Background story
You may have heard about the recent construction of new illegal fencing in the Chicken Creek area. Not only were fences put up illegally, but the fence builders wantonly damaged parts of the forest by cutting down trees and brush to make roads so they could build their fence. MTG has been in contact with the Forest Service since it came to our attention in early October, and like many Montezuma County recreationists, we were concerned. As of Saturday, 10/12/2024, all of the fence has been taken down by volunteers from the Mancos community. This has been a unique opportunity for virtually all citizens of the county to come together - cattle ranchers, grazing allotment holders, motorized trail users, cross country skiers, hunters, horseback riders, snowmobilers, trail runners, hikers, mountain bikers, dog walkers, and virtually every other user group worked side by side for two days to remove 4.5 miles of new fencing. We are all united in our use of and love of the national forest. However, we are not out of the woods yet regarding this issue as the next step is for the Forest Service to file litigation to prove ownership in the courts. To read more see news coverage links below.
MAP - Chicken Creek Area, mancos, colorado
USFS Social Media post and press Release 10-23-2024
What can the public do to Help?
With the ongoing issue of fence construction at Chicken Creek, we want to remind people of the importance of writing the Forest Service and your elected representatives expressing your desire to keep public lands open to the public. It's important that word gets out that the people of Mancos LOVE our public lands, and that we LOVE Chicken Creek! Please, take a moment to contact your elected officials and please also subscribing to our newsletter to stay up to date on this and other topics regarding our local lands and trails.
Contact your elected officials and the USFS
USFS
Dolores District Range
Nick Mustoe
928-266-5226
[email protected]
San Juan National Forest Supervisor
Dave Neely
[email protected]
Federal
Senator Michael Bennett
202-224-5852
https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building
1244 Speer Blvd.
Denver, CO 80204
Senator John Hickenlooper
202-224-5941
https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/email-john/
Byron Rogers Federal Building
1961 Stout Street
Suite 12-300
Denver, CO 80294
Representative Lauren Boebert
202-225-4761
https://boebertforms.house.gov/contact/
1713 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0603
Representative Doug Lamborn (use zip code 80906 to access his contact form)
https://lamborn.house.gov/contact
1125 Kelly Johnson Blvd.
Suite 330
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
State
Governor Jared Polis
303-866-2885
https://dashboard.colorado.gov/connect-with-us
Colorado State Representative Barbara McLachlan
303-866-2914
[email protected]
Montezuma County Commissioner:
Gerald Koppenhafer (District 3 - Mancos area)
970-749-0262
https://montezumacounty.org/board-of-county-commissioners/
sample letters - coming soon
Mancos Trails Group specific letter #1 - Word format - Click here to download
Mancos Trails Group specific Letter #1 - Pages format - Click here to download
Mancos Trails Group specific Letter #1 - PDF format - Click here to download
Generic sample letter #2 - Word format - Click here to download
Generic sample letter #2 - Pages format - Click here to download
Generic sample letter #2 - PDF format - Click here to download
Mancos Trails Group specific Letter #1 - Pages format - Click here to download
Mancos Trails Group specific Letter #1 - PDF format - Click here to download
Generic sample letter #2 - Word format - Click here to download
Generic sample letter #2 - Pages format - Click here to download
Generic sample letter #2 - PDF format - Click here to download
NEWS COVERAGE
https://www.denverpost.com/2024/10/10/flds-land-colorado-warren-jeffs-free-land-holders-san-juan-national-forest-mancos/
https://www.denverpost.com/2024/10/20/free-land-holders-committee-land-dispute-fence-national-forest-mancos-colorado/
https://www.the-journal.com/articles/residents-remove-free-land-holder-fence-put-up-in-forest-north-of-mancos
https://www.ksjd.org/2024-10-11/free-land-holders-land-dispute-near-chicken-creek-north-of-mancos-causes-uproar-locals-begin-removing-miles-of-barbed-wire-fence
https://coloradosun.com/2024/10/10/free-land-holder-forest-service
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-world/national/article293968514.html
https://www.ksut.org/news/2024-10-10/a-land-dispute-north-of-mancos-triggers-a-community-backlash-and-accusations-of-a-land-grab
https://www.denverpost.com/2024/10/20/free-land-holders-committee-land-dispute-fence-national-forest-mancos-colorado/
https://www.the-journal.com/articles/residents-remove-free-land-holder-fence-put-up-in-forest-north-of-mancos
https://www.ksjd.org/2024-10-11/free-land-holders-land-dispute-near-chicken-creek-north-of-mancos-causes-uproar-locals-begin-removing-miles-of-barbed-wire-fence
https://coloradosun.com/2024/10/10/free-land-holder-forest-service
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-world/national/article293968514.html
https://www.ksut.org/news/2024-10-10/a-land-dispute-north-of-mancos-triggers-a-community-backlash-and-accusations-of-a-land-grab