Colorado to Be First State to Officially Celebrate Public Lands – and Why It Matters
Alex Schupp • May 20, 2016
Colorado to Be First State to Officially Celebrate Public Lands – and Why It Matters
Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, and as the unofficial kick-off to summer, many Americans will begin vacation adventures that will take them to our nation’s spectacular public lands. In perfect timing, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill this month that establishes a new state holiday to commemorate Colorado’s federal, state, and local public lands. Starting in 2017, the third Saturday in May will be Colorado Public Lands Day.
Colorado has 24 million acres of national public lands, comprised of national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, and BLM-administered public land. The outdoor recreation industry generates more than $13 billion in economic activity a year and supports 125,000 jobs in the state.
To celebrate the new bill that is vital to Colorado’s way of life and businesses, the statewide nonprofit organization Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) encourages everyone to partake in one of its many volunteer opportunities throughout the state to help keep Colorado’s public lands healthy and thriving. VOC offers opportunities for all ages, skills, and interests. Activities range from planting trees and gardens, to removing invasive plants and revegetating fire-scarred land, to building trails and restoring wildlife habitat.
“Here at VOC, we are deeply proud and pleased that Colorado is leading the nation in establishing a Public Lands Day, acknowledging just how valuable our public lands are,” said Ann Baker Easley, VOC’s executive director. “It represents our desire to protect the irreplaceable areas where we hike, fish, explore, camp, climb, bike, paddle, and just relax. People travel to Colorado from around the world to recreate at our natural treasures, and it’s so important that we care for them so they are here for future generations.”
It is VOC’s hope that the passage of this bill will also spark constructive conversations about responsible management of Colorado’s public lands.
“Public lands mean we, the public, have a responsibility to protect and preserve these lands,” said Baker Easley. Bipartisan support for Public Lands Day – especially at a time when politics often cause much division and strife – is a superb indication of the passion Coloradans have for outdoor recreation on public lands, as part of a fit and fulfilling lifestyle.”
Those interested in giving back to Colorado’s public places can explore and register for more than 50 volunteer opportunities via VOC’s volunteer calendar at voc.org/volunteer. Places to volunteer include Denver-area parks and open spaces, famous ‘fourteener’ trails, Wheeler Geologic Area, Red Rocks, Urad Lake which is Colorado’s newest State Wildlife Area, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Continental Divide, and many more. VOC volunteer opportunities are open to the public, and no experience or training is necessary.
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After three meaningful decades, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) will be saying goodbye to our longtime home at the Dos Chappell Bathhouse in Denver's beloved Washington Park. In the early 1990s, VOC signed a 30-year lease with the City of Denver to transform the historic bathhouse in Washington Park into a headquarters that could support our growing mission. With generous support from our community, we launched a capital campaign and raised $700,000 to complete the initial renovations, which were finalized in 1996. Altogether, including the original renovations, VOC has invested more than $1 million in improvements and ongoing maintenance, creating a space that is enjoyed by our staff, volunteers, and the broader Washington Park community. In 2000, the building was renamed in honor of Dos Chappell, VOC’s former Executive Director (1988–1999), whose vision and leadership left a lasting legacy on our organization and Colorado’s outdoor stewardship movement. This space has been more than just an office—it’s been a gathering place, a launchpad for thousands of volunteers, and a visible symbol of our commitment to caring for Colorado.
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