If you love the outdoors, get involved
In 2015, Colorado Parks and Wildlife began an outreach to the outdoor community to discuss the growing funding deficiencies within the agency and the potential ramifications.
This is a quote from the Colorado legislature’s bipartisan Sportsman’s Caucus: “Resident hunting and fishing license fees were last set by the legislature in 2005, and inflation has reduced CPW’s spending power by 22 percent since that time. This has resulted in CPW defunding 50 positions, cutting $40 million from its budget and deferring tens of millions of dollars in maintenance on CPW’s 110 dams. Popular programs such as Fishing Is Fun and the Big Game Access Program, and grants for wetlands, boating and habitat protection have also been reduced or eliminated.”
The result of the problems then was a comprehensive funding bill presented to the state legislature last session that ultimately died in committee.
CPW is an “enterprise” agency, meaning it relies on user fees for funding and receives virtually no money from the general tax fund in Colorado. This has long been the North American model for funding outdoor recreation. Hunters, anglers and campers bear the majority of the financial burden for the management of wildlife, endangered species and habitat.
Bob Broscheid, Director of CPW, wants to assure everyone that the notion that his agency’s expenditures exceed its budget are incorrect. The agency must and does stay within its budget. This means if no additional funding is secured, programs, projects and services have to be cut.
An example of this is the ANS inspection program providing boating access to most of Colorado’s waters. This program was previously funded by money from oil-and-gas excise taxes. Due to a lawsuit that funding went away last year. The legislature did find some emergency funds to continue the majority of this program through June of 2018. However, if additional funding is not secured, the water providers will very likely start denying boaters access to many Colorado reservoirs.
The ANS program is just a symptom of the greater problem; if increased funding is not secured, outdoor enthusiasts will likely lose access to recreational opportunities in Colorado. Lack of access is the No. 1 reason people don’t take part in outdoor activities. Broscheid noted that outdoor recreation contributes an estimated $39 billion to the Colorado economy each year.
Broscheid went on to say that just buying a hunting and fishing license is no longer enough. If outdoor enthusiasts in Colorado want to maintain access to our outdoor resources, they need to “get engaged.”
Broscheid is hopeful that the legislature will act in this upcoming session. CPW is also exploring expanding the use of Great Outdoors Colorado funding for some much needed maintenance programs.
Our politicians do listen but it takes a number of unified voices to influence them. They need to know that ignoring the outdoor community in Colorado will have political consequences. The key is a unified voice.
No one wants to pay more and various segments of the outdoor community don’t always share the same agenda, but doing nothing is no longer an acceptable option, in my opinion. I urge you to join an affinity group, contact your representatives and the Governor to help forge a solution so all Coloradans can continue to enjoy quality outdoor recreation for years to come.