Western Wildlife

Carter Niemeyer is a wolf expert with more than 40 years of experience. He was part of the federal team that reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho in the '90s and was on the Technical Working Group that advised Colorado Parks and Wildlife during the Wolf Restoration and Management Plan process. He has written two award-winning memoirs about his career with U.S.D.A. Wildlife Services and will be in Carbondale this weekend for workshops and a book signing. He sat down with KDNK's Amy Hadden Marsh earlier this week to talk about wolves among humans and what made him go from Wildlife Services to wolf advocacy.

Wilderness Workshop, based in Carbondale since 2004, has a storied history and legacy of big wins for mountain landscapes and the environment. Founded back in 1967 by Joy Caudill, Dottie Fox and Connie Harvey, this powerhouse trio of Aspen women convinced Congress to designate capital-W Wilderness in the Hunter-Fryingpan, Collegiate Peaks, Raggeds and West Elks, and doubled the size of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area. That was in the 1970s and 80s. A string of policy victories followed. More recently, energy has focused on staving off ravages from gas and oil extraction, including the hard-fought cancelling of gas leases in the Thompson Divide outside Carbondale.The hard work is not over for Wilderness Workshop. Advocacy director Erin Riccio (RICH-eeyo) just returned from Washington D.C. She stopped by KDNK this morning to tell news host Mike Lemmer about the trip, and new threats to wilderness and communities from the energy sector.

KDNK’s news team brings you local and regional news from the Roaring Fork Valley ... and beyond.

Colorado’s collared grey wolves are forming new packs with new pups. But, livestock producers are still contending with predation.

Join KDNK News Director Marilyn Gleason and Matt Barnes as they discuss wolf reintroduction, relationships with agricultural producers, and the cultural natural heritage that belongs to us all.

KDNK’s news team brings you local and regional news from the Roaring Fork Valley ... and beyond.

KDNK’s news team brings you local and regional news from the Roaring Fork Valley ... and beyond.

Colorado Parks and WIldlife published the most recent collared gray wolf activity map last week.

News Director Marilyn Gleason talks with vice chair of the Roaring Fork Audubon Delia Malone about the annual backyard bird count, and what species you can see in your own corner of Colorado.