Colorado officials and partners from conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience sectors have announced the launch of Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy. The announcement took place at the Partners in the Outdoors Conference in Colorado Springs. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, and the Governor’s Office of Climate Preparedness & Disaster Recovery.
The strategy aims to provide a statewide vision for managing conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience efforts. It introduces tools and funding mechanisms to align priorities across agencies and communities. According to organizers, this framework is designed to address challenges posed by population growth, increased visitation, climate change impacts such as wildfires and droughts, and pressures on wildlife habitats.
Governor Jared Polis said, “Coloradans and our visitors love our great outdoors, and the outdoors are essential to what makes our state special. The health of our wildlife, biodiversity, people, communities, agriculture, and economies depends on thriving natural environments and amazing outdoor recreation experiences that our state provides. But our wild areas face significant and urgent pressures from growing populations, human disturbance, climate change, wildfires, and drought – and we are at an important crossroads. Our Strategy provides structure and important tools to help communities effectively and successfully plan and implement for the future.”
Outdoor activities remain central to life in Colorado. State data shows that 96% of residents participate in outdoor activities each year. In 2022 alone there were 90 million visitors exploring various parts of the state. With more than 960 wildlife species present in Colorado—and with projections showing population growth from 5.5 million to 8.5 million by 2050—the new strategy seeks to balance conservation needs with recreational use.
Key features include an interactive data dashboard offering state- and county-level information; a searchable library of federal-to-local plans related to conservation or recreation; planning resources; a statewide framework for Tribal collaboration; an equity-focused resource guide; mapping tools through Colorado’s Conservation Data Explorer (CODEX); as well as StoryMap resources.
Development involved input from state agencies alongside federal entities like Tribal Nations; private landowners; local governments; agricultural stakeholders; regional partnerships such as the Colorado Regional Partnerships Initiative; nonprofit organizations focused on stewardship or equity issues; among others.
Dan Gibbs, Executive Director at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources stated: “Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy is a bold, collaborative vision for the future of our state’s great outdoors. With leadership from the Department of Natural Resources, Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Outdoor Recreation Office, and the Governor’s office…we’ve developed an innovative framework that will guide how we protect and steward Colorado’s landscapes — making them more climate-resilient while also ensuring exceptional recreational opportunities are accessible to all…We’re proud of the work that’s been done.”
Conor Hall from the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office said: “As Colorado’s significant outdoor industry continues to grow…the Strategy offers a vital roadmap for balancing economic opportunity with environmental stewardship…It empowers communities…to work together in building a future where our landscapes are resilient…This strategy reflects our shared belief that the outdoors are central to Colorado’s identity…and that we all have a role in protecting them.”
Jonathan Asher from the Governor’s Office added: “Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy boosts Colorado’s technical chops…to answer how do we ensure our wild places thrive even while accounting for a changing climate…”
Other leaders including Jackie Miller (GOCO), Carlos Fernández (The Nature Conservancy), Chairman Melvin J. Baker (Southern Ute Indian Tribe), Patt Dorsey (National Wild Turkey Federation), Tony Hass (Las Animas County Commissioner), Janelle Kukuk (former State Trails Member), Luke Shafer (Conservation Colorado), Cindy Williams (Envision Chaffee County), Daylan Figgs (Larimer County Natural Resources), Jody Shadduck-McNally (Larimer County Commissioner), David Anderson (Colorado Natural Heritage Program/CSU), Kelly Flenniken (Colorado Counties Inc.), Doug Vilsack (Bureau of Land Management), Hattie Johnson (American Whitewater), Suzanne O’Neill (Colorado Wildlife Federation), Liz Rose (Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership) Becky Leinweber (Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance) also expressed support for this multi-agency approach.
Moving forward responsibility for implementing elements of this strategy will be led by Colorado Parks & Wildlife working alongside GOCO,the Department of Natural Resources,the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office,and other partners.
More details about resources can be found at cpw.state.co.us/coloradosoutdoorsstrategy.
