Crusaders for Wildlife: A History of Wildlife Stewardship in Southwestern Colorado

The people who live, work and play in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado have a rich wildlife heritage. Two hundred years ago wildlife roamed and soared through the mountains of western Colorado. The fish swam in the clear mountain streams, and the Ute Indians followed the large herd of wild animals that sustained their way of life. Within a hundred years the white man had not only confiscated the Ute homeland but also destroyed the natural ecosystem and nearly eliminated all wildlife. At the turn of the twentieth century concerned citizens were demanding that action be taken to restore Colorado's wildlife heritage. Crusaders for Wildlife is a history of what the people did to bring wildlife back to the San Juan Mountains in Western Colorado.