Conservation Colorado
Our national and state parks are where some of our families’ most unforgettable memories are formed—from our first childhood hikes to our first glimpses of wildlife. While we all know how special these places are, the funds that are meant to protect them are being spent elsewhere.
Protecting Colorado’s parks from drilling, mining, logging and development
Our parks are where some of our families’ most unforgettable memories are formed— from our first childhood hikes to our first glimpses of wildlife.
No wonder writer Wallace Stegner called our nation’s park system America’s best idea. Still, drilling, mining and other industries in Colorado consider the lands in and around many of our local parks as something else— “investment opportunities” to be exploited.
This encroachment is leaving the land surrounding these parks at risk—seriously threatening their ecosystems, waterways and wildlife.
We need to protect every acre of our parks for future generations, before industrial operations jeopardize our state’s natural heritage, beauty and environment.
Our senators have a unique opportunity to protect these parks
Each year, Congress raids the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the program dedicated to protecting treasured places like Rocky Mountain National Park and South Boulder Creek, and uses the money for other purposes.
Environment Colorado is bringing citizens together to convince Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall to make protecting our state and national parks a top priority during their current term as U.S. senators. By working together, we can leave a lasting legacy for Colorado and its future generations.
Together, we can win
Members and supporters like you make it possible for our staff to conduct research, make our case to the media, testify in Denver and Washington, D.C., and build the grassroots support necessary to protect all of our state parks forever.
Key Facts
- Last year, Congress moved to slash the Land and Water Conservation Fund by 93%, leaving public lands
across the country vulnerable to encroaching development, oil and gas drilling and mining. - From South Boulder Creek to Rocky Mountain National Park, our nation’s park system has been called
America’s best idea, yet the fund established to protect them has only ever been fully funded once. - Your action and support can help us win more protections for places like Rocky Mountain National Park, like our victory earlier this year when Colorado’s Chimney Rock was designated a national monument, so its natural history and beauty will be preserved for generations to come.