Area of Focus
Jon Holst is focused on developing policies and regulatory strategies that conserve connected landscapes for a climate-resilient future with thriving wildlife populations. He has a particular interest in migratory ungulates and the conservation challenges they face as Western lands receive more development pressure to meet our energy needs. He looks for opportunities to conserve wide-ranging ungulate migrations as a foundation for protecting 30% of Western lands by 2030, and 50% by 2050.
Background
Jon’s 30-year career has been focused almost entirely on minimizing and mitigating the impacts from energy and transportation development on fish and wildlife populations. He has worked for private industry, non-governmental organizations, and state government. He spent 14 years working as an Energy Liaison for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) where he helped shape the state’s approach to regulating energy development. Jon joined WRA in 2024 as a Senior Policy Advisor. He grew up in Colorado and is an avid hunter, angler, hiker, and mountain biker.
Accomplishments
Jon was one of four CPW staff tasked with implementing the state’s initial attempts to regulate the impacts from oil and gas development on wildlife under the Colorado Habitat Stewardship Act of 2007. After over a decade of experience implementing this legislation, he was fortunate to have the opportunity to improve the state’s oil and gas regulations to better address the needs of wildlife following the passage of SB 19-181. He is also a founding co-chair of the Colorado Wildlife and Transportation Alliance – a joint state agency/stakeholder organization working to conserve wildlife corridors bisected by roadways in Colorado. This organization was successful in passing SB 22-151 establishing the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund. The Fund provides for road crossing infrastructure necessary to maintain and restore habitat connectivity for wildlife corridors and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Education
- Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado School of Law.
- Masters of Science in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University.
- Bachelor of Science in Biology from Colorado State University.
Favorite thing about the West
“Undeveloped public lands. I can (theoretically) hike 100+ miles from my house in southwestern Colorado to northern New Mexico entirely on public lands – crossing only one paved road in the process. Perfect – except for that one road….”
