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\lllll't t . "'. " , " . '11- "-' . -.. - . EJ Peso County 11o<o<tt V "- '-YJ . $24 million. Including funding from COCO. spent on land pre<oervation by the Division of \\'lIdltfe. resulting In the protection of more than one mtlllon acres of critical wildlife habitat ts--. r:r.....- ~I Local efforts are JUSt as Impressi....e Several countles initiated open space preservation programs. mcluding some of t.he cQunties facing the mos! development pressure Douglas County. Colorado's fastest gro....1ng coumy. spent nearly S2-l mtlllon-nol including the funds prO\idt"d by other public and private groups-protecting more than 37,000 acres of open space (Sow<e 0...,... c-,I Jefferson County. the most populated county In Colorado, is spending more than $100 mJlIlon to prOtect 13,500 acres of open space (Soutt.~~o,..."" . In rapidly grO\\ing Colorado Springs. vOlers approved a one-tenth of one percent !.ales lax to fund the Trails. Open Space and Parks (fOPS) prograrn. This tax generates approxl- mate]y 554 million annually for open space and parks pr~...rvation The Yampa River System Legacy PrOject in Steamboat Springs invoh-ed the coordinated efforts of numerous public and private groups to protect the 3,291 acre Yampa Valley Land and Cattle Ranch near the dty, The preservation of this ranch also included critical habitat area along the Yampa Rh'er (Soom-. ~~~~Iea"'-ItS"'~ LOrimer COUllty ,-s....n GOGO) o-Sl><<e!. These examples are Just some of the many local efforts to preserve and Itow Big /5 Our Footprim? .. 3.Ie%c{dletotol proP9r(;A'Q 6( dtorodo amiideredbyU,S. cet1s'tJs tobe-o CIty, It)Wii,qr (~buIt;a1l or urban areo_ So>mcD>~......"oU""at "-- enhance Colorado's natural helitage_ Colorado's land preservation accomplishments are even more remarkable considering that development pressure in Colorado is concemra~ed In select areas and that over ~O% of the state is already exempt from significan: development concerns due to federal or state .S> ownership (Soo.ou _~""_'-"'erJ_ Approxlmate]y 3_16% of the land in the state is Incorporated or considered densely populated for census purposes Although success in consen;ation has been great. much remains to be done_ Colorado is the third fastest growing state In America and its population Is predicted to grow by approximately one million people In less than 20 years Pnme farmland near cities and towns is being taken out of production for everything from subdi\isions to soccer fields. Some river valleys that support Importanl wi]dlife habitat and migratiOn corridors face developmt>nt pressure. Several of the slate's wildlife species are In decline. and may become threatened or endangered. In light of the Commission's findings of both successes and needs In the field of land conservation in Colorado. the Commission belleves the message to the Governor is simple; Colorado has made great strides In savmg its valuable open spaces. farms and ranches but more remams to be done_ State and local governments. conservation groups and pTlvate citizens are working together to preserve and enhance Colorado's natural herilage for present and future generations, The Commission beheve5 that what Is needed is not a complete overhaul of how Colorado approaches land preservation. but additional tools and reSOu:ces, such as those outlined In this report. to enhance currem efforts, i"