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Conservation: Protecting Colorado’s wild places

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Conservation: Protecting Colorado’s wild places

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Mason Cummings

Building lasting protections for the lands Coloradans love

For decades, The Wilderness Society has helped protect some of Colorado’s most treasured landscapes through wilderness and national monument designations and other conservation gains. These victories grew from partnerships with communities, Tribes, veterans, hunters and anglers, recreationists and conservation groups.

Today, we’re building on that legacy by defending existing protections, expanding outdoor access and advancing new conservation opportunities so Colorado’s wild places remain intact, connected and accessible for future generations.

Why this matters

Public lands are key to Colorado’s way of life—supporting local economies, clean water, wildlife and outdoor recreation. Protecting them ensures public lands remain healthy, connected and open for future generations to freely explore.

Disappearing wildlands

Since 2001, Colorado has lost more than half a million acres to development.

Opportunities to protect 1.2 million acres

Under bills we’re supporting, more than 1.2 million acres of Colorado’s wildlands could be protected for future generations.

78 percent of Colorado voters support protection

Colorado voters favor Congress protecting natural resources on public lands over maximizing energy production.

The threat

Some of our most cherished public lands face growing pressure from development, changing management priorities and increasing recreation demands. Without lasting protections, wild landscapes that support wildlife, clean water, local economies and the freedom to hunt, fish, hike and explore could be permanently altered or lost.

These landscapes don’t just need protection—they need strong management, funding and community‑anchored approaches, so they continue to deliver clean water, healthy wildlife habitat, world-class recreational opportunities and economic benefits for future generations. 

What we're doing

Building coalitions for lasting solutions

We work with local stakeholders, Tribes, ranching and recreation interests, and conservation organizations to craft durable land protections that support nature, people and local economies.
Advocating for designation bills, including:

We are actively supporting communities and partners to advance major legislation and designation efforts to secure protections for some of the most threatened and treasured public lands across Colorado.  As part of this, we are engaging with stakeholders to resolve current and potential conflicts with wilderness areas.

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act

Designed to create new wilderness areas and safeguard outdoor ‑recreation and rural‑economic landscapes, this bill would protect more than 420,000 acres of public land across Colorado.

The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act
This act brings forward long‑standing, community‑based protections in and around the Gunnison Basin, tying recreation, wildlife, water and ranching values together to protect more than 730,000 acres.

The Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act

Approximately 6,800 acres would be added to the existing Sarvis Creek Wilderness in the Routt National Forest, enhancing protection of sub‑alpine ecosystems and watersheds.

The Dolores River National Conservation Area (NCA) & Special Management Area Act

This act would protect roughly 68,000 acres of public land in Montezuma, Dolores and San Miguel counties, preserving recreational opportunities and the wildness of the Dolores River corridor.