Interior Secretary Recommends Reducing Protections for Ten National Monuments

Ten national monuments are in danger according to a leaked U.S. Interior Department document. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s recommendations to the Trump Administration include shrinking four national monuments and opening up six others to commercial industry, like mining, drilling and logging. To do this would be not only harmful to these natural treasures and environmentally irresponsible, but it also defies public opinion.  Ninety-eight percent of the 2.8 million public comments received by the Interior Department on national monuments supported maintaining or expanding the protections to the monuments under review. 

Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument would shrink under Zinke's recommendations (Bureau of Land Management)

As skiers and snowboarders we benefit immensely from America’s public lands. Much of the land we ski on - both back- and front-country - is publicly owned and administered. Our public lands help keep our mountain air fresh, and preserve some of the country’s most iconic alpine views.  Our national monuments represent some of our country’s most cherished landscapes, enjoyed by millions of Americans for camping and hiking, skiing and mountain biking and more. Last May, while celebrating Colorado Public Lands Day, we spoke to hundreds of skiers and snowboarders who support America's national monuments and want to see their protections maintained and expanded, not squandered in the name of shortsighted plans. 

It is both unwise and unpopular to revoke any of the protections to these lands. The Trump administration has already backed off cuts to other national monuments following massive public outcry. We need to save these monuments as well. Snowriders International will continue to work with our network of partners across the country to educate the public and mobilize support for these national monuments and all of our public lands.

Protect Our National Monuments

Bears Ear National Monument -By US Bureau of Land Management (http://mypubliclands.tumblr.com/) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In April, President Trump signed an executive order instructing the Secretary of Interior, Ryan Zinke, to review 27 national monuments, including Bears Ear National Monument in Utah, Canyons of the Ancients in Colorado, and Basin and Range National Monument in Nevada and to consider opening them up to private development.

TAKE ACTION!

 

DEAR SECRETARY ZINKE,

WE THE UNDERSIGNED SUPPORT THE CONTINUED FEDERAL PROTECTION OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL MONUMENTS, INCLUDING CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS AND BEARS EAR NATIONAL MONUMENTS. AS SKIERS, SNOWBOARDERS AND LOVERS OF THE OUTDOORS, WE BENEFIT CONSTANTLY FROM OUR COUNTRY'S PUBLIC LAND RESOURCES. THE PROTECTION OF OUR NATIONAL MONUMENTS NOT ONLY BENEFITS OUR ECONOMY, BUT IT PRESERVES OUR Environment, OUR NATURAL INHERITANCE, AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH.

Basin and Range National Monument - By BLM Nevada (Basin and Range National Monument) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument - Photo by Bob Wick, BLM. (http://mypubliclands.tumblr.com/) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Colorado Public Lands Day is Coming Up!

Join Snowriders, Conservation Colorado and Rocky Mountain Underground at Arapahoe Basin on May 20th to celebrate the first Colorado Public Lands Day with games, prizes, and live music!

Saturday May 20th, 2017 marks the first ever Colorado Public Lands day - a day to celebrate the incredible resource that public lands provide to Coloradans. It’s fitting that Colorado would be the first state to formally celebrate their public lands. There’s a lot to celebrate! No less than 35% of Colorado’s land area - over 24 million acres - is public. Colorado is home to four national parks, eight national monuments and 41 state parks!  And by some estimates, public land generate $35 billion in spending for the Colorado state economy.  A large portion of this sum is thanks to all the ski areas that make use Colorado’s public land!

Skiers for Public Land

We agree with thousands of Coloradans, that public land are one of Colorado’s greatest assets.  Skiers reap huge benefits from this shared resource. For one thing, much of the land we ski on is publicly owned.  Twenty-three of Colorado’s major ski resorts use substantial quantities of public land including Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Vail, and all four Aspen Mountains.  Without the use of public lands, many of these ski resorts could not function.

Skiers benefit from public lands in other ways as well. The protection of Colorado’s public lands keeps the mountain air fresh and preserves our natural inheritance for generations to come. Federal and state stewardship of the land surrounding our ski slopes also preserves Colorado’s awe-inspiring views.  Some of the most iconic vistas in the state - from the Maroon Bells behind Aspen Highlands to the peak of Crested Butte -  are public land.

Our Skiers for Public Lands campaign is working to build awareness for the important asset our public lands provide to us as skiers and as citizens. Protecting our public lands from private development is essential to the future of all outdoor recreation, as well our efforts to combat climate change and environmental degradation.

Come Celebrate Colorado’s Public Lands With Us!

On Saturday May 20th, we’ll be at Arapahoe Basin celebrating our public lands with Conservation Colorado and Rocky Mountain Underground! There’ll be games and prizes, a photo booth, and live music at the base as part of Arapahoe Basin’s annual swimsuit party!

Come find us at the base and take a photo for our #Skiers4PublicLands campaign!

Can’t make it to the event? You can still become a Skier for Public Lands by signing our petition here!