New Statewide Plan Sets Goals to Double Down on Conservation
10-year roadmap was created by and for the conservation community
April 5, 2023 – DENVER – Keep It Colorado, a nonprofit coalition of conservation organizations, announces the publication of Conserving Colorado: A 10-year Roadmap for the Future of Private Land Conservation. The roadmap sets goals to double the number of acres of land protected through conservation, double the engagement of Coloradans in conservation efforts and programs, and double the resources needed to support conservation work over the next decade.
“The publication of Conserving Colorado is an important milestone for the conservation community, and we wish to say kudos to all who contributed to this monumental effort over the past 18 months,” said Linda Lidov, interim executive director of Keep It Colorado. “The roadmap represents both the community’s collective vision of our state’s future, and a celebration of all the work that’s been done over the decades to help Colorado stay the unique and beautiful place that it is.”
Created in collaboration primarily with nonprofit land trusts and public open space agencies, and with input from other conservation and stewardship partners, public and environmental health agencies, tribal members, outdoor recreation groups and other participants from across the state, the plan is a rallying cry for the conservation community. About 60 percent of lands in Colorado are privately owned – and efforts to protect them have resulted in the iconic landscapes, scenic vistas, healthy wetlands, abundant wildlife, thriving agricultural economy, strong outdoor recreation opportunities, and unique cultural and historic heritage Colorado is known for.
The roadmap calls for the continued and increased protection of Colorado’s natural resources in the face of growing threats such as climate change, drought, water loss and population growth. Focusing on the trifecta of people, nature, and the resources the conservation sector needs to continue its work over the long term, the plan emphasizes the need to engage more Coloradans in conservation – including those who have historically been underrepresented in the conservation realm.
Conserving Colorado is organized under five focus areas or “pillars,” each accompanied by a set of goals and strategies for action, as well as several case studies to illustrate the work:
Climate-resilient Landscapes: Protecting more resilient and connected landscapes, healthy ecosystems, and biodiversity.
Community-centered Conservation & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ): Authentically engaging diverse perspectives and experiences in conservation, so we can conserve more land and deliver more direct benefits to more people.
Collaborative Water Solutions: Increasing work with water conservation partners on solutions and projects that protect water for nature and people.
Resilient Agriculture: Protecting more farmland and ranchland; expanding opportunities to cultivate landscape and economic resiliency; and increasing equitable access to local food production, land ownership and conservation programs.
Lasting Conservation Movement: Increasing awareness of and funding for this critical work and building a conservation movement that is more responsive and relevant to Coloradans now and in the future.
The coalition’s call to action via this roadmap is that people across Colorado see themselves as part of the statewide conservation movement – supporting conservation wherever they can and in whatever ways they can. The coalition asks that policymakers look for legislative opportunities to support and enhance conservation programs and incentives, reduce barriers to entry, and create new programs and incentives that keep Colorado, Colorado. It seeks funding partners eager to support conservation approaches that include land protection, community programming and organizational capacity needed to accomplish the roadmap’s goals. And it calls on Coloradans everywhere to support conservation efforts in their community by volunteering, advocating, voting, donating, participating in programs, and considering conservation as a lasting opportunity for their Colorado.
A short video celebrating the plan is available on YouTube. Conserving Colorado: A 10-year Roadmap for the Future of Land Conservation is available for viewing at keepitco.org.
Key funders that have invested in Conserving Colorado including Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Trinchera Blanca Foundation, and Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways.
###
