New BLM proposals would impact the Strawberry and Drowsy water areas by opening them to motorized vehicles. To learn more and see what you can do, read on.

The Kremmling BLM Field Office has identified 2 areas in Grand County with wilderness-like characteristics in their Draft Resource Management Plan. These areas are Strawberry (area around the access trail to the Fraser Canyon) and Drowsy Water. To influence how these areas are used we had until January 17th, 2012 to send in our comments.

Here is a brief description of the alternatives:
A - is No Action – would allow BLM to continue to manage as they have since the last revision in 1984.
B - is the “preferred Alternative” per the BLM and it depends on which area within the Kremmling Field Office you’re talking about as to what is preferred.
C - is the environmental / conservation Alternative and offers the most habitat / land / water protection
D - is the most “use heavy” of the alternatives and offers the most in terms of roaded access, motorized use and least protective of the alternatives for fisheries and wildlife habitat.

Strawberry comment points:
• This area is adjacent to Forest Service land and should be managed in accordance with the National Forest Service Management Plan for the Tabernash Geographic Area which excludes motorized recreation.
• Controlling the growth of unauthorized trails in Strawberry will be impossible with motorized recreation. Because this is too small an area to support the large trail systems need by motorcycles, these trails will likely wander onto adjacent FS land.
• Motorized recreation destroys plant life and this leads to soils migrating into the river.
• This area is a critical movement area for big game moving from summer-winter range.
• Non motorized trails would be much less intrusive to wildlife and maintain Strawberry as a beautiful place for hiking, fishing and other non motorized sports.
• Strawberry contains sensitive ecosystems supporting 2 outstanding wetland/riparian areas.
• Strawberry contains sensitive bird and raptor habitat.
•We support Alternative C to give this area the protection it needs.

Drowsy Water comment points:
• Wildlife disturbed by motorized recreation include deer, elk, black bear and trout.
• This area has a high diversity of bird species.
• Motorized recreation in this area will destroy plant life and allow soils to migrate into sensitive trout habitat.
• Enforcement of motorized recreation is impractical in this area.
• Motorized access should be allowed for maintenance purposes only.
•We support Alternative C for this area.

Please add a comment which is to request Alternative B-2 for sections 4&5 on the Colorado River. This allows the river to be protected without the actual Wild and Scenic designation but does not rule out Wild and Scenic if B-2 falls short of protecting the river.

Please include your name and mailing address in your correspondence. Ask the BLM to respond back to confirm that they received your comments.

You can also send snail mail to:
BLM Kremmling Field Office
PO Box 68 Kremmling, Co. 80459.