From Prospectors to Protectors: Closing the Tunnels of the Past By Renae Foutz

Across the world, abandoned mines continue to pollute ecosystems and degrade the landscape surrounding them. Mine reclamation is the process of minimizing this environmental damage and returning the land to a safe and beneficial condition. This involves stabilizing soil, replanting vegetation, and sealing off hazardous openings. What it does not usually involve is mountaineering, helicopter drops, and crews spending weeks at a time deep in the backcountry. That is the niche Horizon Environmental Services has carved out for itself.

More than a century ago, tough high-country prospectors found their way into the San Juan Mountains chasing veins of silver and gold. They hauled drills, timber, and dynamite high into the mountains, and spent weeks, or even months, living near the mines they carved into the rock. These mines have shaped southwest Colorado’s identity and economy, but a century later, thousands of abandoned openings remain scattered across the high country. Many are hidden in remote terrain, high in the mountains. Left unsealed, they pose hazards to hikers, wildlife, and the surrounding environment.

Today, crews from Horizon Environmental Services are making the same climb into the San Juans, but instead of dynamite strapped to their backs, they carry welders. Maddy Mead, an employee at Horizon Environmental, explained the process. HES begins by measuring the openings of the mines and then prefabricates steel grates designed to close them off. In some cases, the heavy steel pieces are flown in by helicopter. In others, they are broken down into manageable sections and packed up the mountain by hand.

This is when the real work begins. Part environmental restoration project, part mountaineering expedition, the crews hike in with welding equipment, fuel, and supplies. They establish temporary camps in the high backcountry where they may spend weeks backfilling the mines, rerouting waterways, and installing grates.

General manager Neal Matoski explained several benefits of closing old mines. Backfilling helps stabilize the area, preventing a possible collapse that could injure wandering hikers or wildlife. Doing this also protects the already fragile alpine tundra.

Mines also generate several forms of pollution which, if left untreated, pose serious risks to both the immediate environment and areas further downstream. Acid mine drainage is the most common form of pollution. It occurs when rocks that contain sulfur are exposed to oxygen and water, causing chemical reactions that generate sulfuric acid and dissolved iron. The acidic runoff can dissolve heavy metals like copper, lead, and mercury, which then leach into nearby waterways. These contaminants threaten both wildlife and human populations¹. The soil surrounding the mines is also contaminated with sediment that can infiltrate waterways or be picked up by wind to pollute other areas².

That being said, mines are not entirely harmful. Matoski pointed out that while every site is different, some mines are relatively stable and dry and have become suitable habitats for surrounding wildlife. Bats in particular have found their own way to reclaim these mines, but they are threatened each time a curious hiker wanders inside. With this in mind, HES designs the grates so that bats can continue to get in and out of the mines, but larger wildlife and humans cannot. Protecting bats is crucial for maintaining overall biodiversity. Colorado is home to 19 different bat species that control insect populations and eat pests that damage forests and transmit diseases. Bats are also pollinators, so their presence is essential in protecting the flora of the environment³.

While it is clear the biodiversity of the San Juans is threatened by abandoned mines, it is not the only region facing this problem. The United States alone contains more than half a million abandoned mines, while tens of thousands more exist in countries such as Australia, Canada, and Japan⁴. Around the world, pollution from these sites continues to threaten ecosystems and waterways. Restoration work like that done by HES is becoming increasingly important as communities work to repair the environmental damage left by historic mining.

The work to reclaim old mines is a long, difficult process, but the effort of HES is invaluable in restoring the mountains to a safer, healthier ecosystem. With each grate installed and mine filled in, another piece of the high country is restored. At the end of the day, the landscapes of Southwest Colorado will never look the same as they did before the first prospectors arrived. Their legacy will remain etched in the mountainside forever, but now so will the legacy of Horizon Environmental Services.

¹ Somarin, Ali. 2014. “Mining and the Environment: What Happens When A Mine Closes?” Thermo Fisher Scientific.

https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/mining/mining-and-the-environment-what-happens-when-a-mine-closes/.

² Somarin, Ali. 2014. “Mining and the Environment: What Happens When A Mine Closes?” Thermo Fisher Scientific.

https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/mining/mining-and-the-environment-what-happens-when-a-mine-closes/.

³ “Learn About Bats.” n.d. Colorado Bat Watch. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://coloradobatwatch.org/about/. ⁴ Berry, India. 2021. “Top 5 Locations with Abandoned Mines.” Mining Digital.

https://miningdigital.com/top10/top-5-locations-abandoned-mines.

This is the second FLC student profile of local people making a difference to the Earth.

By Madigan Stewart

March 11, 2026

In the mountains of southwest Colorado, biodiversity rarely makes the headlines. The most important players are often easy to overlook and buzzing somewhere just out of sight. But for Fort Lewis College biology professor Dr. Ryan Schwarz, those small creatures are at the center of a much bigger story.

Dr. Schwarz’s work connects to one of the major environmental crises: biodiversity loss. While species have always gone extinct throughout Earth’s history, Schwarz is concerned less with biodiversity loss and more with the rate at which it is happening. Rapid environmental change, habitat destruction, and human land use decisions are at the forefront of disappearance of species (Potts et al., 2010).

His fascination with the natural world began before he became a professor. Growing up in southern Arizona, Schwarz spent time exploring coastal environments where tide pools filled with marine life intrigued him. Strange fish washed ashore, and encounters with unusual sea creatures sparked curiosity about how diverse nature could be. Those childhood experiences helped ignite a lifelong interest in biology.

As Schwarz continued his education, he focused on wildlife management and conservation to contribute to the protection of threatened and endangered species. Over time, his research shifted toward a group of organisms that are commonly overlooked. His early research on native Hawaiian spiders opened the door to the understudied world of insects.

That shift proved significant. Insects represent a substantial portion of the biodiversity on Earth, making them essential to understanding ecosystem function. Yet compared to mammals or birds, insects receive little public attention. For Schwarz, this imbalance highlights an important gap in conservation efforts. Protecting biodiversity requires understanding the organisms that make up most of it.

His research eventually led him into work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture studying honeybees. Although honeybees are not a native species, they served as an important model organism for studying parasites and symbiotic relationships. That work expanded into an interest in native pollinator species that play crucial roles in plant reproduction and ecosystem stability (Leandro, 2023).

Southwest Colorado provides an ideal environment for this research. The region’s varied elevations and mountain ecosystems create conditions that promote pollinator diversity and speciation. Different plant communities across these elevations support groups of insects, forming ecological relationships that scientists are working to understand (Armstead et al., 2024).

One challenge Schwarz faces is how little information exists about local insect species. Scientists do not know where certain populations occur or whether they are declining. To fill those gaps, Schwarz has focused on place-based research, studying the biodiversity that exists in the region’s own landscapes.

Much of this work involves collaboration. Schwarz works with landowners and conservation organizations like the Mountain Studies Institute, and government agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. These partnerships allow researchers and stakeholders to share information and develop strategies that support biodiversity.

Land management decisions can significantly impact insects. Property owners altering natural habitat or land use practices can influence which species thrive and which disappear. By collaborating directly with stakeholders, Schwarz helps translate scientific knowledge into real-world conservation decisions.

Another important part of his work happens in the classroom. Schwarz teaches conservation biology courses that introduce students from various academic backgrounds to environmental issues. Some of those students will go on to work in biology or conservation, while others will carry a new awareness of biodiversity into their daily lives and communities. Either outcome helps expand the network of people paying attention to environmental change.

Schwarz emphasizes the importance of community involvement in scientific discovery. Monitoring insect populations across a large region is difficult for any researcher, so observations from residents can be valuable. Reports of unusual insects or unexpected population changes often lead to new discoveries, including previously undocumented populations.

In fact, Schwarz’s more recent research interest in local firefly populations began because no one else in the region was studying them. By diving into scientific literature and collaborating with a network of researchers interested in western fireflies, he was able to begin documenting populations.

For Schwarz, discoveries represent more than academic achievements. They are a larger effort to understand and protect biodiversity. Insects may not capture public attention like larger animals do, but they form the backbone of terrestrial ecosystems. Without them, pollination and ecological balance would quickly unravel (Potts et al., 2010).

In a world facing biodiversity loss, the smallest creatures may hold the biggest answers.

And in southwest Colorado, Dr. Ryan Schwarz is making sure they are not ignored.

References

Armstead, S., Carper, A., Davidson, D., Blanchard, M., Hopwood, J., Larcom, R., Black, S., Briles, C., Irwin, R., Jolma, G., et al. (2024). Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study.

Leandro, C. (2023). Insect and arthropod conservation policies: the need for a paradigm shift. Curr. Opin. Insect Sci. 58,.

Potts, S. G., Biesmeijer, J. C., Kremen, C., Neumann, P., Schweiger, O. and Kunin, W. E. (2010). Global pollinator declines: Trends, impacts and drivers. Trends Ecol. Evol. 25, 345–353.

Finding environmental hope in a dying river.

This is the first in a series of Fort Lewis College student profiles on local people
who are making a difference to the Earth.

Zac Streeter | March 11, 2025 | PS 232

A bunch of vampires sit around a table and discuss a dwindling food supply. One vampire suggests killing all their prey at once, but the others quickly reject the idea. The nutrients in the supply would run out, there would be no time for food to replenish, and vampire families would certainly go hungry in the long-term. They face a dilemma: in order to survive with their current parasitic livelihood, they have to keep the host alive. While vampires do not roam the Colorado River Basin, Mike DeHoff, a founding member and the principal investigator of the Returning Rapids Project, uses this analogy to describe the harsh reality of the Colorado River’s ongoing water problem.

Water that begins as snow in the Rocky Mountains trickles through tributaries and creeks before forming the mighty Colorado – “America’s Nile,” – the lifeline of the American West.  The Colorado River Watershed supplies freshwater for 40 million people in the arid Southwestern United States. Water usage among stakeholders across the basin equates to about 8.5 million acre-feet of water. This water is pulled from massive human-made reservoirs along the Colorado created by Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam. These reservoirs, however, are rapidly depleting as demand for water rises.

Mike DeHoff noticed these lowering reservoir levels as a rafter floating through Cataract Canyon, a stretch of river that is world-renowned for its continuous and difficult whitewater. The canyon was partially inundated by the construction of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963. DeHoff described that on his first trips through Cataract, the formidable rapid known as Big Drop III would commonly have jet skiers floating in the lake below rapid’s runout. As of 2026, the Colorado’s current flows past the Dirty Devil River confluence, over 35 miles downstream of Big Drop III, with several large rapids reemerging as lake levels have dropped. “One way I describe it is that Cataract these days is like an old friend you’ve known for a long time who has come home after being in the hospital for a while,” Mike described, speaking on how his relationship with the canyon has changed through Lake Powell’s recession. “They’re getting better, but they’re not entirely themselves yet.”

It is undeniable that Lake Powell’s recession and the western water crisis as a whole paints a terrifying picture for the West’s future. Lake Powell has dropped to below 27% water capacity, snowpack levels have hit record lows in the Rocky Mountains, deep cuts to cities’ water supplies are imminent, and as DeHoff puts it, “we made massive decisions without fully understanding the systems we were altering, and now we’re dealing with the consequences.” He says that we may be dealing with water bankruptcy in Lake Powell within the next 12-24 months.

But one thing that many may not expect, including DeHoff himself, is that Lake Powell’s recent lack of water has also revealed hope in the face of climate change. Returning Rapids’ case study on Gypsum Rapid within Cataract had startling results around Glen Canyon’s ability to rebound. Over the course of just a few years after Lake Powell dropped to record low water storage, a portion of river covered by sediment was re-carved by the Colorado, revealing a rapid that had not roared since the initial inundation of Lake Powell over 60 years prior. “Many people say the canyon beneath Lake Powell is permanently damaged. But remember—it took about eighteen years to fill Lake Powell,” said DeHoff. “If the reservoir disappeared and the river had eighteen years to restore itself, I think people would be amazed at how quickly recovery could happen.”

Returning Rapids at its core investigates a story of environmental resilience, one of a river reviving itself despite impossible odds. DeHoff argues that the planet has powerful healing properties, which means one thing: don’t give up. “Make thoughtful decisions, think beyond your own needs, and take care of the systems around you. If you do that, those systems will take care of you in return,” he said. In a time defined by drought and disappearing reservoirs, the Colorado River may still remind us of something important: even damaged systems can recover if people are willing to let them.

References

DeHoff, M. (2026, February 26).  Personal interview.

Lundgren, A. (2024, June 21). “Mud glaciers” and sand waves: Unearth trapped sediment’s influence on the ever-changing Lake Powell. Great Salt Lake News / St. George News.

Mullane, S. (2024, April 9). Most complete accounting yet of Colorado River water use released, shows ag, environmental, evaporative uses. Water Education Colorado.

Did you know that one of the simplest and most immediate actions you can take for the climate is to eat more plant-based meals?

That’s why at Earth Day Durango, we’ve asked the food vendors to showcase their delicious plant-based items.

Learn more about how your diet and food waste affects the planet. This is something you can change today!

The most impactful things you can do at home

This page includes a nice graphic that includes food and food waste; it has a small number of actions and understanble visuals: https://www.rmets.org/metmatters/real-impact-climate-actions

But what makes the biggest difference?

World Resources Institute provides a chart showing the actions households can take and puts them in priority order: Notice that going vegan is #5

https://www.wri.org/insights/climate-friendly-choices-ranked

Which foods have the biggest and smallest carbon footprint

Small changes in your ingredients can make a big difference.

This shows which foods have the highest and lowest footprint: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

This is a chart that shows impact of dairy vs. plant based milks.

https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impact-milks

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/environmental-footprint-milks?tab=chart

But can I get enough protein?

You can get all the protein you need from plant based sources. A number of Olympic athletes excel on a plant based diet.

And most Americans get enough protein but need more fiber; another benefit of a plant based diet!

Want to learn more?

Environmental impact of various foods.

https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food

This is a chart of all greenhouse gases and then the specific breakdown of food.

https://ourworldindata.org/greenhouse-gas-emissions-food

Documentaries

The Game Changers (2019): Focuses on plant-based athletes and challenges myths about protein.

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014): Investigates the environmental impact of animal agriculture.

Earthlings (2005) A, often considered, defining film on animal rights, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix.

Dominion (2018): Provides a comprehensive look at the ethical issues in factory farming.

Seaspiracy (2021): Examines the environmental damage caused by the fishing industry.

What the Health (2017): Examines the link between diet and disease, focusing on the health aspects of veganism.

Forks Over Knives (2011): Explores the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Eating Our Way to Extinction (2021): Highlights the climate impact of food choices.

Earth Day Durango is entirely planned by volunteers and we need help the day of our main celebration (April 18) as well as on the planning team.

Our amazing volunteer coordinator had to step down this year, so please, if you have a few hours a week when you could help us line up volunteers and then organize them during the Earth Day celebration on April 18, please get in touch with Heather Erb.

Durango will celebrate Earth Day on April 18 but we typically have dozens of educational events leading up to it. What knowledge or skill might you share (composting, clothing repair, reuse tips, climate action)? Is there a work party you’d like to offer (litter pick up, tree planting, clothing collection for the unhoused, recycling batteries)? Planning the event is up to you but we can help promote your event.

Need a space?

Leland House has built a gathering room that can hold up to 40 people and the cost is very reasonable.

According to the Leland House:

The Gather Room is a light-filled, flexible event space designed to bring people together. At approximately 400 square feet with abundant natural light, it’s an ideal setting for book clubs, yoga, art classes, educational talks, baby showers, private dinners, and more. The room is intentionally simple and welcoming, making it easy to adapt for a wide variety of uses. Affordable pricing and straightforward booking make it accessible for both one-time events and recurring series. Whether you’re hosting something intimate or creative, The Gather Room offers an easy, comfortable space to gather.

The space is typically $40/ hour, $250 for a half day (noon until late, not usually later than midnight, or any time in the morning until noon), and $450 for a full day. For folks who are selling tickets and would like a partner to help market their event, we offer the option to pay with a percentage of ticket sales. For free events meant to benefit the community or for non-profits, we offer a sliding scale for venue pricing and can often find a trade that feels like a win-win for both parties. Our goal is to have the space accessible for everyone and to fill the space with meaningful events in the community!

Call to reserve: (970) 385-1920

Earth Day is in April, with our big celebration scheduled for April 18. But related events are already being scheduled. Here’s what’s happening this month. Learn more about these and other upcoming events, constantly updated, at our Events tab.

Multiply your donation by joining 100+ for the Earth. We need nominations so become a member today to nominate your favorite environmental nonprofit. Members vote on the next winner January 21.

Members commit to $100 donation per quarter for 2026 (plus a small admin fee). Student/youth members only donate $10/qtr. Members can then nominate nonprofits and vote on the finalists. So include us in your year-end giving. Donations go through our fiscal sponsor, the Community Foundation, which is a 501 c 3 charity.

100+ for the Earth is a new giving circle that supports environmental nonprofits serving SW Colorado. At their inaugural meeting in October, individual $100 donations were multiplied 40 times so they could give 4CORE over $4000! Joining 100+ for the Earth can help us and your other favorite earth-focused nonprofits raise badly needed funds for our mission.

JOIN TODAY

Members commit to $100 donation per quarter for 2026 (plus a small admin fee). Student/youth members only donate $10/qtr. Members can then nominate nonprofits and vote on the finalists. So include us in your year-end giving. Donations go through our fiscal sponsor, the Community Foundation, which is a 501 c 3 charity.

1. LEARN MORE: https://www.100fortheearth.org/

2. FILL OUT THE MEMBERSHIP FORM: https://www.100fortheearth.org/membership

3. DONATE (for the year or by quarter): https://www.100fortheearth.org/donate

4. NOMINATE A NONPROFIT: https://www.100fortheearth.org/nominate-a-nonprofit

The inaugural meeting of the giving circled, 100+ for the Earth raised $4010 for 4CORE! Please consider becoming a member next year so we can raise even more money for our wonderful, local nonprofits.

Don’t leave candy in plastic pumpkins on your doorstep. Animals can get the pumpkins stuck on their snouts. And I just saw this on Facebook about fake spiderwebs.

Learn more here. https://discoverwildcare.org/keep-halloween-safe-for-wildlife-copy/