On Tuesday March 16, 2021, the Rio Blanco County Board of County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to reaffirm the county’s opposition to wolf reintroduction to become a Wolf Reintroduction Sanctuary County. Rio Blanco County is the first in the state to adopt a Wolf Reintroduction Sanctuary Resolution since Proposition 114 passed on November 3, 2020.
Through the resolution, the commissioners stated the county would allow for the natural migration and repopulation of Gray Wolves, but would not allow for artificially introduced wolves. Further stating that “designated lands” for artificial reintroduction must not include Rio Blanco County or any other county in the state that adopts the Sanctuary County Resolution.
Proposition 114 narrowly passed in the statewide election; however, of the 64 counties in the state only 13 received an affirmative vote. There were only five counties on the western slope which voters approved the proposition. Under the Rio Blanco County Resolution, these would be considered to be designated lands by the terms defined by the ballot measure. Those counties include Pitkin, Summit, San Miguel, San Juan and La Plata County. Read more…