The Gunnison Public Lands Initiative (GPLI) is a coalition of community organizations that are committed to the incredible landscapes, recreation opportunities, and healthy habitats and wildlife of Gunnison County. As the GPLI advocates for congressional protection of our public lands, we [...]
The Western Slope Conservation Center has a long legacy of working towards responsible conservation solutions with unlikely partners. With the help of Arch Coal Company, we developed the Conservation Assistance Program (CAP) which we used to permanently protect over 10,000 acres of land in [...]
On January 8th, 2016, the Western Slope Conservation Center added its voice to the groundswell of community support to cancel all or part of the 65 leases issued without appropriate NEPA analysis since 1993 on the White River National Forest (WRNF), an area that includes the Thompson Divide. In [...]
The Conservation Center’s mission is supported by pillars of public lands and education and outreach. Together, these two pillars give us a platform to empower our community, regardless of age, to understand the lands around them. And while we love to connect adults to nature and educate them [...]
Have a passion for the outdoors, species identification, or your local river? Perhaps all three? If you’re craving an outlet for any of these, then we have good news for you: on August 7th and 8th the Conservation Center is hosting a BioBlitz at the Paonia River Park! The goal of a [...]
June is Great Outdoors month, a national celebration of the public lands that provide us with recreation opportunities, clean water, and abundant resources. Public lands are stretched from coast to coast, strung between cities and towns, offering sanctuary and adventure, respite and thrill. [...]
You’ve no-doubt heard by now about Texas-based oil and gas driller SG Interests’ proposed lease swap. SG has proposed to give up its leases in the Thompson Divide in exchange for acquiring new ones in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Gunnison watershed. We're working together with our [...]
May 4, 2015 - The locally based Western Slope Conservation Center hosted its 4th Annual Conservation Days Field Trip on April 23 and 24, drawing over 300 4th grade students from all six Delta County Elementary Schools. The 2015 Conservation Days Field Trip was the largest the Conservation Center [...]
April 2015 - Tell the BLM to consider a conservation-minded alternative! The Bull Mountain Unit Master Development Plan (MDP) is a proposal by SG Interests to drill up to 146 new gas wells near McClure Pass. The proposed development spans nearly 20,000 acres in some of Colorado's best wildlife [...]
March 7, 2014 – The Western Slope Conservation Center and Elsewhere Studios are seeking a local Western Slope artist to create a public art installation on a chain-link fence at the Paonia River Park this summer. The Conservation Center, who manages the Paonia River Park, was awarded grants [...]