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Wolverine fur is remarkably waterproof, which helps keep the animal warm in deep snow. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers could continue re-wilding Colorado with wolverine bill

Colorado may soon welcome back wolverines, an animal with a reputation for its ferocity and strength nearly wiped out by trapping, poisoning and …

Nine in 10 voters across eight Mountain West states including Colorado want oil and gas companies, not federal and state governments, to pay for cleanup and restoration costs. (Adobe Stock)

West's Latino voters want conservation over development on public lands

Voters, including 74% of Republicans, 87% of Independents and 96% of Democrats, would support candidates in elections who prioritize conservation on …

In 2015, more than 1,230,000 visits to areas of public lands now protected by the BLM for non-motorized recreation resulted in $54.3 million in spending to the local economy. This ultimately supported 693 jobs and generated $40.1 million in personal income. (Vitaliy_melnik/Adobe Stock)

Eastern Colorado BLM plan protects future oil and gas leasing on public lands

The Bureau of Land Management has released its final Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan, which will guide the use and management of over 658,00…

Old-growth forests, which provide crucial wildlife habitat, clean water and carbon sequestration, are under threat from the effects of climate change, magnifying drought, disease, insect damage and fire severity. (Adobe Stock)

Forest Service wants public comments on old-growth forest protections

The timber industry is pushing back against the Biden administration's proposal to limit commercial logging in the nation's last old-growth forests…

Eight in 10 Coloradans agreed forests, farms, grasslands and wetlands naturally capture carbon pollution, the primary driver of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado poll shows broad support for voluntary private land conservation

Colorado voters said they support previous efforts to conserve the state's wild landscapes and open spaces, according to a new survey, and they …

The Gunnison sage grouse, known for its iconic mating dance, has lost 90% of its sagebrush-sea habitat to human development. (Larry Lamsa/Creative Commons)

Endangered Species Act marks 50th anniversary with key protections

In 2023, wolverines won federal protections, gray wolves were reintroduced in Colorado and the Bureau of Land Management announced a draft-management …

As wolf population numbers in Colorado grow, some wolves are expected to migrate to establish new territories. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado begins program to reintroduce gray wolves in native range

It's been 50 years since Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, which is credited with helping wolves rebound from near-total extinction in …

Around 11,900 acres of the historic Bohart Ranch east of Colorado Springs used by U.S. Air Force Academy cadets have been permanently protected. (Adobe Stock)

SOAR aims to conserve open space, military readiness

The skies above the historic 48,000 acre Bohart Ranch and a remote airfield on the property serve an important role for the United States Air Force Ac…

The Freshwater Challenge aims to restore 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands globally by 2030 and to protect intact freshwater ecosystems. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Water crisis threatens $58 trillion in food security, sustainability

The world's water and freshwater ecosystems, with an annual estimated economic value of $58 trillion, are in a downward spiral - according to a new …

For every $1 invested in conserving Colorado's prime wildlife habitat, lands along streams, lakes and rivers, and farmlands -- such as the Avant Vineyards in Palisade -- through tax credits, Coloradans receive up to $12 in economic benefits. (Colorado West Land Trust)

Colorado land trusts get $1 million in lottery proceeds for conservation

Great Outdoors Colorado, the lottery-funded program to preserve natural resources, has awarded a second $1 million grant to fuel conservation efforts …

U.S. oil producers are projected to hit an all-time high output, rising by 850,000 barrels per day, reaching 12.8 million barrels a day in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Rule Challenged by Oil Allies in Congress

Two bills making their way through Congress could throw out more than 216,000 public comments on the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's new Public …

Colorado has been a leader nationally on protecting wildlife migration corridors, including vast tracts of grasslands key for wildlife connectivity. (Adobe Stock)

Impact of Lost Grasslands on Rural Economies and Carbon Sinks

More than 300 ranchers, tribal members, conservationists, researchers, federal and state agency officials gathered in Cheyenne last week to find ways …

In 2015, 1,230,000 visits to areas within the ECRMP planning area for non-motorized recreation resulted in $54.3 million in spending to the local economy and supported 693 jobs. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Plan for Public Lands Along Arkansas River Heads to Gov. Polis

The Bureau of Land Management's plan for managing 658,000 acres of public lands in central Colorado includes new protections called for by community m…

BLM investments will be used to restore 323,000 acres of public lands in the San Luis Valley and 170,000 acres in North Park, home to important big-game migration corridors. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Makes Big Investment in Colorado Public Lands

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $161 million to restore public lands in Colorado and 10 other western states. Liz Rose, Colorado …

Parcels of land downstream of Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch have been subdivided into 35- to 50-acre large-lot tracts. (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust)

Preserving Cultural, Environmental Legacy in Southern Colorado

Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch sits in a dramatic canyon in the foothills of southern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, right next to the Rio Grande National …

Hundreds of wildlife crossing structures are still needed across Colorado to restore historic migration corridors. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Set to Tap Federal Infrastructure Funds for Wildlife Crossings

New funding recently added to the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund could provide relief for mule deer and elk populations, which are on the …

A new conservation roadmap emphasizes the need to protect lands that carry Colorado's most valuable natural asset, water. (Adobe Stock)

New Roadmap Aims to Double Acreage of Conserved Colorado Lands

As Colorado faces mounting challenges associated with a changing climate - record-breaking wildfires, extreme drought and dwindling water supplies…

In the spring of 2022, the May family ranch five miles east of Lamar faced a devastating wildfire that threatened livestock and wildlife on lands preserved through conservation easement with Colorado Cattlemen�s Agricultural Land Trust in 2015. (Dallas and Brenda May)

Sustainable Land Management Boosts Wildfire Restoration Efforts

A recent wildfire that swept across ten thousand acres of farm and ranchlands in southeastern Colorado suggests that sustainable land management and b…

Wildfire experts plan to use unmanned drones to help improve early detection, battle fires more effectively, and to reseed and restore scarred forests. (Windsong/Adobe Stock)

Report Charts a Course for Mitigating Wildfire Risk

As wildfire seasons in Colorado and across the American West become longer, less predictable and increasingly destructive, a new report aims to …

In 2020 alone, U.S. Bureau of Land Management field offices purchased nearly 1.5 million pounds of seed to use in areas affected by wildfires. (Julia/Adobe Stock)

Report: National Native Seed Supply Not Up to Climate Challenges

Researchers with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine spent two years studying the nation's supply of native seeds, and …

Congress negotiates new Farm Bills every five years. (Jesse/Adobe Stock)

Biodiversity, Climate Change Critical Topics for 2023 Farm Bill, Group Says

As hearings on the 2023 Farm Bill begin, a push is on to ensure biodiversity is part of the conversation. A Senate hearing on the bill's …

A new conservation easement overlooking the Animas River protects natural habitat for wildlife ranging from swift fox, bear and mountain lion to elk and deer. (Linda Lidov)

Conservation as a Tool for Strengthening Business

A few miles south of Durango on a parcel of Florida Mesa land overlooking the Animas River, a landowner is using an increasingly popular land …

In Colorado, outdoor recreation is considered to be a legally beneficial use of Colorado water. (Adobe Stock)

Revised Colorado Water Plan Prioritizes Conservation

A coalition of conservation groups is giving Colorado's revised state water plan a thumbs-up for its increased focus on protecting Colorado's rivers…

The conservation group Keep it Colorado has awarded $197,000 in grants to protect 8,512 acres of lands, including 2,500 acres adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park, that would otherwise be at imminent risk of being sold, subdivided or converted to other uses. (Adobe Stock)

New Grants to Help Preserve Iconic Mesa Verde Viewshed

A new grant is expected to help close the deal to protect key parcels of historic ranchlands and wildlife habitat adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park…

Outdoor recreation added $11.6 billion to Colorado's economy in 2021 and supported more than 250,000 jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists Push Investment in Thompson Divide Protections

Outdoor recreation contributed a whopping $862 billion to the U.S. economy last year, according to the most recent accounting by the Bureau of …

Approximately 60% of land in Colorado is privately owned. (Adobe Stock)

New Tools Available to Navigate Conservation Easements

Some three million acres of Colorado lands have been protected through land trusts and their partners, and new online resources launched by the group …

A recent designation of Southwest Colorado streams marks the largest community proposal for Outstanding Waters protections to be adopted in Colorado's history. (Adobe Stock)

Southwestern Colorado Waters Win New Protections

As climate change brings longer and more severe drought to the American Southwest, a community-led coalition is celebrating new protections for more …

Pollinator protectors are working to reclaim unused urban spaces, hellstrips, small yards, balconies and alleyways for native flowering plants. (Adobe Stock)

Grassroots Program Puts Hands-in-Ground for Colorado Pollinators

Some 18 recent graduates of an urban pollinator habitat-restoration program in Boulder got grants from the Endangered Species Coalition to put more na…

A former coal-production site along the Yampa River now is an important wetland and riparian habitat corridor. (Adobe Stock)

Coffers Refilled for Additional Private Land Conservation

Keep it Colorado has received $3 million in grants from Great Outdoors Colorado. According to Melissa Daruna, the group's executive director…

Conservationists propose 12 initial wolf-reintroduction areas, based on large suitable habitat blocks, connectivity, and the presence of elk, deer and other prey. Proposed locations include Rocky Mountain National Park and the Maroon Bells-Snowmass and Hermosa Creek wilderness areas. (Adobe Stock)

CO Conservationists Offer Alternative Plan for Wolf Reintroduction

A coalition of 14 conservation groups has unveiled an alternative proposal to help guide wolf reintroduction and recovery ahead of a Colorado Parks an…

Colorado is part of the gray wolf's native range, but wolves had been eradicated from the state by the 1940s, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Celebrate Upcoming CO Gray Wolf Reintroduction

After nearly a century, gray wolves are coming back to the state of Colorado. In 2020, voters approved Proposition 114, calling on Colorado Parks …

A 2020 survey found that nearly nine in ten Coloradans are concerned about more frequent and severe wildfires, drought and reduced snowpack. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Land Trusts Looking for Climate-Change Agents

As summer rolls in across Colorado, the threats of wildfire, diminishing snowpack and prolonged drought weigh heavy on the minds of many residents …

The annual value of terrestrial ecosystem services globally, including watersheds that filter and clean drinking water, is estimated to be roughly equivalent to the annual global Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

State Lawmakers Press Biden to Create National Biodiversity Strategy

More than 350 state lawmakers from across the U.S. are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the …

A recent poll found that 73% of voters in Colorado and New Mexico supported wildlife crossing solutions, including building overpasses on highways. (Adobe Stock)

Safe Wildlife-Crossing Bill Clears Colorado Legislature

The Colorado General Assembly has passed legislation to fund wildlife road-crossing projects across the state. Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Gunnison…

Pollinators are among the species in Colorado that contribute to a biodiverse ecosystem. (Bill/Adobe Stock)

CO Lawmakers Raise Awareness About Biodiversity Crisis, Possible Solutions

Advocates for endangered species and wildlife are raising awareness about the biodiversity crisis the nation is facing, and approaches for addressing …

A new Colorado private-land conservation plan aims to align and integrate with other statewide plans that have climate action components that support water, wildlife, recreation and agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Private Landowners Key to Climate Resiliency

More frequent and exponentially larger wildfires and prolonged drought already are impacting Colorado's agricultural lands and regional economies…

Each year, nearly 14,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions are reported on Colorado roads and highways. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Lawmakers Aim for Federal Wildlife Crossing Funds

Proponents of a bill aiming to reduce collisions between wildlife and motorists say it will make Colorado a leader in the West for being good stewards…

Forests can play a big role in alleviating climate-change threats. Forests, harvested wood products and urban trees offset 11% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States each year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Have Stake in Climate-Change Solutions

DENVER -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness and outdoors as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring …

Pronghorn numbers have dropped precipitously but still can be found in Colorado. (RachelKolokoffHopper/Adobe Stock)

Barriers to Migrating Plague Pronghorn in West

DENVER - Millions of pronghorn used to roam the West freely. But impediments like road and fences, as well as a changing climate, threaten the …

A new report examined 15,221 miles of Colorado's rivers that currently lack any conservation designation, but that also met criteria for protections under state law. (Adobe Stock)

Report Spotlights Key Colorado Rivers for Protections

DURANGO, Colo. - Colorado's rivers and streams supply drinking water and outdoor recreation opportunities, and support biodiversity and wildlife…

Together, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests are home to many diverse ecosystems, with elevations ranging from 5,000 feet to more than 14,000 feet. (P Owens/usda.gov)

Groups Urge More Wilderness in GMUG National Forests' Draft Plan

DELTA, Colo. - The U.S. Forest Service has released its draft management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests. The plan …

Bighorn sheep can run into fencing while migrating in Colorado. (richardseeley/Adobe Stock)

Mapping Project Identifies Fences Stopping Wildlife Migration

DENVER - Wildlife is being fenced in across the West, and researchers are now mapping these lines to understand how they affect animals. In some …

In July 2020, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 3.4 million visitors, an increase of almost a million from the same time period in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

CO Water Stewards Brace for Record Crowds on Public Lands

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Colorado's public lands, which account for 43% of the entire state, are seeing record use after officials relaxed COVID-19 health …

Hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing contributes $5 billion in economic activity each year in Colorado. (Ryan Moehring/USFWS)

Report: Colorado on Track to Protect Wildlife Migration Corridors

DENVER -- A new report backs up Colorado's efforts to tap the best available science, including advances in GPS and radio tracking technologies…

Community child-care programs in El Paso County have added pollinator gardens, native plants and other natural elements to kids' outdoor play areas. (Pixabay)

Adding Nature to Kids' Play Boosts Education, Health

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Plastic- and rubber-dominated playgrounds in Colorado Springs have added winding pathways with tall grasses, gardens…

Conservation groups say land bridges can prevent collisions between migrating wildlife and vehicles on highways and rail lines. (jacek/Adobe Stock)

Cooperation Key to Restoring Wildlife Migrations

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Wildlife migrations are a part of the American West's lore and history, but many of those centuries-old passages are now …

Large-scale reforestation has been identified as a key natural climate solution to increase carbon sequestration as nations work to decrease greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels. (Pixabay)

Study Identifies Key Barriers to Wildfire Recovery

DENVER -- A new report outlines key barriers to recovering forests in Colorado and across the U.S. Massive wildfires in the Rocky Mountains since …

Jack's Solar Garden in Boulder County offers tours to visiting farmers and local schools to help cultivate the next generation of agrivoltaic farmers. (NREL)

CO Family Farm Taps Solar to Boost Revenues, Food Production

LONGMONT, Colo. -- As the nation moves to ramp up clean-energy production, Jack's Solar Garden, a locally owned farm just south of Longmont, could …

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