Governor Polis Celebrates Investments into Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance; Protecting and Improving Colorado's Outdoor Economy

COLORADO SPRINGS - Today, Governor Polis, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance, and local and outdoor industry leaders announced new investments from the Regional Partnership Initiative (RPI) into protecting and preserving the Pikes Peak region and investing into innovative recreation management opportunities.

"Pikes Peak is a national gem and a Colorado treasure, and protecting and improving the Pikes Peak region and the mountain has so many benefits. I am grateful to all our partners for coming together to increase investments into responsible and sustainable recreation management, protecting outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations and securing investments to keep Colorado's iconic mountain gleaming," said Governor Polis.

"Congratulations to the Pikes Peak Outdoor Alliance on your well deserved Regional Partnership grant. It's a credit to the tremendous amount of work collaborating locally on regional recreation and natural resources challenges and working towards solutions," said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources. "The Pikes Peak region abounds with outdoor recreation opportunities. "We are excited at the Department of Natural Resources and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to partner with you all to enhance needed projects to get more Coloradans outdoors while protecting our water, forests, open spaces and wildlife."

The $2.5 million Regional Partnership Initiative grant will help fund new and existing Ring the Peak Trail segments, camping expansion and management, wildlife habitat restoration, recreation management, a year-round ambassador program, and partnership capacity support. The grant serves as a jumping off point for millions of dollars of future public/private investments in our region's outdoors through Colorado's Outdoors Strategy, released by Governor Polis in partnership with Great Outdoors Colorado, the Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado's Outdoor Industry Office last spring. Investments into the region span from the 14,115-foot height of Pikes Peak to the depths of the Royal Gorge, This will bring new opportunities to the region. Great Outdoors Colorado invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to preserve and enhance the state's parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces.

"This grant marks a major milestone for expanding recreation access and opportunities and strengthening resource stewardship across the Pikes Peak region," said Becky Leinweber, Executive Director of the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance. "For years, partners in the Outdoor Pikes Peak Initiative have worked to align priorities and build a shared vision for this landscape. Today's coordinated investment moves that vision from planning to real, on-the-ground action-positioning the Pikes Peak region as a model for exceptional recreation experiences, responsible natural resource conservation, and collaborative leadership. Strengthening our recreation infrastructure not only protects the places we cherish-it fuels a thriving outdoor economy that benefits our entire region both today and well into the future. PPORA is honored to lead this forward and grateful to local community partners for investing in our leadership and expanding our capacity for this important moment."

The funding builds off the recently established partnership between CPW and Pikes Peak Alliance that follows years of work by CPW and the local and federal agencies and has its roots in an Executive Order the governor signed in 2020 creating the Regional Partnerships Initiative (RPI).

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