Conservationists in Colorado are dreaming big. In a time of political turmoil and legislative impotence, a consortium of Colorado conservation groups is floating an audacious plan to conserve 30% of the land in the state — roughly 20 million acres — by 2030. Since statehood, the state has protected only 6 million acres. The state […]
State Land Board
Posted inEducation, Growth, Politics and Government
Colorado needs affordable housing. The state owns land. Can this combination work?
A block away from where state lawmakers try to solve intractable financial questions, like school funding and affordable housing, sit two dilapidated warehouses that could soon be put to work addressing both issues at once. Under an innovative plan hatched during the previous administration, the State Land Board has agreed to lease the publicly owned […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado’s outdoor opportunity: Open state lands to public access
Colorado’s population and recreation economies are booming. The state’s outdoor opportunities are the catalyst behind this growth. A side effect of this growth is the strain on existing public lands and recreational infrastructure. Permit systems have been proposed for the Maroon Bells Wilderness, campgrounds are booked months in advance, and anglers stand shoulder to shoulder […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment, News, Outdoors, Politics and Government
U.S. House coalesces at 11th hour to try to save Land and Water Conservation Fund
A rare instance of bipartisanship in Washington, D.C., on Thursday yielded legislation that would permanently support a 54-year-old fund that has invested more than $268 million in Colorado’s outdoors. And the new bill could spur a sizable increase in federal support for recreation and access in the state. The Natural Resources Committee — helmed by […]