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What we’ve been reading and watching (Click on any title to read the article.) Letter: Mad Rabbit Trails Project threatens wildlife populations – Steamboat Pilot A very thoughtful letter from Greg Breslau. "As a new father with a strong appreciation for the outdoors, I want my son and his children to be able to appreciate this amazing and wild biosphere as it exists now. Please reconsider this project entirely and preserve our delicate ecosystem for future generations." Disappearing elk: Study links human development to worrying declines in herd populations – Steamboat Pilot “A recent study suggests that human development, from the growth of cities to new hiking trails, could be the leading cause of declining elk populations in parts of Colorado, including Routt County." Are Trails in Colorado Harming Wildlife? – 5280 Magazine This article from Steamboat-based Kelly Bastone is as relevant as ever. "Some Coloradans, especially those of us who have lived here for a while, have come to expect that we can recreate wherever we like, whenever we like. But issues such as the state’s skyrocketing human population, development, and global climate change simply won’t let us sustain that sense of entitlement any longer—not if we truly want to keep our staggeringly rich and abundant wildlife." Seeking Ground Less Traveled: Elk Responses to Recreation – Science Findings, US Forest Service This is a good summary of the research showing the impacts of trail-based recreation onto elk and elk habitat. " Their intolerance (as indicated by the distances they maintained) was highest for ATV riding, followed by mountain biking. To a lesser degree, the elk also avoided hikers and horseback riders.” “You’ve basically reduced what we call carrying capacity, the number of animals that can make a living on the landscape.”
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