The 2010 State of the Rockies Report Card is the first ever Report Card to be dedicated  entirely to one subject: agriculture. The 2009-10 student Project Researchers spent the summer investigating the historical, demographic, financial, organizational, production, and land use issues of agriculture in the Rockies Region. Their analysis of multiple data sets, mapping projects, academic papers, and interviews will provide a unique and comprehensive look at the challenges and successes of agriculture in our region.

Watch for our “Notes from the Road” to hear more about the trip. First stop on Monday: the Javernick Family Farm (Canon City, Colorado) and the Quivira Coalition (Santa Fe, New Mexico).

Monday, July 6th

The group had a great experience meeting with Javernick Family Farms, and Beckie gave the student researchers a tour of their operation, discussing their experience with farmer’s markets, Community Supported Agriculture, and organic certification. The students asked questions about the local organic grower’s associations and the challenges of keeping the small farm in the family. Weed control was a major issue at the farm given the moisture this spring, requiring much volunteer labor and creative solutions (plastic tarps for the tomato plants).

Next stop was the Quivira Coalition in Santa Fe, where the group met with founder Courtney White. Courtney discussed the issues related to grassbanking, conservation easements, and public-private land partnerships. He also emphasized the importance of economic sustainability and Western beef production, not simply land sustainability. Quivira offers direct marketing of grass fed beef, as well as river restoration and range management courses. Courtney provided the students with new perspectives on climate change, fossil fuel challenges, and ranch carbon footprints.

Read more of Elizabeth Kolbe’s recent article in HeadWaters News here: http://www.headwatersnews.org/P.Look.ColoradoSOTR030509.html

The award is part of Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Project, now in its sixth year. The Marstons will receive the award April 6, during the 2009 State of the Rockies Conference, to be held April 5-7 on the Colorado College campus. The award, initiated in 2006-07, is presented to outstanding leaders of vision, drive and determination who are helping to shape the future of the Rocky Mountain West. Ted Turner was the first recipient of the award.

The Marstons are being honored as journalists who have lived in the West for many years, researching and reporting on the important trends and challenges of the region. The Marstons recognize the Rockies’ special place in the history and heritage of the country, as well as the challenges involved in preserving the West’s unique character.

In announcing the selection of the Marstons, Colorado College President Richard F. Celeste cited their “contributions over several decades to informed, thoughtful and comprehensive journalism through the strengthening and operation of High Country News.”

High Country News has become one of America’s most respected environmental publications, dubbed by some “the conscience of the West,” and the newspaper’s clout on environmental issues is impressive. Its correspondents give the paper a reach that goes well beyond its core coverage area of Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The paper has 23,500 subscribers, and they include most of the congressional delegations of the Western states. In 1987 the newspaper’s prestige was bolstered by a George Polk journalism award for its investigative series on water-use policies in 10 Western states.

The 2009 State of the Rockies Conference will focus on “Visions of the Rockies in 50 Years: Will Our Children Thank Us?” The Rocky Mountain West is undergoing rapid and profound changes, including increased growth, new energy sources and jobs, the loss of habitats and open spaces, shortages of water and shifting priorities and centers of influence.

Over three days in April, speakers representing diverse interests in the Rockies will share their vision for this unique and delicate region, and will discuss what their organizations are doing to shape the future.

Next Speaker: Monday, Oct. 6: “Can We Save Colorado’s Rivers? The Future of the Cache la Poudre of Northern Colorado.” Featuring speakers from the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Save the Poudre Coalition. Gates Common Room, 7pm, refreshments to follow.