The Crestone Eagle

06/16/2025

From Northern Saguache County Library District and Colorado Creative Industries.

June 26, Saguache Library.

06/12/2025

From the Saguache County Sheriff's Office.

06/11/2025

July 4th in Saguache! From Saguache Volunteer Fire Department. 🧑‍🚒👨‍🚒👩‍🚒

06/09/2025

From the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

PSA

Brush/slash Pile Burns Planned
Alamosa, Baca, & Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges

Contact: Tobey Bishop, (719) 480-2693, [email protected]

Alamosa, CO – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be burning slash piles of natural materials on the Alamosa, Baca, and Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges in an effort to clean up woody debris left over from dead trees, fallen tree limbs, and brush. The slash piles will be burned only as weather conditions allow. Professional fire personnel from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Mid-Plains Fire Zone will conduct the pile burning operations. Planned target dates for pile burning will be during the months of June, July, August, and September 2025. There will be no closures of the Refuges’ Auto Tour Routes and Walking Trails to the public during pile burning operations.

Limited smoke will be visible to local residents, towns, and highways during the day and may last for a few days following burning operations.

For up-to-date information, you may also contact Alamosa and Monte Vista Assistant Refuge Manager Dean Lee (719) 589-4021 x1008, or Baca Refuge Manager Ty Benally (719) 256-5527.

Additional information can be found on our San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex page at http://www.facebook.com/SanLuisValleyRefugeComplex

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health

– FWS –

06/09/2025

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋Butterfly counters needed! 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

June 21, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Contact Information: Gregg Goodland 719-588-7045 [email protected]

SAGUACHE – The Saguache Ranger District is recruiting volunteer “counters” to support the North American Butterfly Association’s (NABA) annual butterfly count to be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025. The Saguache event will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will begin with the volunteers meeting at the intersection of County Road 41G and Forest Service Road 720.

“Butterflies are one of the most beautiful elements of the natural world,” said Saguache Ranger District Wildlife Biologist Brandon Skerbetz. “Scientists now recognize that they can also serve as an important indicator of the health of ecosystems. It is exciting to work with a dedicated group of local naturalists while contributing to a nationwide program that conducts long-term monitoring of butterfly populations.” Skerbetz mentioned that, while knowledge of butterflies is a plus, it is not necessary.

The NABA Butterfly Count Program has been held annually since 1975, when only 29 counts were held. Volunteers around North America select a count area 15 miles in diameter and conduct a one-day census of all butterflies observed within that circle. Spring seasonal counts are held prior to June each year, July 4th counts are held in June or July, and the Fall seasonal counts are held after July. The best timing for butterfly observation in each count circle varies. The count program is intended to promote interest in butterflies and provide results useful for scientific monitoring of this beautiful and fascinating group of insects.

The North American Butterfly Association organizes the counts and publishes their annual reports. For more information on NABA and the Count Program, please visit their website at www.naba.org.

For more information on the Saguache event, please contact Brandon Skerbetz at (719) 655-6126 or [email protected].

06/09/2025

PSA

Brush/slash Pile Burns Planned
Alamosa, Baca, & Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges

Contact: Tobey Bishop, (719) 480-2693, [email protected]

Alamosa, CO – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be burning slash piles of natural materials on the Alamosa, Baca, and Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuges in an effort to clean up woody debris left over from dead trees, fallen tree limbs, and brush. The slash piles will be burned only as weather conditions allow. Professional fire personnel from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Mid-Plains Fire Zone will conduct the pile burning operations. Planned target dates for pile burning will be during the months of June, July, August, and September 2025. There will be no closures of the Refuges’ Auto Tour Routes and Walking Trails to the public during pile burning operations.

Limited smoke will be visible to local residents, towns, and highways during the day and may last for a few days following burning operations.

For up-to-date information, you may also contact Alamosa and Monte Vista Assistant Refuge Manager Dean Lee (719) 589-4021 x1008, or Baca Refuge Manager Ty Benally (719) 256-5527.

Additional information can be found on our San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex page at http://www.facebook.com/SanLuisValleyRefugeComplex

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health

– FWS –