Thank you Linda for posting this, I just sent in my comments. And I want to boost this post since, as she noted below the deadline for comments must be received by *noon, next Tuesday*. Please take a few minutes to support Aiken Audubon's efforts to keep this gem, Chico Basin, intact.
Heck, one my highest ever bird counts was at Chico. Let's do our part to keep this critical property intact! Linda Lee Louisville On Monday, February 1, 2021 at 6:04:31 PM UTC-7 hiker...@gmail.com wrote: > Friends of Chico Basin Ranch, > > Thank you for your support these past months. > > You may be aware that the vote determining whether Chico will be kept > intact or divided is soon approaching. On *Weds, Feb 10th, the State Land > Board commissioners will vote* on whether to keep the ~87,000-acre ranch > in one piece, or lease it out as two parcels, one of ~21,000 acres and > another of ~66,000 acres. > > Aiken Audubon supports keeping it intact. A few of our reasons: > > · Chico is a major migratory bird pathway, with at least 346 birds > recorded. > > · The ranch has very high conservation values and biodiversity. Dividing > the ranch would add roads, corrals, fencing and traffic, diluting those > values and likely causing habitat fragmentation. > > · A property of this size with high-quality shortgrass prairie is rare. > With shortgrass prairie and grassland birds vanishing rapidly, this type of > landscape is greatly needed. > > · Once broken up, the land is difficult to piece back together. > > In addition, we believe that conservation values and financial gain can be > balanced. > > The Phillips family (lessee) has openly allowed access to birders, and has > been an outstanding land steward. We’d welcome the opportunity to continue > that relationship. > > We urge you to make your voice heard this one last time. *Comments must > be received by noon on Tuesday, Feb 9th.* You may send comments via this > link: > > > https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHLoANsTkJyomSRsPJm5aNH5EA-2sA8h7RlM8Df_ESURzjSQ/viewform > > or mail them to the CO State Land Board Commissioners, 1127 Sherman St, > Denver, CO 80203. > > Our sincere gratitude for the effort you’ve given to protect this > remarkable property, > > *Linda Hodges* > > *Conservation Chair* > > *Aiken Audubon* > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/73a6448f-df53-4374-9053-067d32be1aa5n%40googlegroups.com.
