The federal Bureau of Land Management announced today it has closed federal public lands in the Gunnison Basin to human activity where a series of snowstorms and minus 40 temperatures have stressed wildlife.
The BLM said today that the emergency feeding operations themselves had sparked the public’s curiosity, resulting in an increased human presence at the feeding areas.
Under today’s new order, the following federal public lands are now closed to all human use (both motorized and non-motorized) with the exception of DOW, BLM and Forest Service staff and volunteers working directly with the game feeding operations:
Various subdivision roads are being maintained and will remain open to give vehicle traffic access to the subdivisions. Several roads will remain open to allow snowmobile traffic access to private parcels of land and to recreation opportunities above the critical wildlife winter range. These roads are:
Rainbow Lake Road (CR 724) to the Forest Service boundary Lost Canyon Road (Cr 743) from the end of plowing to the Forest Service Boundary North Parlin Flats Road (CR 60) to the Forest Service Boundary Vulcan Road (CR 31) Six Mile Lane (CR 42).
The BLM said today that its Resource Management Plan specifically provides for the ability to establish closures to protect wintering big game during years of unusually heavy snowfall.
Lloyd said that the current closures may overlap into closures in the Gunnison Basin that customarily run from mid-March to mid-May and are used to protect the Gunnison Sage Grouse, a BLM “sensitive species.”
Because of the depth of snowpack, the length of the BLM closure could be extended several weeks longer, she said.
To make a donation to the feeding operation, go to the DOW website – – and click on the donation box.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
