Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be curious to know just how someone could "inadvertently add" nearly 2,000 acres of Chico Basin Ranch to Stewardship Trust back in 1998. Count me skeptical of this . . . what, exactly -- excuse? Justification?
Patrick O'Driscoll Denver On Sun, Sep 1, 2019 at 4:19 PM linda hodges <[email protected]> wrote: > Bill, and all concerned birders, > > Please check the State Land Board's website if you want the full scope of > what's being considered at Chico. > https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uzQdtc4yw3_HLoOJ5Rm8zITXOJkMR7Pa/view > > The Phillips' lease on Chico is good for 5 more years, so nothing is > imminent. > > You can be assured that Aiken Audubon and the Audubon Colorado Council > will be following this every step of the way, and will advise you when we > need to rally the troops. Interestingly, in the board packet the SLB > staff advised the board that pushback from the community should be > expected. Indeed! > > The SLB will be meeting in Colorado Springs (El Paso County) September > 11th and 12th. The agenda has not yet been released, but anyone > interested in attending can check to see when citizens' comments will be > allowed. I am hoping to attend. > > https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-NbLPHRjORvug3nf38BGvpk-f8zoDI_bic_Id7AUNps/edit > > > Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments. > > Linda > > *Linda Hodges* > *Conservation Chair* > *Aiken Audubon Society * > *Colorado Springs* > *[email protected]* <[email protected]> > > > On Sun, Sep 1, 2019, 11:24 AM kickback <[email protected] wrote: > >> I read this article in the recent newsletter from the Colorado Springs >> Aiken Audubon Society. I don't know anything beyond what the article states >> but if all of the facts in it are correct I think we need to send input to >> appropriate individuals, especially since it sounds like the state owns >> Chico Ranch. >> >> Comments welcome! >> >> Bill Kosar >> >> *CHICO BASIN RANCH CONCERNS* >> >> * For the past 20 years, Colorado Springs birders—in fact, birders across >> the state—have been accustomed to wide access to the migratory stopover >> known as Chico Basin Ranch. That may be about to change. Ranchlands (Duke >> Phillips and family) holds the lease for Chico from the State Land Board >> (SLB), which owns the property. The 25-year lease expires in 2024. In their >> August meeting notes, the SLB devoted 33 pages to re-evaluating the Chico >> lease and increasing revenue. While the proposed options include selling >> the entire property for $33 million or continuing to lease to one entity, >> it would be more profitable for them to split up the ranch. The preferred >> option seems to be dividing the property into three separate ranches, and >> potentially selling one off. Public access would likely be denied. Almost >> half (44%) of Chico is designated into the Stewardship Trust. “The >> designation is focused on large areas of intact, high quality Central >> Shortgrass Prairie that include globally significant natural plant >> communities and imperiled species” (SLB August 2019 Board Meeting >> Information). Dividing the ranch would obviously fragment wildlife habitat >> due to increased fencing, new ranch buildings, and differing management >> styles. This is the largest tract of undeveloped land owned by SLB, and the >> lack of fragmentation only increases its conservation value as a wildlife >> and migratory corridor. It’s possible that SLB would put a conservation >> easement on any property it sold, but that would be a long shot. The State >> Land Board will be meeting in El Paso County on September 11 and 12.* >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/384eb07d-d151-494a-9476-0a75d24de0a5%40googlegroups.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/384eb07d-d151-494a-9476-0a75d24de0a5%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CABW16TkQKfaD8irWosG1LaKWY1L14zvLB1LmJWbMy99vHkY%2B_A%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CABW16TkQKfaD8irWosG1LaKWY1L14zvLB1LmJWbMy99vHkY%2B_A%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAMNEzJM9JMKcZYxnMMzTOov80ap7tWj9MXpsi-AByb2_VBQvUA%40mail.gmail.com.
