National Conservation Lands

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Friends of the Yampa is a member of the Friends Grassroots Network, which is made up of 58 community-based groups, mostly in the West. The network helps individual groups use their collective influence to advocate for new designations and advance strong conservation management policies and practices.

Conservation starts with community, and history has shown that places are best protected when there is a passionate group of local citizen advocates to lead the effort. But while local advocates have incredible knowledge, credibility and ambition, they often lack financial resources and the ability to influence federal decisions about the places they cherish.

The Conservation Lands Foundation builds and strengthens these groups and their tireless leaders, providing training in fundraising, media outreach, leadership development as well as grants and networking opportunities. In 2014, the Network raised over $2 million to support their own work to protect and steward the National Conservation Lands, in addition to grants from Conservation Lands Foundation.

About The National Conservation Lands

The NationalNCL_small Conservation Lands are 31 million acres of our most ecologically rich and culturally significant lands—open to all—managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These places, mostly large and pristine landscapes, are found throughout the West, Alaska and even extend to the East Coast. America’s newest collection of protected public lands and waterways stands alongside our national parks and wildlife refuges as guardians of America’s heritage and drivers of the nation’s $646 billion outdoor recreation economy.

Freedom, Discovery & Beauty

The National Conservation Lands include National Monuments and National Conservation Areas, Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic Trails. These nationally significant lands embody freedom, discovery and unique outdoor experiences.

The National Conservation Lands include National Monuments and National Conservation Areas (NCAs), Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs), Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic Trails. The Yampa and Green River basins in northwest Colorado include several Wilderness Study Areas that are part of the National Conservation Lands system, including Diamond Breaks WSA, Skull Creek WSA, Willow Creek WSA and Bull Canyon WSA. Rafters and kayakers, as well as hunters, hikers, and backpackers, are familiar with Cross Mountain Wilderness Study Area, just above Lily Park and Dinosaur National Monument. Cross Mountain WSA and its 1000′ deep gorge contains some of the best whitewater and river scenery in Colorado. National Conservation Lands are BLM’s conservation legacy, and are important part of the economies and heritage of the American west.