Preserve & Protect

To Preserve and Protect: Never Give Up

Protecting the wild places we love is never easy. It takes patience, persistence, and an unwavering belief that the fight is worth it.

For me, that fight was for the Grizzly Peak Research Natural Area (RNA)—a pristine, untouched expanse above High Camp. I saw its beauty and knew it needed protection. Snowmobilers in the winter, mountain bikers in the summer—these uses, while fitting in other areas, didn’t belong here. The land was too fragile, too rare, to be overrun.

My involvement began in 2006, when I joined the effort to be involved with the Land and Management Plan for the San Juan National Forest. That plan designated eight Research Natural Areas (RNAs)—small, carefully protected sites across U.S. National Forests, preserved for their unique ecological value and scientific research. RNAs are the strictest level of public land protection short of a full wilderness designation.

The Grizzly Peak RNA holds rare fens and water sources, subalpine firs of extraordinary size, and slow-moving rock glaciers. It had remained untouched by human development—one of the last truly wild places. But despite its designation, two of the eight RNAs in the plan still allowed motorized and mechanized use. That didn’t sit right with me. If we were protecting these places for their natural integrity, then they needed full protection—not loopholes that allowed degradation.

And so, I got to work.

For the next nine years, I dug in. I studied other RNAs. I organized four on-the-ground tours with San Juan National Forest staff, handing out reports and photos to show why this place mattered. I met with decision-makers, knocked on doors, and asked for support. I rallied people from different organizations to write letters. I heard plenty of “it’ll never happen” and “you’re wasting your time.” But I refused to quit.

Finally, I asked the question that changed everything: What will it take?

Their answer: an Environmental Assessment (EA).

The Mountain Studies Institute stepped in to help. One more year passed as we waited for the EA to be written. More people told me to let it go. But on January 15, 2015, after nearly a decade of effort, I got the news I had fought for:

The Grizzly Peak RNA was now fully protected.

Forever.

This wasn’t just a personal victory—it was proof that persistence works. When we stand up for the places we love, when we keep pushing despite the obstacles, we can make a difference.

So, if you ever wonder whether it’s worth the fight, remember this: never give up, and speak up about why our public lands are important to the fabric of our country. 

-Cindy Farny