This week we worked in Northwest Colorado, near Dinosaur National Monument, to remove old barb wire fencing. Barb wire fencing poses a threat to elk and mule deer, who can easily become entangled. Our project sponsor, an employee of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife department, said that Northwest Colorado has the largest elk herds in the entire world.
Since a single mile of fence can kill over two elk per year, this project was important to the preservation of these incredible herds. Given that we removed over eight miles of fence, it is likely that we helped to save a significant number of mule deer and elk every year.
Personally, at the end of the day, it was very satisfying to see the pile of used barb wire fence we had removed. Part of my motivation for joining RMYC was to help preserve natural areas, and it was a good feeling to see real world results. It was also interesting to learn about the biology of the sagebrush ecosystem of Northwestern Colorado.
The sagebrush ecosystem stretches across the Western Slope of the rocky mountains, and hosts a surprisingly diverse array of wildlife. Just this week, we were able to see sage grouse, a golden eagle, pronghorns, and many species of wildflowers.
Going forward, I am excited to work in and learn about other areas of Colorado. As a crew, I hope we can help preserve and conserve other environmentally rich regions of the state through our future projects.
--Luke Basler, Conservation Crew Member
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