Last Tuesday I participated with Bill Sulzman and other Colorado Springs Pinon Canyon expansion opponents in a demonstration in front of the Crowne Plaza Hotel where the 6th annual Sustainability Conference was being held. Goal 11 of the 2002 Fort Carson Sustainability Plan provided us with one of our first inklings of the Pentagon's plan to take over 2.5 million acres or more in Southeastern Colorado. Their new Fort Carson 2007 Sustainability Report is now online at
http://sems.carson.army.mil/sustainability/2007%20conference%20Web/Sust%20Report%202007_final.pdf

Here are a few choice excerpts from it:

Plans for next year include:

Identifying, involving and training external stakeholders who can influence regional sustainability and that support Fort Carson's efforts.

Archaeological evaluations to determine further eligibility for inclusion in the

National Register were conducted on approximately 40 sites, opening additional lands to unrestricted military training.

Fort Carson is able to conduct archaeological field inventories at a cost of approximately $12 per acre, versus the national average of $500+ per acre.

Over the past several years, Fort Carson has led efforts along with the Department of Defense (DoD) and other

government agencies to provide the resources for a group of over two dozen state and federal agency representatives, private organizations, universities and scientists to develop a collaborative conservation assessment of the 56 million acre Central Shortgrass Prairie (CSP) Ecoregion. The CSP ecoregion includes all of eastern Colorado, including eight DoD installations and totals more than 500,000 acres.

Wildlife crews also surveyed for Army Sustainable Range Awareness plant species and reptiles in support of a contracted survey conducted by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program for the development of a regional management plan for the barrens of southeast Colorado.

An archaeological inventory of an additional 20,000 acres to be conducted at PCMS will allow for greater flexibility and fewer restrictions for future military training rotations.

Siebert Stakes (reflective cylinders) will start being used in archaeological site protection. Use of these stakes is more cost effective than traditional fencing methods, and is less environmentally invasive as it protects rangeland wildlife by eliminating the use of barbed or straight wire enclosures.

Plans for next year include hosting two town hall meetings in Colorado Springs, one in November 2007 and another in February 2008, to keep the community updated on changes at Fort Carson. The town meetings will be hosted in other cities as opportunities arise.

Fort Carson will pursue more outreach to professional Colorado sports teams. Fort Carson has been approached by several professional sports teams in Colorado, including the Denver Broncos, with an interest in hosting Military Appreciation Nights. These teams want to engage Soldiers at their events and show their support for the military.

The Installation will support an increasing number of Congressional visits to Fort Carson and PCMS relating to high-profile military/political issues.

Plans for next year include: Explore partnerships and opportunities to meet the special needs of rural communities, agricultural and public interests that forward sustainable development throughout southern Colorado.

Annual Fort Carson GreenWash