Conserving Colorado Together
Colorado’s Outdoor Principles are a set of seven guidelines for advancing outdoor recreation and conservation. They are an addition to the North American Model of Wildlife Management and an effort to further refine an outdoor ethic that promotes both recreational enjoyment and thoughtful conservation of Colorado’s special places.
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Public Lands
Outdoor recreation and conservation require that a diversity of lands and waters be publicly owned, available for public access, and cared for properly. The uniquely American public-land heritage is a privilege and a birthright, and the availability of open space and outdoor recreation opportunities in Colorado is a major part of what has made this one of the most desirable states in which to live. We should seek to increase the quality of these public lands and waterways, and do so under the guidance of these seven principles.
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Private Lands
Within Colorado’s diversity of land and waters, private land provides a balance of conservation and access for outdoor recreation and conservation of landscapes. Private lands in Colorado are vital for the conservation of the natural resources and western heritage that has long defined the state. Private landowners increase the viability of our lands, waters and natural assets by keeping habitat connected and in a natural state. Private landowners and vested parties should be involved in collaborative dialogues whenever possible and turned to for solutions and deeper partnerships.
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Working Together
Both recreation and conservation are needed to sustain Colorado’s quality of life. Both are beneficial to local economic well-being, for personal health, and for sustaining Colorado’s natural resources. This mutual need exists because outdoor recreation helps people understand the importance of maintaining healthy, intact ecosystems. In turn, that understanding builds support for natural resource protection and stewardship, and conservation protects the land, water and wild places upon which outdoor recreation depends.
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Minimize Impact
All recreation has an impact. Coloradans have an obligation to minimize these impacts across the places they recreate and the larger landscape through ethical outdoor behavior. Ethical outdoor behavior demonstrates respect for land, water, and wildlife. This outdoor ethic is critical and must be developed in all users and taught to future generations.
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Management and Education
Proactive management solutions, combined with public education, are necessary to care for land, water, and wildlife, and to provide the protections needed to maintain quality recreation opportunities. Active public engagement in crafting solutions is necessary to ensure land management decisions reflect a consensus and can be effectively implemented. A broad, landscape approach is necessary in order to meet both conservation and recreation needs. Collaborative decision-making is needed to decide which activities are best suited for various landscapes.
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Science-based Decisions
Physical, biological and social science must inform the management of outdoor recreation. Management decisions should be grounded in the best available scientific information to ensure the protection of natural areas and the sustainability of resources. That information is also necessary to maintain and enhance the quality of outdoor recreation experiences.
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Stable Funding
Long-term, stable and diverse funding sources are essential to protect the environment and support outdoor recreation. Land management agencies need adequate funding from federal, state, and local government sources, supplemented by new and non-traditional funding from private and nonprofit sources.
Partners in Conservation
Colorado Parks and Wildlife partners with government agencies and other organizations to conserve land and wildlife in Colorado.
Since the bulk of Colorado habitat types include private land, private landowners are some of the most important partners in our conservation work. For that reason, we’ve implemented partnership programs such as Ranching for Wildlife and the Private Land Program. Many of our grants incentivize landowners to assist us in conserving the habitats they own.
For policy and planning reasons, many of our projects involve the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. As part of our broad approach to conserving wildlife species, we collaborate across state borders in order to implement consistent and effective strategies for wide-ranging wildlife.
Not-for-profit organizations are also critical to our work, often represented on our advisory panels and providing funding for special projects. Great Outdoors Colorado, a nonprofit that invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help conserve and enhance the state's parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces, makes significant investments through CPW.
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, is a new, multi-sector partnership dedicated to the conservation of amphibians, reptiles, and their habitats as integral parts of our ecosystem and culture through proactive and coordinated public and private partnerships. The organization enables each and every person and group involved to become more aware of national and regional issues confronting amphibians and reptiles. The diversity of participants makes the group the most comprehensive conservation effort ever undertaken for amphibians and reptiles.
The group is composed of representatives from:
- Federal and state agencies
- Conservation organizations
- Museums
- Nature centers
- Universities
- Research laboratories
- The forest products industry
- The pet trade industry
- Environmental consultants and contractors
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a member of the Swift Fox Conservation Team was formed in 1994. The team worked cooperatively on swift fox management and conservation by assembling new biological data and implementing monitoring and management programs. This resulted in a better understanding of the species status and a coordinated approach to management. These efforts demonstrated that swift fox were more abundant, widely distributed, and more flexible in habitat requirements than originally thought and led to the removal of swift fox in 2001 for consideration as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species act.
Through its partnering agencies and organizations, the SFCT continues to monitor and manage swift fox across their range to maintain the long-term population viability of this iconic prairie species. These reports outline the activities and accomplishments achieved on behalf of swift fox conservation by SFCT members and interested parties. Efforts include long-term monitoring, research, reintroductions, determining suitable habitat, grassland conservation, promoting public awareness, and information exchange.
State Agencies:
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
- Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks
- Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
- New Mexico Department of Game & Fish
- North Dakota Game & Fish Department
- Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation
- South Dakota Dept. of Game, Fish & Parks
- Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Wyoming Game & Fish Department
Federal Agencies:
- Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- U.S.G.S/Biological Resources Division
- U.S.D.A Forest Service
- U.S.D.A/APHIS, Wildlife Service
- Canada: Alberta Fish & Wildlife Division
Become a Partner
None of our conservation efforts would be possible without the cooperation and coordination of our partners.
Outdoor Principle Partners
View a list of organizations that have signed on as an advocate for Colorado's Outdoor Principles.
Find out more