Federalizing pristine local land is not preservation. It’s taking away local control of a hidden gem and handing it over to bureaucrats a thousand miles away who think protection means locking the gate to people and activities.

And yet good-hearted folks who mostly have the best intentions continue to fall for Big Environment’s evil plot to kick humankind off the land, one pristine parcel at a time.

Now the special interest groups have come knocking on the door to designate the Dolores River as a national monument.

And with Joe Biden on the hunt for ribbons to cut to get reelected, Montrose residents are right to be concerned.

Environmentalists swear on a stack of recycled hemp sketchbooks that historic uses of the area like grazing, mining, and recreation, will be allowed to continue.

But it’s never up to them. Government will know what’s best after it belongs to the federal government. And government management means everyone get out and leave everything alone.

The feds’ idea of land management is watching it burn to the ground then blaming it on climate control.

Some public meetings are coming up that folks should attend, including one next week on March 30 by a group called Halt the Dolores Monument starting at 10 a.m. at Friendship Hall in Montrose located at 1001 North 2nd Street.

We encourage everyone who thinks it might be a good idea to turn out and hear why it never really is.

Thousands of folks have already signed this petition against nationalizing the river.

The Dolores River is a hidden treasure. It does not need national attention to spoil it. The area needs local devotion to protecting the river while enjoying all the area has to offer for generations to come.

If you can’t make the March 30 meeting, here’s another opportunity.