Browns Canyon National Monument

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Arkansas River with mountains in Browns Canyon National Monument
Rafting on the Arkansas River

The Browns Canyon National Monument is a US National Monument in Chaffee County in central Colorado . In the area lies the section of the Arkansas River in Browns Canyon with the surrounding area. It was designated by President Barack Obama by a Presidential Proclamation on February 19, 2015 with an area of ​​21,586 acres (8736 hectares ).

Administration and land ownership

It is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Forest Service (USFS). 11,836 acres Acres from Browns Canyon National Monument are part of the San Isabel National Forest and 9,750 acres of land under management of the BLM. The entire area is federally owned and was looked after by the BLM and USFS even before it was designated. Private properties within the boundaries of the National Monument are not part of the protected area. These private properties can only become part of the National Monument if they can be freely acquired by the United States. If the federal government acquires private properties within the National Monument, these properties become part of the protected area. The designation of the National Monument has no influence on the rights of owners of properties that are not owned by the USA in or on the borders of the protected area.

The protection designation does not affect existing permits for grazing with livestock within the area and this may continue to be continued. The use of water rights in the protected area is also not restricted in the protected area.

Walking, fishing, rafting , hunting, bird watching, climbing, mountain biking and horse riding are allowed in the reserve .

Except for emergencies or administrative purposes, the use of motorized vehicles is only permitted on roads and paths provided for them.

Animal species

Two bighorn sheep in the reserve
Landscape shot

Among the mammal species in the area are bighorn sheep , mule deer , elk , red fox , gray fox , coyote , puma and black bear .

The birds of prey are the turkey vulture , golden eagle , prairie buzzard , red-tailed buzzard and prairie falcon . The great horned owl , western screech owl, and gray owl are found in the area. More bird species are turkey , blue jay , Fahl forehead Schwalbe , Mourning Dove and Gray Jay .

People in the area

The American Indians have inhabited this area for at least 10,000 years. In the area of ​​the Obama-designated Browns Canyon National Monument, there are 18 documented archaeological sites, including 5 prehistoric sites. The sites go back to the early Archaic and possibly Paleo-Indian periods 8,000 to 13,000 years ago.

Web links

Commons : Browns Canyon National Monument  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h Presidential Proclamation - Establishment of the Browns Canyon National Monument
  2. ↑ United States Forest Service: Browns Canyon National Monument (official site)

Coordinates: 38 ° 36 '43 "  N , 106 ° 3' 36"  W.