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CPW Launches Historic Statewide Initiative to Engage Tribes on State Park Priorities, Backed by GOCO Funding


Description: CPW to launch first-ever statewide initiative to engage Tribes and Native communities on priorities for Colorado state parks, funded by GOCO... First-of-its-kind project receives $50,000 to elevate Tribal voices in shaping Colorado’s public lands future...

CPW to launch first-ever statewide initiative to engage Tribes and Native communities on priorities for Colorado state parks, funded by GOCO

DENVER– At its June commission meeting, the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board approved six unique projects for funding through the CPW Director’s Innovation Fund, a joint initiative between CPW and GOCO.

The fund, designed to elevate creative projects that are not typically funded through GOCO or other sources, supports innovative, small-dollar efforts that advance the missions of both CPW and GOCO. Final project endorsement comes from the CPW Director before submission to the GOCO board for funding consideration.

One project, “Engaging Colorado’s Tribal Communities,” was awarded $50,000 to help CPW engage Tribes and Native communities about Tribal priorities related to Colorado state parks through a series of listening sessions.

“If we take care of the land, the land takes care of us, and what better way to do that than through the relationship lens of community partnerships,” said Stacy Coleman, Colorado Department of Natural Resources’ Assistant Director for Tribal Affairs. “Better supporting the needs of the diverse Native communities here in Colorado on state park matters, ancestral public lands, is an important priority for the DNR and this grant allows for the opportunity to meaningfully engage in this statewide conversation together.”

“GOCO is pleased to provide funding to CPW for this statewide initiative. Not only does it support the goal of the Director's Innovation Fund by backing a first-of-its-kind effort, but it also advances priorities identified in Colorado's Outdoors Strategy and GOCO's new strategic plan," said GOCO's Parks and Wildlife Partnership Manager Dan Zimmerer. "We are excited to learn of the outcomes of this important effort.”

The five other projects funded by GOCO include:

  • Fossil Bed Protection Structure ($25,000) – Funding will support the construction of a protective structure at the Indian Springs Trace Fossil Natural Area to preserve one of North America’s most significant 450-million-year-old fossil beds.

     

  • Black-footed Ferret Monitoring ($10,000) – In a groundbreaking move, CPW will collaborate with the Smithsonian and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor endangered black-footed ferrets using radio collars for the first time in over three decades.

     

  • Aerial Herbicide Drone Deployment ($25,000) – CPW will purchase a drone-based herbicide application system to manage invasive species in State Wildlife Areas that are difficult or unsafe to access by ground equipment.

     

  • OHV Stakeholder Engagement ($25,000) – Working with NoCo Places, CPW will lead a stakeholder engagement initiative to determine future uses of the Lefthand OHV Area, which has been closed to motorized use since the 2013 floods.

     

  • Wolf Drone Monitoring ($15,000) – CPW will pilot drone-based technology to monitor gray wolf movements and test hazing techniques to deter conflicts with livestock.

Additionally, the GOCO board awarded $9.94 million in grants to partners across the state, including $150,000 through the Director’s Innovation Fund to support the six CPW-led efforts.

“These projects reflect CPW’s continued commitment to bold, outside-the-box conservation, engagement, and recreation strategies,” said CPW Deputy Director Heather Disney Dugan. “They’re inventive, impactful, and exactly the kind of work this fund was designed to support.”

Since its inception, the Director’s Innovation Fund has awarded nearly $1.3 million to encourage CPW staff to take bold ideas off the whiteboard and into the field. Each project selected this year not only addresses a distinct conservation or stewardship challenge, but also demonstrates how creativity and public trust can work together for lasting impact.

For more information on GOCO’s latest round of funding, visit www.goco.org. To learn more about CPW’s programs and initiatives, visit cpw.state.co.us.