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A group of very caring folks have been working toward opening a senior center here in Carbondale. We are promised a space, but need to reach our financial goals. This center will be available to Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield counties’ aging residents.

The Carbondale Rodeo Association has offered us space at the rodeo grounds to hold a vendor’s booth. We decided to offer snow cones, watermelon slices and healthy snacks for sale. Sounds like a great project, but we need volunteers to work the booth. The rodeo is held each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. If you think you’d enjoy helping, please call 704-1579 or 963-2536 and leave a message.

Rusty Burtard, volunteer



Carbondale

I would like to offer some facts regarding a letter from William Hanks of the Crystal River Valley about Filoha Meadows Preserve. Hanks’ piece contains the following errors regarding the content of the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Board’s Filoha Meadows Preserve Management Plan.



– “Unrestricted summer foot traffic” is actually July 1- Sept. 30. Pedestrian access is restricted to the old wagon road.

– “Soft-surface trail of crusher fines” ” Actually, no improvements to the existing earthen surface of the old road are proposed.

– “This trail would be the precursor to the Crystal River Bike Trail coming from Avalanche Creek and Redstone from the south and threaten the preserve and invite violations of orchids and rare species” ” Actually, pedestrian use of the existing wagon road is wholly unrelated to the Crystal bike trail. Further, the OSTB’s vegetation scientist, Lisa Tasker, and wildlife expert, Jonathan Lowsky, determined that pedestrian use of the old road between July 1 and Sept. 30 poses no threat at all to orchids or other rare species.

It is not clear how many of the “nearly 350 residents who have filed (a) petition” had access to or were able to read the draft management plan. Signers may not be aware that the Open Spae Department is proposing a total closure of the preserve for 75 percent of the year, from Oct. 1 to June 30.

Questions and requests for accurate information regarding the Management Plan can be directed to Kathleen O’Brien at kathleen@co.pitkin.co.us.

Dorothea Farris

Carbondale

On May 14, 2008, polar bears were officially listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act because of the sea ice melting beneath their feet.

I feel this is a tremendous victory, but it is just a small step in the right direction. There are still hundreds of other species that are also feeling the effects of global warming, even in our own backyards.

An example of one of these animals is the American Pika. Pikas live at high elevations, though lately rising temperatures have been chasing them upslope to cooler climates. Pikas are highly susceptible to overheating, and when temperatures climb above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, they can die in less than an hour.

These harmless creatures, among many others, are running out of places to go. I feel we all need to do our part and be as environmentally aware and responsible as we can be. If we don’t, these animals will no longer exist, and that would be a tragic day indeed.

Our leaders should be working together to lower greenhouse gas emissions while protecting wildlife who are threatened now. We need to encourage our leaders to do their part by showing we care about our planet and its inhabitants, and by being proactive in trying to save the only planet we have.

DeAnna Erdelen

Glenwood Springs


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