At Colorado Parks and Wildlife, we understand the joys of spending time outside and witnessing the wonders of the diverse landscapes and wildlife that live in our state.
Each year, the Photography Issue allows all of us at Colorado Parks and Wildlife and our outdoor enthusiasts to see the beauty of our state through the creative eyes of a group of talented photographers. The images showcased in this annual photo issue capture the abundant wildlife species and breathtaking terrain that our residents, sportspersons and park visitors enjoy while living life outside in Colorado.
Nature enriches all of our lives, which is why keeping Colorado wild and colorful for future generations is an important part of our mission. As our park and wildlife programs grow, our communities play an integral role in securing an outdoor heritage and wildlife legacy in the state.
It’s all of our responsibility to care for Colorado and to serve as active stewards of our natural resources, and we accomplish more together than we do alone. Small acts like picking up trash, staying on designated trails and respecting wildlife go a long way when we all contribute to the future of conservation. If we can look to each outdoor explorer to do their part and recreate responsibly on every adventure — those small acts of conservation add up in a meaningful way.
As we continue to work toward protecting our public lands and connecting people to the outdoors on a statewide level, our staff in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources explored new funding streams this year to expand our programs.
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife is creating an optional Keep Colorado Wild Pass that can be added when Coloradans register their vehicles, starting in 2023. Money generated from the Pass will be used for park maintenance, wildlife management and to build more outdoor recreation activities in the state.
- The Outdoor Equity Grant Program was established to create new opportunities for underserved youth and their families to get involved in recreational activities, and to reduce barriers to experiencing Colorado’s outdoor spaces.
- To address the increase of human use on our lands, the state transferred $25 million from the general fund to better support backcountry avalanche safety programs, a statewide wildlife action plan and to build new state parks.
As you marvel at the beautiful images captured in this year’s photo issue, we hope you enjoy seeing what makes Colorado so special and why we want to keep our outdoor spaces thriving and available to anyone who wants to experience them.
The staff of Colorado Parks and Wildlife are honored to be the face of conservation in the state, and we are grateful for the opportunities to collaborate with our communities to invest in the outdoor spaces we love and protect the outdoor lifestyle we cherish.
Dan Prenzlow, Director
Colorado Parks and Wildlife