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Conservation and the Value of Colorado’s Public Lands

Trail runner with a mountain range in the background

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09/21/2022

 

NoCo PLACES 2050 celebrates conservation and the value of Colorado's public lands on National Public Lands Day 

 

Eight participating agencies of NoCo Places


Denver, Colo. – Colorado is known for outdoor adventures, and with over 2.18 million acres of public land along the Northern Front Range, there are plenty of areas to explore. With increased visitation on public lands, it is clearer than ever that investments to support the conservation of our lands, waters, and wildlife are critical pieces of sustaining this high quality of life for future generations of Coloradans.

National Public Lands Day on September 24 inspires people to consider the value of conserved lands in Colorado, as shown in this video. The nation's largest single-day volunteer effort is celebrating its 29th year with the theme “Giving Back Together.” The COVID-19 pandemic caused millions of people to seek recreation, solace, and safety in the outdoors on Colorado’s public lands. The sentiment for this year’s volunteer effort is giving back to the land that has served us during a difficult time.

Why do Coloradans value public lands? The answer ranges from the health benefits of being outdoors, to the desire to preserve natural spaces for future generations. The connection of people to green spaces is vitally important for communities to have access to the outdoors now and in the future. Additionally, parks and open spaces are valuable as wildlife habitat, for native plants, and for clean water. 

See the value of Colorado’s public lands through the eyes of visitors and volunteers. 

“Our public lands are representative of many of the greatest ideals of our country, and our collective appreciation, conservation, and stewardship is necessary to keep them healthy and thriving,” says Aaron Mayville, deputy forest supervisor, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. “I encourage everyone to take a moment to reflect on how to give back, together, and appreciate how fortunate we are here in Colorado to have such treasured landscapes right out our back doors.” 

Northern Front Range land management agencies encourage Coloradans to examine how they can value and conserve our public lands, on National Public Lands Day, and every day. Everyone can celebrate the fabric of public lands through volunteerism, stewardship, and conservation activities. Contact the Northern Colorado agencies listed below to explore National Public Lands Day volunteer opportunities.

These messages are part of a broader effort by eight agencies collaborating on ways to address the challenges of high visitation and a growing population in northern Colorado’s foothills and mountains. Called NoCo PLACES 2050, this collaboration is committed to sustainable solutions, equitable actions, and beneficial land management practices for the long-term conservation of public lands in Colorado and the quality of the visitor experience. Learn about NoCo PLACES 2050. 

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.