The piece in the recent Roses and Thorns article (Feb. 21, aspentimes.com) damning the hard work that’s being done to protect the North Star Preserve was both remarkably uninformed and self serving, perhaps by someone who wants to paddle the river, unimpeded by rules.
Calling the problem of the huge number of illegally parked cars basically “fake news” demonstrates a lack of awareness and care about the damage being done to a nature preserve. This beautiful preserve was intended to protect the diverse flora and fauna of the area, with recreation a lovely but secondary goal. We are losing our elk population there as well as our water birds; this is not a bunch of cranky wealthy people complaining that we don’t like having to slow down for a few minutes on Highway 82 to pass the rowdy crowd at the bridge.
These are concerned citizens watching one more nature area being devastated. The cars all over Highway 82 next to the preserve demonstrate the over-use of the river which has caused significant harm already. The plan to safeguard an area given to the county as a protected environment is a necessary, critical step, if we are not to destroy the very nature people come to Aspen to enjoy. We all need to start taking responsibility; the environment cannot survive without us acting as stewards.
Beth Weissman and Kevin Boru
Part-time Aspen residents