State's Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Leaders Announce Launch of Colorado's Outdoors Strategy

Collaborative vision for conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience ensures an enduring future for generations to come 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Colorado Governor Jared Polis and coordinating partners from several state conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience departments and programs, announced today the launch of Colorado's Outdoors Strategy, a statewide vision and framework for action that ensures a future where Colorado's outdoors, people, community character, and ways of life endure for generations to come. The Strategy was unveiled at the Partners in the Outdoors Conference in Colorado Springs. Coordinating partners involved in the Strategy development and rollout included Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, and the Governor's Office of Climate Preparedness & Disaster Recovery. 

Colorado's Outdoors Strategy, one of the first of its kind in the United States, is the state's conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience strategy. It advances coordination, tools, and funding to align, prioritize, and implement strategic actions on the landscape for conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience.   

"Coloradans and our visitors love our great outdoors, and the outdoors are essential to what makes our state special," said Governor Polis. "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 spaces are vital to residents, with 96% engaging in outdoor activities at least annually and 90 million visitors exploring the state in 2022. With more than 960 wildlife species and a population expected to grow from 5.5 million to 8.5 million by 2050, the Strategy supports Colorado's efforts to celebrate and balance both conservation and recreation. Colorado's Outdoors Strategy has three goals: 

1. Climate-Resilient Conservation and Restoration: Conservation and restoration of lands and waters help wildlife and biodiversity thrive; habitats are resilient and connected; communities benefit from healthy ecosystems and agricultural lands. 
2. Exceptional and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation: A diversity of high-quality outdoor experiences are accessible, equitable, and inclusive; management and stewardship enhance benefits for and minimize impacts to people, landscapes, and communities. 
3. Coordinated Planning and Funding: Planning and implementation are interdisciplinary; supported by robust funding and capacity; inclusive of diverse perspectives and communities; and drive meaningful action for the outdoors. 

"The Strategy supports all who love the outdoors in working together to achieve climate-resilient conservation and restoration coupled with exceptional and sustainable outdoor recreation," said Jeff Davis, Director, Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "Everyone can use the Strategy's vision and goals as 'North Stars' to champion Colorado's outdoors and coordinate efforts to achieve key outcomes for the state. The success of Colorado's Outdoors Strategy hinges on partnerships to work together toward common goals and solutions."  

The Strategy comes to life through 9 objectives and 33 coordinating partner actions, along with a Resource Hub, offering free online data, mapping tools, and other resources to support conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience planning. Available to public and private partners, the hub streamlines collaboration and enhances planning efforts for the outdoors. It currently provides:  

• An interactive data dashboard with state and county scale information, data, and links for conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience.  
• An interactive plan library that is searchable for federal, regional, state, and county scale conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience plans in Colorado. 
• Planning resources and guidance for conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience.  
• A statewide Guidance Framework for Tribal Collaboration in Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, and Climate Resilience.  
• An interactive Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resource and Action Guide that is searchable by topic area.   
• Colorado's Conservation Data Explorer (CODEX) and StoryMap with conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience mapping tools.

Coordinating partners worked to develop the Strategy and Resource Hub over the past year. Other key partners contributed to the effort including state, federal, and local governments; Tribal Nations; private and agricultural land/water rights owners and managers; local communities; Colorado Regional Partnerships Initiative; Colorado Outdoor Partnership; and diverse private and public sector partners in conservation, restoration, outdoor recreation, stewardship, climate resilience, and equity, diversity, and inclusion.

"Colorado's outdoor champions are showing their strength. The strategy is a testament to the power of partnership. United by a shared vision and leveraging the best available research, data, and resources, we are equipped to make decisions that will protect Colorado's landscapes, foster vibrant communities, and improve Coloradans' quality of life for years to come," said GOCO's Executive Director Jackie Miller. "We've accomplished so much already, and we're just getting started."   

Moving forward, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will steward Colorado's Outdoors Strategy by coordinating collaborative leadership and implementation with GOCO, the Department of Natural Resources, Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, and the Governor's Office, along with other agencies and partners.

For more information, or to access Colorado's Outdoors Strategy Resource Hub, visit the website. To access an executive summary of the plan, photos, graphics, a video and additional supporting quotes please use this link.

About Colorado's Outdoors Strategy
Colorado's Outdoors Strategy is a collaborative initiative led by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), in partnership with Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC), and the Colorado Governor's Office. This statewide vision aims to elevate common goals, amplify regionally rooted efforts, and provide data and tools to inform local decision-making. By advancing coordinated strategies and funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience, the Strategy addresses the challenges posed by growing populations, human disturbance and development, and climate change impacts such as rising temperatures, droughts, and wildfires. The development process involved a technical committee, statewide outreach, and a diverse steering committee, including representatives from local and state governments, conservation interests, Colorado Regional Partnerships Initiative, recreation interests, and Tribal Nations and was launched in early 2025. To learn more visit cpw.state.co.us/coloradosoutdoorsstrategy 

Media Contact: 
Travis Duncan, Public Information Supervisor
Colorado Parks & Wildlife
P 303.291.7780 
[email protected] 

SOURCE Colorado Parks and Wildlife