A U.S. Forest Service protection officer talks with paddleboarders at the Wildwood put-in at North Star Nature Preserve in 2016, when Pitkin County teamed up with the Forest Service and naturalists with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies to tame crowds. The county now has agreements in place with the Forest Service, which owns the put-in land, that allow Open Space and Trails rangers to manage parking and issue tickets there.
Editor’s note: This is the first story in a two-part series from Aspen Journalism about the management of the North Star Nature Preserve east of Aspen. This story examines a potential land exchange that could be complicated by a mining claim, while the second story looks at past management, recent studies, and what’s next for North Star.
Land near an access point to the North Star Nature Preserve is being evaluated as a potential site for a gold mine. Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is beginning the process of updating the area’s management plan and considering a potential land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service.
Competing Objectives
The Boyles family and other concerned citizens believe that the county’s permitting of additional commercial operations is not in line with the conservation easement, which aims to protect the natural, ecological, and wildlife habitat of North Star. Balancing recreational and conservation values remains a challenge.
Paddle Permit Potential
Considering the increasing use of the river at North Star, discussions on limiting public access through a permitting system may be necessary to manage congestion and intensity of use. Private individuals, in addition to commercial operators, contribute significantly to river use.
Wildwood-area Gold?
The potential mining claim near Wildwood raises concerns about environmental impacts and conflicts with the preserve’s conservation objectives. Stakeholders are wary of the implications of a gold mine in the area and advocate for thorough environmental reviews before any mining proceeds.
