Gunnison Public Lands
Date: 09/22/2021
State: CO
Issue: Wild Lands
Partners: Gunnison Public Lands Initiative, High Country Conservation Advocates, The Wilderness Society
Airport Origin : Gunnison, CO
Mission
Support the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative as they seek to designate Gunnison County public lands as Wilderness or Special Management Areas. Fly The GPLI, The Wilderness Society, and High Country Conservation Advocates to provide an aerial perspective and photos & videos of the lands involved in the proposal.
The Gunnison Public Lands Initiative is a coalition of ten local organizations united in their goal of protecting public lands in the county, while enhancing a strong and sustainable economy, and supporting historic uses of public lands. These organizations represent the interest of various stakeholders including ranchers, conservationists, mountain bikers, motorized recreationists, hunters and anglers, recreationists, and more. The Gunnison Public Lands Initiative (GPLI) strives to create science-based workable solutions to protect the public lands in and around Gunnison County.
In 2017, after considerable months of evaluating interests, public outreach, scientific research, and working at compromises between diverse stakeholders, the GPLI proposed to designate certain lands for protection as Wilderness or Special Management Areas. And, after further vetting, the GPLI finalized the community-based proposal to protect 452,221 acres of public lands in and around the Gunnison Basin. The proposal is being praised by local communities and stakeholders. The Initiative has submitted these recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service and awaits the community-based solutions to be drafted into federal legislation!