorge region is a land of stunning scenery, rich wildlife habitat, vibrant ecosystems, and a thriving outdoor recreation economy. The region, also known as the “Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River,” just got a big boost, as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) updated its management plan for eastern Colorado to safeguard nearly 300,000 acres of land and 60 miles of river.

These protections have been nearly a decade in the making. In 2015, the BLM initiated a management planning process for 668,000 acres of public lands in east-central Colorado, which sit mostly along the Arkansas River corridor west of Pueblo. The revised management plan determines how these lands will be managed for the next two decades, including which lands will be conserved and which will be available for development.

John Sztukowski

After an extensive process, which included numerous public meetings, comments, and analysis, the BLM on Jan. 18 issued its Record of Decision (ROD), the last step to finalize the plan. Based on the best available science showing the region’s ecological and cultural value, the ROD will conserve approximately 300,000 acres. These include areas prized for their wilderness characteristics and/or value to the outdoor recreation economy, the region’s current and past culture, and wildlife. The BLM also determined that roughly 60 miles of river are suitable for designation under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act—the U.S. government’s highest form of protections for waterways.

Here is a snapshot of what the ROD will protect.

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Bob Wick

Misi Ballard

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The BLM’s new plan includes important protections for wildlife habitat, free-flowing rivers, and outdoor recreation areas in eastern Colorado. With this ROD, the agency has found the right balance between development and conservation to help ensure that these intact public lands, the recreational opportunities they provide, and the wildlife and economies that depend on them are sustained into the future.

Laurel Williams manages federal agency policy and local planning work to safeguard lands and waters, wildlife, and communities for The Pew Charitable Trusts’ U.S. conservation project.