We stand together in support of permanently protecting the public lands of the Dolores River Canyon Country—one of Colorado’s last, best wild places.
Even amid the outstanding beauty of Colorado’s most iconic landscapes, the Dolores River Canyon Country stands apart. From its upper reaches in the forested peaks of the San Juan Mountains through ponderosa gorges and slickrock canyons to its confluence with the Colorado River near the Utah border, the Dolores River cuts an extraordinary path through our public lands in Montezuma, Dolores, San Miguel, Montrose, and Mesa counties.
These lands, rich with an abundance of natural and cultural resources, are the ancestral territory of the Ute people and are connected to the Pueblos of New Mexico, Hopi, and Diné (Navajo). Land protections can, and must, follow the guidance and wishes of Indigenous peoples and honor the legacy of people who have stewarded this land for generations.
Indeed, the Dolores River has been the backbone of life in the region for millenia, supporting Indigenous communities, nurturing vibrant wildlife and unique plant species, sustaining small towns weathering the boom and bust of the mining industry, and inspiring unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities. We support the permanent protection of the Dolores River Canyon Country for the health of our public lands and the Dolores River, the benefit of local communities, the preservation of culturally-significant places, the enhancement of outdoor opportunities, and the restoration of an increasingly fragile ecosystem.
Today, the future of the Dolores River Canyon Country is uncertain—imperiled by the long-term impacts of climate change and by the threat of development, including renewed interest in mining. Despite decades of community-led work to protect the public lands surrounding the Dolores River, they remain unprotected and inadequately managed. Protecting the greater Dolores River Canyon Country will assist transitioning rural economies, increase resources to manage the land, and broaden protections that echo local voices, while maintaining existing water rights, vehicles access, and private property rights.
We need better protections and management for this iconic place now and we don’t have years to wait. More needs to be done to ensure that the Dolores River Canyon Country endures for our lifetime and for future generations.
We support the permanent protection of the Dolores River Canyon Country, from McPhee Dam to the Utah state line, and respectfully ask that our elected leaders, including Senator Michael Bennet and Senator John Hickenlooper, work with all interests to conserve this incredible region in Colorado.
