By Kyle Perkins

Hundreds of people turned out for a public hearing Saturday in Salida, Colo., to show support for a Browns Canyon National Monument. The droves of “I support a Browns Canyon National Monument” stickers were visible evidence of the overwhelming support, along with speaker after speaker urging administration officials to designate the iconic canyon along the Arkansas River between Salida and Buena Vista as the Browns Canyon National Monument.

Don’t let anyone tell you this is a top-down executive overreach--not when this request is locally generated by sportsmen, a bipartisan cadre of local elected officials, business owners and local residents and stakeholders. These are the folks who are frustrated by years of Congressional stalling, and they made it clear over the weekend that Browns Canyon National Mounent is grassroots effort--they want to protect this special slice of Colorado for coming generations to enjoy.

The stretch of the Arkansas River that veers from the highway south of Buena Vista and rushes through a steep canyon full of Gold-medal fishing, amazing white water rafting, and pristine backcountry habitat for bighorn sheep, elk and mule deer is truly a unique place. Floating and finding pocket water within the canyon can produce brown trout 20 inches long or better, and the populations of big game animals and predators like cougars and black bear make a healthy habitat for hunting and wildlife in general. This 22,000-acre rugged canyon is a truly wild place that I have visited more times than I can remember.

For over 20 years, legislative efforts to protect this canyon have had local and state support, yet Congress has failed to act. From bills sponsored by former Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard in 2006, and by current Sen. Mark Udall in December 2013, momentum has crested—only to be thwarted by gridlock and political gamesmanship in Congress. However, on Nov.25, an official letter from Sens. Udall and Michael Bennet asked President Obama to declare Browns a national monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. Local and state word spread fast with articles in most of Colorado's major state newspapers.

Rep. Doug Lamborn, one of the few opponents of the measure, claimed in a recent piece that there were many local opponents of the Browns designation. If that’s true, they failed to show up Saturday-- supporters vastly outnumbered the handful of nay-sayers in the crowd.

In addition to  Colorado's senators, the public meeting was attended by administration officials and included Deputy Director of BLM Steve Ellis and U.S. Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell.

What I saw were individuals and groups from across the valley and state coming together to protect a place they love and to support our valued public lands, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and the local economy. Indeed, local stakeholders in the Arkansas Valley--speaking time and time again at Saturday's meeting--reminded Rep. Lamborn and the rest of Colorado's federal delegation, that this designation is the will of the people who live, work and play near Browns Canyon. 

“I take tourists and residents whitewater rafting and fishing through Browns Canyon, exposing them to the natural beauty that is at the heart of Colorado’s outdoor heritage,” said Joe Greiner, owner of Wilderness Aware Rafting in Buena Vista. “A lot of people put national monuments on their bucket list. A national monument designation will put Browns Canyon on the map and have an even bigger impact on our local economy.”

“Americans love our public lands and the rich outdoor experiences they provide,” said Jim Impara, vice president of the Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited. “We also understand that there are highly valued, iconic wild places that are not yet protected. Browns Canyon is one of those special places. Let’s keep it the way it is.”

“It was a true showing of the local community and the support we have to protect Browns,” said local resident Susan Mayfield. “It was a large theater of about 400, and an overfill room of many more in support of finally and permanently protecting one of our local pride and joys. The people in Chaffee County have spoken. It’s time.”

The public meeting sent a strong, unequivocal message to the White House: Coloradans want President Obama to protect Browns Canyon—and it’s time to get this done.

Kyle Perkins is Browns Canyon coordinator for Trout Unlimited.