DENVER, Colo. – NoCo Places, a collaborative of eight federal, state, and county land management agencies in the northern Colorado Front Range, has released a Conservation and Recreation Vision for the region, an effort two years in the making. The Vision describes current conditions, shared values, desired future conditions, a shared management philosophy, and management strategies and activities to achieve conservation and recreation goals. The visioning process also informed the development of an action plan to guide key projects for the next several years.

Public lands in the NoCo region have experienced a significant increase in visitation in recent years, negatively impacting wildlife, the environment, and the Colorado outdoor experience, and the challenge will only intensify as Colorado continues to grow. In 2050, the state’s population is expected to grow to 7.48 million people, with 6.3 million of those residents living along the Front Range. Many of those will visit public lands in the NoCo region because of its proximity to Front Range communities.

“Sharing management approaches across our jurisdictions is essential to addressing this challenge,” said Shannon Schaller, Deputy Regional Manager, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northeast Region and co-chair of NoCo Places. “Wildlife and most visitors do not distinguish between land management jurisdictions. This Vision and management principles will enable all eight agencies to take a collaborative and holistic approach to managing lands in this region.”

“These shared principles will guide and inform each agency as their plans are developed and updated in the years to come,” said Jason Sieg, Acting Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. “For example, the Arapaho Roosevelt is expected to begin the public process of updating its Forest Management Plan in the next five years. This Vision, and the data that went into its development, will be immensely valuable for that process.”

Read the Vision Document

NoCo Places developed the Vision based on three essential sets of data. First, it worked with leading wildlife and plant data experts to develop a Conservation Summary map, a data-rich illustration of the region’s  biodiversity and areas of species and conservation concern.

The second data element is the analysis of two years of mobile phone data from visitors to 70 hot spots in the NoCo region. This data provides a perspective of multiple years and seasons to the story of how people use open spaces and natural areas. Analysis of the data can help make a better experience for visitors while monitoring their impact on these landscapes over time.

The third piece of key data is input from stakeholders. Sixteen focus groups were conducted with stakeholders to understand their values and perspectives on this region’s future and on various management approaches that could be utilized.

Read the focus group report

“This data made clear that if we don’t take action now, we risk losing what makes Colorado a special place,” said Randy Wheelock, Commissioner from Clear Creek County, and co-chair of NoCo Places. “Future generations depend on actions taken by public land managers, and the visiting public, today. Through this Vision, we will improve the future of public lands in the NoCo region,” he adds.

The five counties participating in NoCo Places, Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Larimer, passed a resolution supporting the adoption and implementation of the Conservation and Recreation Vision.

Read the Conservation and Recreation Vision Document

This content is part of a broader effort by NoCo Places to address the challenges of high visitation in northern Colorado’s foothills and mountains. NoCo Places is committed to sustainable solutions, equitable actions, and beneficial land management practices for the long-term conservation of public lands in Colorado and the quality of the visitor experience. Learn more about NoCo Places.

Media Contacts:

• Vivienne Jannatpour, Boulder County Parks & Open Space, vjannatpour@bouldercounty.gov, 303-678-6277

• Megan Hiler, Clear Creek County, mhiler@clearcreekcounty.us, 970-409-2784

• Melanie Bleyler, Gilpin County, mbleyler@gilpincounty.org, 720-296-8537

• Matt Robbins, Jefferson County Open Space, mrobbins@co.jefferson.co.us, 303-271-5902

• Korrie Johnston, Larimer County Natural Resources, johnstko@co.larimer.co.us, 970-619-4561

• Kara Van Hoose, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, kara.vanhoose@state.co.us, 303-829-7143

• Kyle Patterson, Rocky Mountain National Park, kyle_patterson@nps.gov, 970-586-1363

• Reid Armstrong, U.S. Forest Service, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607