Building Resilient Habitats Map

Colorado: Roan Plateau

The Roan Plateau's mix of forests, grasslands, canyons and streams make it a paradise for those interested in exploring or enjoying the outdoors.

Managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Plateau rises to 3,500 feet over the Colorado River Valley and is home to one of the most diverse assemblages of fish, wildlife and native plants in Colorado. One of the purest strains of imperiled Colorado cutthroat trout can be found on Roan Plateau, along with big game such as elk, mule deer, and black bear, making the Plateau a mecca for hunting, fishing and wildlife watching.

Global warming poses a serious threat to the nation's public lands like the Roan Plateau. In addition to the widespread loss of habitat, traditional recreation and economic opportunities will be limited or lost due to global warming. Opportunities for fishing, hunting and kayaking will dwindle as stream flows and wildlife populations diminish.

Natural gas companies are also pressuring the BLM to open the entire Roan Plateau to drilling and to allow as many as 3,000 wells on top of the Plateau. If the BLM agrees to lease the top of the Plateau for development, the area will see an estimated 33 to 50 percent decrease in its mule deer population and an elimination of 97 percent of the public lands with backcountry recreation opportunities.

Recognizing the importance of the Roan Plateau to America's outdoor heritage, citizens have offered a common-sense, middle- ground solution called the Community Alternative, which would allow gas drilling around the base of the Plateau while protecting the top for other uses. This solution would protect core fish and wildlife habitat and important recreational opportunities that sustain local businesses and provide a high quality of life to area residents. The Sierra Club's Colorado Chapter seeks to protect the Roan Plateau and its wildlife from drilling and climate change.

For more information about the Sierra Club chapter in Colorado, please visit http://rmc.sierraclub.org/