RMBL seeks Protection for Upper East River Valley Research

Expermintal Forest would place research as a priority

The Upper East River Valley is a magnet for multiple use. Recreation, ranching, and research all abound on the U.S. National Forest land that surrounds Gothic’s Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. RMBL would like to see research become a forest management and planning priority, in addition to recreation and ranching, for approximately 9,700 acres of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land where the organization conducts its scientific research.

According to RMBL, the public lands around their research facilities are some of the most intensively studied in the world, with a history of research going back to 1928. Research there covers fundamental issues in ecology, evolutionary biology, sustainability and climate change, and the lab employs approximately 75 people each summer.
To ensure that future development in the Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s North Village, ranching, and recreation don’t overwhelm the land and negatively affect research in the long term, RMBL wants the USFS to designate a swath of the Upper East River Valley as an “Experimental Forest,” which would make research a priority for management of the valley, and would bring expertise from the research branch of the USFS into management.
RMBL director Ian Billick said the USFS manages approximately 80 Experimental Forests through its research branch. “Bringing the research branch into the management loop will allow the U.S. Forest Service to use its considerable expertise in managing research to ensure that ranching, recreation, and research can all continue to coexist,” said Billick.
“The Upper East River Valley is a special corridor that will always accommodate a wide range of uses, including ranching and recreation,” Billick added. “Because of the valley’s proximity to the towns, and particularly with the eventual development of North Village, we decided that an Experimental Forest designation would be a management tool that could be used to ensure that research will be able to remain one of the uses for the valley in the future.”
Gunnison district ranger John Murphy said, “The Forest Plan for the Gunnison National Forest does not identify research as being the priority for the permit area. An Experimental Forest designation is something that the Forest Service would consider, although we are not convinced that an Experimental Forest designation is the best way to address RMBL’s concerns.
“The Forest Service has been engaged in discussions with RMBL for a while now,” continued Murphy, “and we are currently evaluating options to address their issues and concerns. This dialogue with RMBL will continue as we look at options and opportunities to mitigate and address their concerns.”
When asked to compare RMBL’s Experimental Forest proposal to others across the country, Murphy said, “I do not know of any other Experimental Forests that would compare to what is being proposed by RMBL. The objective of an Experimental Forest is to provide lands for conducting research and development that serves as a basis for the management of forests and rangelands. Experimental Forests are generally associated with a specific university and were established to address specific research needs such as watershed or silvicultural practices. Since RMBL is not a university and since the research being conducted is so diverse that it is not tied to a specific research “theme” it’s a little unusual.”
According to RMBL, Experimental Forest designation would not affect existing uses or enact new transportation restrictions, and the Wilderness to the east of Gothic and the part of Snodgrass that includes the proposed ski area expansion are not part of the proposal.
“Such a designation would not affect current uses of the valley,” Billick explained. “It would not change transportation in the valley and all of the popular hiking and biking trails would continue to be enjoyed by the general public. The designation would formalize RMBL’s presence and ensure that impacts to research are considered when decisions about the valley are made. Additionally, we hope the designation would provide opportunities to increase the resources that are invested in making hiking and biking a truly unique experience.”
Right now, Billick is making the rounds and presented the proposal to the town councils of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte this week. He will be on the agenda at the upcoming Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, July 13.
“It will take considerable thought and discussion to do this in a way that ensures the needs of all stakeholders are met,” said Billick. “If the U.S. Forest were to accept this proposal, there would be a series of meetings with substantial public input before any final decision would be made.”