Wild Connections has three program areas:
- Wildlands Conservation
- Roadless Area Defense
- Biodiverstiy Protection
These programs evolved from our early history as Upper Arkansas and South Platte Project (UASPP) when we focused on inventorying the boundaries and wilderness qualities of 100 roadless areas in the two watersheds.
Wildlands Conservation
Wildlands Conservation is our proactive approach to conservation across the landscapes of the South Platte and Arkansas mountain headwaters. We focus on the Pike-San Isabel forest plan revision and wilderness advocacy.
Forest Plan Revision
The Pike-San Isabel National Forest, some 2.2 millions acres, is revising its management plan that guides day-to-day activities. Wild Connections and our partners created the Wild Connections Conservation Plan that provides: 1) a vision of the future wildlands network of core reserves and wildlife linkages; and 2) practical management recommendations for these forest lands and some adjacent BLM canyon lands.
Wild Connections facilitates citizen input into the forest planning process and assists stakeholders to advocate for strong protection for the natural qualities, wildlife habitat, and sustainable human use of these public lands. We do this by:
Presenting the Wild Connections slide show to groups, agencies, businesses, local governments and individuals, and securing their endorsements.
Conducting day hikes and field trips to roadless areas and proposed wilderness areas.
Organizing people to attend Forest Service planning meetings.
Working with the Pike-San Isabel staff and planning team.
Wilderness Advocacy
Several areas in the region are proposed for Congressional designation as new Wilderness.
- Beaver Creek, Grape Creek, McIntyre Hills, Table Mountain, Badger Creek and Browns Canyon are part of the larger Colorado Canyon Country Wilderness Proposal that was created by citizens from across the state.
- Wild Connections organizes advocacy efforts and provides GIS support for the legislation that is pending in Congress.
Roadless Area Defense
Travel Management Planning
Roadless areas in central Colorado are islands in the midst of a sea of private land development and heavily used agency lands. Roads and motorized trails fragment habitat and affect wildlife as more and more people travel and recreate in the Pike-San Isabel and on BLM lands.
- The Pike-San Isabel is producing Motorized Vehicle Use Maps that officially define the routes that are open to motorized use. These become the basis for future travel management planning.
- Wild Connections is a leader in the coalition team from Colorado Mountain Club, Quiet Use Coalition, Rocky Mountain Recreation Imitative and The Wilderness Society that is working on this effort. We provide GIS analysis; volunteer teams to field check key routes, and organizing for public comments.
USFS and BLM Project Analysis and Comment
Wild Connections, working with other partners, regularly monitors and comments on agency fuels reduction and other projects that might adversely affect roadless areas, sensitive wildlife habitat and linkages or biodiversity hotspots.
Biodiversity Protection
A diverse mix of native species in a landscape scale wildlands network is necessary to protect both the land and those who benefit from it.
- Ensuring that the Wild Connections Conservation Plan becomes and integral part of the Pike-San Isabel management of the forest is our key strategy fro protecting biodiversity for the long term.
- Where the Lynx Are explores the future of self-regulating biodiversity by taking hikers into lynx habitat and important linkages between the Pike-San Isabel and adjacent National Forests.
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