Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns

Opinion: Give the job of wildfire prevention to nature’s architects

As a wildland firefighter, I have witnessed the impacts of larger and longer fire seasons. I have smelled the charred earth and watched the soil blown away into dust. In 2020, Colorado had its most destructive fires to date, with the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires burning more than 402,725 acres; that’s equivalent to […]

Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns

Opinion: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree came from threatened Colorado national forest lands

Every year the Capitol Christmas Tree is set on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and stands as a majestic symbol of America’s national forests.  This year’s tree — a towering, 55-foot-tall, 25-foot-wide Engelmann spruce — was selected from western Colorado’s Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest lands, an impressive expanse of […]