American treasures, like the Grand Canyon and Chaco Canyon, have been protected by the Antiquities Act, created in 1906 by President Teddy Roosevelt, who understood the value of protected landscapes. Dolores River Boating Advocates commends our 44th president for recently having the similar vision to protect the Arkansas River landscape in the form of Browns Canyon National Monument.
This addition to the National Conservation Lands System supports a Colorado recreation economy worth $34.5 billion and 313,000 jobs ($9 billion and 80,000 jobs being river-related).
DRBA would like to see Southwest Colorado communities flourish with the robust recreation economy that comes with protected public lands.
Yet as we celebrated the Browns Canyon protections, we watched the Montezuma Board of County Commissioners oppose public land protection for the Dolores River landscape in the form of a National Conservation Area, which entailed seven years of development by local stakeholders and decision-makers, including the former BOCC.
The current BOCC states that NCA status is not what Montezuma County people want.
DRBA believes people want a viable and diverse economy, and a healthy, beautiful place to live. Protected public lands offer both. DRBA would like to see the Dolores River protected and a boating economy returned to the river.
While the NCA proposal still needs strengthening to protect the actual river, the framework exists to preserve a river corridor that is valued locally and nationally.
Congratulations to all those involved in creating the Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado, and having the foresight to protect a treasured landscape that will provide pleasure and economic gain for generations to come.
Sam Carter, Dolores River Boating Advocates
Dolores