October 30, 2020
Denver, Colorado (Oct. 30, 2020) — Western Resource Advocates today welcomed the soft opening of Colorado’s newest state park, Fishers Peak, and Governor Jared Polis’ executive order creating a regional outdoor partnership initiative. In a press conference, Governor Polis opened a portion of the state’s newest state park, near Trinidad, and issued the executive order that calls for regional outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation planning.
“Landscape and regional conservation efforts like those initiated by the governor today are an example of the kind of actions we need to expand access to the outdoors, protect lands and waters, and conserve Colorado’s world-renowned biodiversity for future generations,” said Andre Miller, Western lands policy analyst for Western Resource Advocates. “Our recent report with Conservation Colorado shows that the state can lead the way to achieve the goal of protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030. Protecting unique landscapes like Fishers Peak State Park and planning to help protect and connect more habitat through this executive order are the steps we need to make that goal a reality.”
Ecologists have made clear that we need to work to protect and connect 30% of lands and waters globally by 2030 in order to avoid mass extinction. Western Resource Advocates recently published a report with Conservation Colorado showing how Colorado can protect 30% of lands and waters and connect vital wildlife habitat by 2030. Polis’ executive order directs Colorado Parks and Wildlife to study and report on how recreation impacts wildlife and implement a plan to ensure recreation and habitat protection coexist.
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Contact
Brendan Witt, 720-308-9175, brendan.witt@westernresources.org
