Mission

Fly with WELC and C4HC over BLM natural gas lease sales to advocate for the protection of this critical wildlife habitat against oil and gas leasing.

Our overflight examined the locations of proposed and existing natural gas wells and infrastructure in the beautiful North Fork Valley, as well as wildlands that are especially threatened due to their high potential for natural gas development. We contrasted this relatively quiet agrarian and undeveloped landscape of the North Fork to the dramatic natural gas fields near Colbran. The North Fork Valley, like the neighboring Thompson Divide, occupies a precarious position at the edge of economically viable natural gas development in the otherwise highly productive Piceance Basin. Citizens, business owners, environmental advocates, and local governments have long argued that any marginal benefit of mineral extraction is far outweighed by the benefits of maintaining the area’s vibrant ecosystems, recreation- and agriculture-based economies, and aesthetic character. However, threats from mineral interests continually evolve in response to BLM leasing, and the North Fork Valley enjoys no permanent protection from future natural gas expansion.

Despite the ecological importance of the swaths of wildlands, roadless areas, and important wildlife habitat, we flew over these landscapes that are highly threatened by oil and gas development. Thank you to our passengers for their advocacy to protect public lands, and to encourage lands in the North Fork Valley to be closed to oil and gas leasing.

Flight photos.