HomeMy WebLinkAbout20102823.tiff November 5, 2010
To: Commissioner Dave Long A, 5
Weld County
P.O. Box 758
Greeley,CO 80631
From: Loren "Skip"Johnson, Pawnee national Grass Land Grazing Permitee
Subject: Comment concerning proposed Cervi Land Exchange with the US Forest Service
Dear Commissioner Long:
Sir I am writing you for assistance in a matter most concerning to myself and I believe will bring harm
the agricultural communities of North Central and Northeastern Colorado. I am Rancher in North
Eastern Colorado and live on a property which was homesteaded by my family over 100 years ago. Over
the past decades from the 1950s an Association was formed in concert with the US Forest Service to
allow for and manage the Forest Service lands for livestock grazing. These lands consist mostly of high
desert hard grasses that you are familiar with from the North central to the Northeast plains of
Colorado. These are some of the most nutritional and hardy grazing lands in the State. Even in the
worst of drought years, if managed properly and which these have been,can sustain substantial grazing
and recuperate over the "off" season. These lands are managed through the stewardship of ranchers ...
many of which are a legacy of decades. And though they are not deeded property they are essential
assets to the families that make a living in a challenging agricultural activity in this high desert
ecosystem,that being cow calf production operations. Frankly we've been through the mid 2000's
which saw some of the lowest annual precipitation levels ever. Yet these lands stand in some of the
finest condition they've ever been in. I think attributable to the stewardship of the Ranchers who know
these lands and protect them through grazing practices and upkeep of the infrastructure, both fencing
and watering resources.
Over the years... seemingly the last 15 years,there has been a revolving door of US Forest service
directors for the Pawnee Grass lands that has fostered a particular challenge to the Ranchers and the
association. In no way am I impugning the character of the current and former directors and employees.
I find them courteous and dedicated. The association and its members have made every opportunity to
help create and foster a "partnership"for the protection of the resources. Our challenge typically stems
from the lack of continuity of the directors as it's been somewhat of a revolving door and it takes years
fully understand this area. This ecosystem can be challenging especially if the employees come from a
mountainous or eastern plains back ground. In any matter I believe with the current staff we have
made every effort, and they have been receptive to a "working" relationship.
However, in the past a proposal was established by a resident and owner of grazing lands here that
border and intermingles with other private and Forest Service lands. There has been an attempt in the
past ... and has been resurrected,to do a "land swap" if you will. What is attached is my personal
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11 - as-ND I Iq_I0 2010-2823
opposition to the plan. I won't regurgitate the issue here. Please see the attached Letter to the Board
of Directors for the Pawnee Grazing association. The Forest Service will be copied as well.
Time is of the essence as it is the Forest Service's opinion that they would like to complete this swap by
the next grazing season this spring. I am also a member of the Colorado Air National Guard and I will not
be available for public comment as I deploy for a 6 month tour of duty in Afghanistan. I will be
reachable in Kabul but unable to attend meetings. I believe that this swap not only does a disservice to
the very community that the association and Forest Service serve but also, value to value ... is far from
comparable lands. Many of these areas are poor grazing locations because of topography, water
resources,grasses and fencing. We've seen no transparency in either the negotiations of the parties or
in the valuation of the properties proposed in the swap.
I leave the first week in November but will be in place in Afghanistan by Thanksgiving. My wife will have
all of my contact information and frankly is very eloquent in passing the information we wish to convey.
Please feel free to contact my wife Heidi for my information.
Thanks you for your time and attention to this matter.
Very respectfully,
Cow ore ip"Johnson, Commander
137th sws
Colorado it National Guard
Home Address:
54990 WCR 149
Stoneham Co 80754
970 735 2546
November 5, 2010
To: Board of Directors of the Pawnee Grazing Association
From: Loren "Skip"Johnson, Permitee
Subject: Comments concerning proposed Cervi Land Exchange
Directors:
Thank you for affording me the opportunity to add my concerns to the Cervi land swap proposal. I am
unable to speak technically about the swap proposal in the northern portions of the association but I
can speak quite generally. I will however, provide my personal feelings about the overall proposal and
the intended exchange of properties which directly affect myself and the permitees of the Horsetail,
Tappy and Lewis allotments.
Over the past 10 years I've been executing my annual permit in both the community pasture of the
Horsetail and the individual use of the Tappy allotment. Both allotments are well established "hard"
native grasses indigenous to the region. Both have adequate water resources,the Horsetail using its
own deep well to water the nearly 3000 acres, likewise the Tappy shares a single well and piped from
the Lewis. Both are meticulously maintained. Along with years of stewardship and upkeep on both the
fences and the watering structures, these allotments provide outstanding grazing,water storage with
earthen dams and lake beds, even in the worst of years. Through the drought years of the mid 2000's all
permitees were able to utilize these allotments to their maximum potential yet maintaining the
resources through voluntary grazing restriction. They stand today in as good of shape as I've ever seen
them.
The proposed exchange affecting my management the most is the proposal to the Tappy(at just over
500 acres)with a half section of CRP. This CRP was in production in the 80s before being planted to a
non native grass mixture. Over its production cycle it yielded very little in productivity and blew with
every strong wind. Even from a casual observance today it contains few solid native grasses, many
barren locations and aside from this year, has been overgrazed with horses by its owner. Its fences are
marginal at best but more importantly has no water resources what so ever, natural or manmade. Aside
from the obvious difference of nearly 200 acres, its ability to support Animal Units(AU's)would be
insignificant. It is certainly not a "one for one" exchange. Please see the attached pictures. If you wish
a personal tour that could be arranged as well. But in addition to its substandard grazing resources,
there would be no way to water the pasture. It borders the Horsetail but that water resource is
stretched to its absolute capacity and would be unable to support any extra AU's created by attaching it.
Though it borders me,the additional AU's created by simply dropping the fence and providing"Home
Use" is simply unsupportable by my existing stock wells. This would also shift out allotments and create
undue burdens moving longer distances for permit usage.
As for the exchange overall; my personal feeling is that it is a disservice to the very permitees that have
been the stewards of these grounds since the PGA inception. As such the current allotments have solid
infrastructure,adequate water resources and are some of the most prime "native grass" grazing areas in
Northeastern Colorado. The swap would put those long cared for resources in jeopardy and put an
undue burden upon the Association for development of new water resources on the proposed lands.
I'm not aware that there has been an estimate of what it would cost the Association to drill, pipe and set
tanks for the exchanged allotments. I would like to see a neutral appraisal of the properties and
burdens of adding water and fencing. As a citizen I'm not at all convinced, nor do I believe that in this
case, has the US Forest Service done its due diligence in this effort. I request,at the Forest Service's
soonest convenience, a grasses inventory on the CRP property before proceeding.
Finally,though I'll be in Afghanistan shortly, I intend to copy my Colorado legislative representatives as
well as the Office of the Secretary of Interior on this matter this week. I will advocate this exchange held
in abeyance until all matters of due diligence and"public disclosure" are completed.
Very respectfully
Loren "Skip"Johnson
cc Secretary Ken Salazar
Senator Mark Udall
Senator Michael Bennett
Representative Mike Coffman
Representative Elect Cory Gardner
Weld County Commissioner Dave Long
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Owner Disclaimer: The US Forest Service uses the most current and
108E Net complete data available. GIS data and product accuracy may
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vary. They may be: developed from sources of differing accuracy,
_Vlk; accurate only at certain scales, based on modeling or interpretation,
Cervi Enterprises Inc incomplete while being created or revised, etc. Using GIS products
- e4Toca for purposes other than those for which they were created, may
Other yield inaccurate or misleading results. The US Forest Service
reserves the right to correct, update, modify, or replace GIS
products without notification. For more information, contact the
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National
Vernon E. Koehler - 9/20/2010 Grassland at (970) 295-6600.
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