The Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act expands the Sarvis Creek Wilderness in Colorado by approximately 6,817 acres and includes provisions for tribal access and natural resource management.
Joe Neguse
Representative
CO-2
The Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act expands the Sarvis Creek Wilderness in Colorado by approximately 6,817 acres within the Routt National Forest. It protects the rights of Indian Tribes to access and use the area for traditional purposes. The Act also allows for necessary actions to manage fire, insects, and diseases within the expanded wilderness area.
Colorado Wilderness Grows: Sarvis Creek Gains 6,817 Acres Under New Protection
This bill, the Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act, expands federal protection by adding approximately 6,817 acres of land in Colorado's Routt National Forest to the existing Sarvis Creek Wilderness. It officially designates this specific parcel, outlined on a map dated February 26, 2024, under the rules of the Wilderness Act, effectively shielding it from most forms of development. The core goal is straightforward: increase the amount of preserved wilderness land.
More Room to Roam (and Protect)
So what does adding nearly 7,000 acres really mean? Think stricter rules for this patch of forest – wilderness designation generally prohibits things like new roads, logging, mining, and motorized vehicles to keep the area wild. This move aims to protect the natural landscape, the water flowing through it, and the habitats for local wildlife. For folks who hike, camp, or just value having untouched natural spaces nearby, this expands that protected zone. The bill specifically references the Wilderness Act (Section 3), ensuring this new addition gets the same level of protection as existing wilderness areas.
Balancing Preservation and People
Beyond just drawing lines on a map, the act addresses how this land will be managed (Section 4). It explicitly protects existing treaty rights for Indian Tribes and allows the Secretary of Agriculture to authorize access for traditional religious and cultural purposes – ensuring preservation doesn't erase heritage. It also gives the Secretary the tools needed to manage natural events like wildfires, insect infestations, or diseases within the new wilderness boundaries. This isn't about heavy intervention, but rather necessary actions, permitted under the Wilderness Act, to keep the ecosystem healthy and prevent larger problems that could spill outside the wilderness area. While the primary effect is conservation, it inherently means activities incompatible with wilderness (like resource extraction) won't be allowed in this specific added acreage.