Earlier this year, Colorado’s Senate denied James Spehar a seat on the state Parks and Wildlife Commission after “virtually no discussion,” the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported. Though groups like Colorado’s Wildlife Federation and Trout Unlimited had supported Spehar, the Colorado Farm Bureau was openly against his appointment. “There were several groups that were opposed to his position,” Sen. John Cooke, R-Greeley, said. “They said he was pretty weak on property rights and other issues.”
That rare dismissal of a candidate to Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s governing board sheds light on how the current powers-that-be manage to ensure that the wildlife commission favors ranching and farming interests over conservation priorities.
Today, only 10 of 11 positions are currently filled on Colorado’s wildlife commission, a powerful governing board that steers wildlife management policy decisions. Commissioners are appointed by the governor and approved by the Colorado Senate. Even though respective interests are each limited to a certain number of seats, at-large members with agricultural ties currently give that sector an out-sized influence. After the Colorado Division of Wildlife merged with State Parks in 2011, two distinct commissions — 14 positions total — were consolidated into one commission meant to balance the needs of wildlife and recreation in the state. Instead, the membership shows that agriculture interests have the loudest voice.
Paige Blankenbuehler is an assistant editor for High Country News. paigeb@hcn.org Follow @PaigeBlank
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Wildlife’s influencers and influences.
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