Saving the Roan Plateau

By Clare Bastable

“The key to change is organizing from the grassroots up…”

Through its conservation efforts, the Colorado Mountain Club recently has put these words into action through its efforts to protect the Roan Plateau from what the Aspen Times calls the “Pincushion energy policy.” The Roan Plateau is a haven of biological diversity located near Rifle, Colorado, that has been identified by the Bush administration as one of its top ten “targets” in the United States for oil and gas development. During the last year or so, the Bureau of Land Management has been developing a management plan for the Roan Plateau to determine to what extent this area will be protected and/or developed in the next fifteen years. Clare Bastable, western slope Conservation Co­or­dinator, has been working diligently with hunters, anglers, local citizens, land managers, and elected officials to insure that this amazing area is afforded the protection it deserves.

In mid-October, the BLM released a set of alternatives for the Roan Plateau that ranged from significant protection of the Plateau’s natural features to extensive energy development. The Colorado Mountain Club, in coordination with the Colorado Wilderness Network, decided that alternative “F” provides the best balance of uses for the Plateau, going the farthest to protect its natural character. With this in mind, Clare and other organizers set out to encourage the local population to weigh in on the management process. The results of the organizing effort have thus far been amazingly successful, with over 10,000 comments submitted to the BLM, the vast majority of them supporting alternative F.

In addition, by mid-November, almost every local government in Garfield County, where the Roan Plateau is located, had spoken out in support of protecting it. Glenwood Springs City Council and the town councils of Carbondale, Rifle, and Parachute have also publicly endorsed alternative F for the Roan Plateau.

The success of this unprecedented effort is due in large part to an organizing effort with non-traditional allies. Because of the Roan Plateau’s amazing hunting opportunities, Clare has been able to partner with local hunters and outfitters in reaching out to local governments about the importance of protecting critical wildlife habitat on the Plateau. She has also worked with local anglers and Trout Unlimited to encourage protection of the trophy fishing opportunities that the Plateau provides as well as for the preservation of genetically pure Colorado Cutthroat Trout populations there.

Similarly, due to the Roan Plateau’s significant mountain biking opportunities,  local biking organizations have urged the BLM to support Alternative F.

In a time when the political atmosphere seems to be leaning away from the protection of public lands, it is more important than ever to work with diverse interests to demonstrate to decision-makers that Coloradans from all walks of life care about their public lands. The Roan Plateau is a fine example of this, proving that partnership with diverse allies is truly where the power to bring about change resides. P