CPW, state tourism workplace urge ‘Take care of Colorado’ | Information

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is partnering with the Colorado Tourism Office and the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to promote #CareForColorado Week May 15-22 and educate Coloradans and state visitors about how to do it Responsible implementation to conserve Colorado’s natural resources.

This coordinated Colorado action will celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day on Saturday, May 15, and is the perfect opportunity to educate Coloradans and visitors about how to care for the state we all love.

The #CareForColorado Week campaign aims to educate Coloradans and visitors to balance outdoor recreation with mindful conservation to preserve Colorado’s landscapes and outdoor heritage.

The campaign has a specific Leave No Trace principle each day of the week to ensure that those who are new to outdoor recreation in the state – or those who are trying new activities and discovering new places that may need a reminder – are the Care for Colorado Leave No. Trace principles.

“Colorado offers an oasis in the open air. So it’s no wonder that Coloradans take pride in our outdoor lifestyle and want to keep Colorado wild, ”said Dan Prenzlow, director of parks and wildlife in Colorado.

“As Coloradans, we live an outdoor life – and with that we all have a responsibility to look after Colorado and invest in nature and conservation so that our outdoor areas can be used for generations.”

Visitor numbers to the outskirts of Colorado continue to explode as Colorado residents seek out outdoor and socially distant activities. While visits to parks and wildlife areas have steadily increased over the past five years, the pandemic has increased the need to address the growing human impact in state parks and educate the outdoor community on how to look out for conservation.

“Coloradans are incredibly fortunate to live in a state with endless outdoor opportunities, but that comes with a responsibility to educate us about the implications of our outdoor recreation,” said Dana Watts, executive director of the Leave No Trace Center for Ethics Outdoors.

“Our goal is to encourage people to be conscious of protecting our outdoor spaces. This partnership is an opportunity to work with Colorado’s extensive outside community to remind people how small protective measures can make a big difference in protecting our environment can. “

The Care for Colorado Leave No Trace principles show that conservation starts small and that each individual can take proactive steps to reduce the impact on natural resources.

• Leave it as you find it

• Share our trails and parks

CPW has advocated the Leave No Trace principles for decades, teaching people that conservation is the foundation of outdoor recreation and our economy. Some examples of educational support efforts are:

• CPW’s Roxborough State Park, Castlewood Canyon State Park, and Barr Lake State Park are Gold Standard Site Awards from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. This means that these parks have been recognized for promoting the Leave No Trace ethic. There are only 13 Gold Standard sites in the country so being recognized is a remarkable achievement. Other Colorado State Parks that have Gold Standard Site Designations are Eleven Mile State Park and Staunton State Park.

• Incorporate Leave No Trace messaging into park visitor materials.

• Joined the Care for Colorado Coalition to educate Coloradans to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources.

• Include Leave No Trace materials in the Check Out State Parks Program Adventure Backpacks, available in more than 300 Colorado public libraries.

The CTO co-founded the Care for Colorado Coalition with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics in 2020. The coalition is now an alliance of nearly 30 state-wide organizations, federal and state agencies, and aims to train Coloradans and visitors to protect the state’s extraordinary natural and cultural resources. The Care for Colorado Coalition urges all recreational athletes to follow the seven core principles of Care for Colorado Leave No Trace in order to enjoy the great outdoors. Colorado Parks and Wildlife became a coalition stewardship partner in 2020 to educate visitors to all Colorado countries, bodies of water, and habitats, and to consider our impact on the wildlife and areas that make Colorado so special.

“The Colorado Tourism Office is pleased to be working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and leaving no trace to coordinate this second Care for Colorado week,” said Courtney Frazier, CTO chairman of the board and director of the Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association.

“We want everyone who plays in Colorado’s great outdoors to enjoy our wonderful natural resources while practicing Colorado Style Stewardship and following the Care for Colorado Leave No Trace principles.”

For more information on Colorado parks and wildlife conservation programs, visit cpw.state.co.us.