Post by greenjeep on Feb 17, 2005 0:05:23 GMT -5
Greens to buy acres, junk idle Moab tram
By Lisa Church
Special to The Tribune
MOAB - The Nature Conservancy of Utah has a solution for one of the two idle scenic trams near Moab - tear it down.
The nonprofit group announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with the owner of the Moab Rim Adventure Park to buy 160 acres, which includes the former "Moab's Skyway" scenic tram, a downhill mountain-bike race course and an off-road obstacle course.
A road through the property connects the Moab Rim with the Behind The Rocks trail, a route popular with off-road enthusiasts, hikers and mountain bikers. But the Conservancy is most interested in the land because of its location, which lies directly between a wilderness-study area and the Conservancy's 890-acre Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve - the Colorado River's only remaining natural wetlands - which provides refuge for about 220 bird species.
The land also is home to several rare plant species, and up to one-third of the world's supply of Canyonlands lomatium - also known as biscuitroot, a yellow-flowering plant, which roots in sandy valleys and rocky crags. Conservancy officials say preserving the land will help create a buffer for the plants and wildlife.
"This land is another piece in the conservation puzzle along the Colorado River corridor," said Sue Bellagamba, the group's Canyonlands program director.
"We were concerned that any further development would pose dangers to the area. And rare plants and animals in both the Matheson Preserve and the Behind the Rocks area could also have been threatened by additional light and noise pollution from future development."
Through private contribu- tions, the group has raised $180,000 of the $462,000 needed to complete the purchase. A fund-raising campaign is under way. Officials hope to secure the remaining $282,000 by mid-March, said Dave Livermore, the Conservancy's Utah director.
"We're scurrying to get it done, " Livermore said.
The Conservancy will work with Grand County and area off-road groups to keep the existing four-wheel-drive road open and to discourage off-road travel on areas outside the designated county-owned road.
"This is not an effort to close access," Livermore said. "We'll just want people to stay on the designated roads and trails to minimize the impacts to the private property."
The Conservancy has signed an agreement with a salvage company to dismantle and sell the scenic tram equipment. The Canyonlands office plans to recruit volunteers to help remove mountain-bike jumps and other gear installed on the property.
The tram on Moab's west side has been idle since March 2004, when current owner Scott McFarland closed down operations.
Another tram - at Moab's north entrance - has never opened for business since it was completed in 2002 because of a legal dispute between the owner and Grand County
By Lisa Church
Special to The Tribune
MOAB - The Nature Conservancy of Utah has a solution for one of the two idle scenic trams near Moab - tear it down.
The nonprofit group announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with the owner of the Moab Rim Adventure Park to buy 160 acres, which includes the former "Moab's Skyway" scenic tram, a downhill mountain-bike race course and an off-road obstacle course.
A road through the property connects the Moab Rim with the Behind The Rocks trail, a route popular with off-road enthusiasts, hikers and mountain bikers. But the Conservancy is most interested in the land because of its location, which lies directly between a wilderness-study area and the Conservancy's 890-acre Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve - the Colorado River's only remaining natural wetlands - which provides refuge for about 220 bird species.
The land also is home to several rare plant species, and up to one-third of the world's supply of Canyonlands lomatium - also known as biscuitroot, a yellow-flowering plant, which roots in sandy valleys and rocky crags. Conservancy officials say preserving the land will help create a buffer for the plants and wildlife.
"This land is another piece in the conservation puzzle along the Colorado River corridor," said Sue Bellagamba, the group's Canyonlands program director.
"We were concerned that any further development would pose dangers to the area. And rare plants and animals in both the Matheson Preserve and the Behind the Rocks area could also have been threatened by additional light and noise pollution from future development."
Through private contribu- tions, the group has raised $180,000 of the $462,000 needed to complete the purchase. A fund-raising campaign is under way. Officials hope to secure the remaining $282,000 by mid-March, said Dave Livermore, the Conservancy's Utah director.
"We're scurrying to get it done, " Livermore said.
The Conservancy will work with Grand County and area off-road groups to keep the existing four-wheel-drive road open and to discourage off-road travel on areas outside the designated county-owned road.
"This is not an effort to close access," Livermore said. "We'll just want people to stay on the designated roads and trails to minimize the impacts to the private property."
The Conservancy has signed an agreement with a salvage company to dismantle and sell the scenic tram equipment. The Canyonlands office plans to recruit volunteers to help remove mountain-bike jumps and other gear installed on the property.
The tram on Moab's west side has been idle since March 2004, when current owner Scott McFarland closed down operations.
Another tram - at Moab's north entrance - has never opened for business since it was completed in 2002 because of a legal dispute between the owner and Grand County
