Locals excluded from Devils Tower stakeholders meeting

A rancher whose property adjoins Devils Tower is upset over being excluded from a meeting in which stakeholders discussed which stories visitors should hear when they travel to the national monument. Park officials say the meeting was invitation only. And since the park is overseen by a federal agency, a meeting concerning Devils Tower is not subject to Wyoming’s open meetings law. About a dozen stakeholders made up of American Indians, climbing enthusiasts and park historians were invited to a two-day meeting last week in Hulett. The attendees discussed the park’s interpretation plan, an internal document that spells out which stories park rangers should tell to tourists. Rancher Ogden Driskill, whose property is next to the park’s south and east boundaries, feels he should have had a say in the process. Driskill said his family has lived near the park since 1880. He claims park officials have a history of excluding ranchers from stakeholder meetings. “I really honestly don’t think this was an oversight,” Driskill said. “We feel we should be offered a seat at the table.”...read more