Letter: Federal cuts threaten our valley’s recreation economy

Rarely does a day go by when most of us living in the Eagle River Valley don’t pinch ourselves to make sure our lives are real. Life here is almost too good to be true.

Recent experiences include eating at a locally owned Mexican restaurant, noting a license plate that said FISHSKi, spotting the first raft floating down the Eagle River, observing a bull elk cross the river, biking, and swapping out AT, downhill and snowshoe gear for hiking shoes. These activities and others may now be in jeopardy.

Our winter playground, Vail, operates on National Forest Service lands, under a special use permit from the White River National Forest. Over 2.3 million acres of wilderness in central Colorado are managed by the White River district of the National Forest Service. Through a series of presidential executive orders, thousands of National Park Service staff have been fired or pressured to resign. Layoffs of 3,400 Forest Service employees will result in an increased risk of wildfires and insufficient trail maintenance. 

Read the rest of the letter on the Vail Daily website