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Wednesday was a beautiful day, and a great day for the CTO rally. Colorado is a wonderful place to live, and great place to visit. We are a "top 10 dream destination" and ranked 19th overall in market share in the US. The Colorado tourism industry employs 144,300 people and earns more than $4 billion annually. The Colorado Tourism Office is doing a great job in promoting our great state; for every dollar the CTO spent on advertising the state, domestic visitors spent $193. The return on the investment for tourism advertising and promotion spending is 13:1 for state and local taxes generated.
Thank you CTO!

ANTONITO – The Rio Grande National Forest has completed the environmental analysis for the Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project. Jack Lewis, acting district ranger for the Conejos Peak Ranger District, decided to implement the preferred action as described in the analysis.
The project will involve salvaging up to 878 acres of dead and dying Engelmann spruce trees in the Rio de los Pinos drainage, which is located about 30 miles west of Antonito. The project will also make improvements to the current road system and move the Los Pinos trailhead (Trail 736) to a more desirable location.
“My decision will allow us to use the existing road system to recover some of the economic value of the dead and dying trees,” said Lewis. “The decision also provides for jumpstarting a new forest by planting seedlings in areas where there is little natural regeneration.”

A spruce bark beetle epidemic has killed thousands of acres of mature Engelmann spruce trees in the Rio de los Pinos area. The project area was previously analyzed in the County Line Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but forest conditions changed and another analysis was needed.

“The bugs hadn’t moved into this area when we first analyzed it in the County Line EIS,” said Project Leader, Kevin Duda. “Now many of the mature spruce are dead or dying, so a new management strategy is needed.”
The final environmental impact statement and the record of decision for Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project may be viewed on the Rio Grande National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r2/riogrande/projects.

The Bureau of Land Management Front Range District is seeking public nominations for five open positions on the Front Range Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the BLM on public land issues. The BLM will accept the nominations for 45 days and all nominations must be received no later than May 10, 2010.

The BLM’s RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the Bureau carry out its stewardship of 253 million acres of public lands. The Bureau manages more land than any other Federal agency and most BLM-managed land is located in the western US. The Front Range RAC is one of three RACs in Colorado and one of 24 RACs across the West. Each RAC consists of 12 to 15 members with an interest in public land management, including such individuals as conservationists, ranchers, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, Tribal officials, and members of higher education faculties whose expertise is in natural resources. The mission of the BLM is to manage the public lands for multiple uses. The diverse membership of each RAC is aimed at achieving a balanced outlook that the BLM needs to fulfill its mission.

“I value the advice given to the BLM by these citizen-based Resource Advisory Committees, and I know that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar shares my view of their importance,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey. “The people who live, work, and recreate near or on BLM-managed lands deserve a formal voice on public land issues, and their input will enhance our agency’s ability to manage the public lands for multiple uses while conserving resources for future generations.”

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council. Front Range RAC nominees must be a Colorado resident and each will be judged on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council’s geographical area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus...

There will be another Division of Wildlife meeting on new fishing regulation in Colorado. This meeting will be held in Alamosa. Below is the information from the DOW on the meeting.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is starting its 5-year review of statewide fishing regulations and is asking anglers throughout the state to provide comments and suggestions on regulations and possible changes.

Regulation planning will be discussed at an "Angler Roundtable" meeting, 6-9 p.m., April 6, at the Inn at the Rio Grande in Alamosa. Management and research for various waters will also be discussed at the meetings.

DOW's aquatic biologists continually evaluate fisheries, and every five years the Colorado Wildlife Commission looks at all fishing regulations to ensure that they meet fisheries management objectives and recreation needs for anglers. The regulations set allowable methods of take, season dates, size requirements and bag limits. The regulations include statewide rules that apply to individual waters throughout Colorado.

Besides regulations, DOW biologists will examine biological and social data from state waters. These include fish and creel surveys, research and trend information, water quality issues, stocking activity and angler-satisfaction surveys. Biological information will be considered in the decision-making process for setting new regulations.

"We appreciate public participation in this process," said John Alves, senior aquatic biologist for the DOW's southwest region. "It is important that individuals share their insight, perspective and local knowledge during the discussion to allow for development of appropriate fishing regulations."

Every year more than 600,000 people buy fishing licenses in Colorado. The state offers are wide variety of angling opportunities. Anglers can fish at warm- and cold-water lakes and reservoirs, in numerous big rivers, and in alpine streams and lakes. Every year, fishing in Colorado...