County, Letters To The Editor, Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Conservation districts join to promote wise use of resources, gathers

Dear Editor:
The Douglas Creek and White River conservation districts’ purpose is to promote the wise use of natural resources within our county and in general. The districts announce the development of a natural resource informational campaign.

“The districts have partnered with a multitude of local, state and national organizations and individuals to help inform and educate the public through a natural resource information campaign and the districts are announcing an upcoming campaign regarding the challenges posed by excess wild/feral horses (horses),” a press release from the joint districts states. “The campaign will focus on the health of the horses, rangelands and wildlife as well as the budget for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program. The BLM estimates that more than 58,000 horses (as of 3/1/15) on BLM lands in 10 Western states that will support only 27,000 horses.”
Horse populations are documented to increase annually at an average of 20 percent because they have virtually no predators,
“Few removals of healthy horses, such as the West Douglas gather, have occurred over the past two years, therefore, we can estimate well (in excess of) 64,000 horses on the BLM rangelands today,” the release stated, “That is a minimum of 37,000 excess horses on the rangelands in the 10 Western states that are causing degradation to the rangelands and supporting ecosystems. This will continue to lead to more emergency gathers such as those in Nevada, where horses are literally dying.”
The 2015 fiscal year BLM Horse and Burro Program budget is $75 million with $50 million earmarked for feed and care of the nearly 50,000 excess horses currently in holding facilities.
“While this is an excessive financial cost to taxpayers, it is critical to recognize the environmental cost of leaving the excess horses on the rangelands,” the release stated. “With the current management and removal rate, there will be an estimated 900,000 horses on the rangelands by 2030. This management scheme is unsustainable and will be devastating to the western rangelands in which the horses, wildlife, and western communities depend.”
Callie Hendrickson
Executive Director
Douglas Creek and White River
conservation districts
Meeker

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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