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Talk at FLC to celebrate 50 years of wilderness

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the federal Wilderness Act, a state biologist will talk at Fort Lewis College about the importance of wilderness in regard to wildlife populations.

“Wilderness is incredibly important for wildlife populations,” said Scott Wait, senior terrestrial biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s southwest region in a Parks and Wildlife, in a news release. “It provides a significant refuge and allows animals to live with a minimal amount of human disturbance.”

Colorado’s southwest corner holds the largest concentration of wilderness areas in the state, including the largest federal wilderness, the Weminuche. Others are: Lizard Head, South San Juan, Sangre de Cristo, Fossil Ridge, Uncompahgre, Raggeds, La Garita, Powderhorn, West Elk and Escalante-Dominguez Canyon.

Wait, who has a degree in wildlife biology from the University of Wyoming and a master’s in wildlife biology from Washington State University, has worked for more than 30 years as a wildlife biologist in Colorado. He started his career with Parks and Wildlife (then the Division of Wildlife) in 1988 as a district wildlife manager in Saguache in the San Luis Valley.

In 1994, he became the area wildlife biologist for the agency in Durango, and in 2006, was promoted to his current position.

Wait works on a variety of wildlife resource issues, including: habitat restoration, big game, small game and species conservation. He also has worked on numerous special wildlife projects, including the introduction and reintroduction of lynx, Columbia sharp-tailed grouse and moose.

Wait’s presentation will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the lyceum at Center of Southwest Studies at FLC. Visit http://cpw.state.co.us for more information about Colorado’s wildlife.

johnp@durangoherald.com



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