Who is NoCo Places?
- NoCo Places is made up of representatives in the Northern Colorado Front Range from six counties, including Boulder, Clear Creek, Denver, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Larimer; Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Denver Mountain Parks; the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland of the US Forest Service; and Rocky Mountain National Park.
- We are actively collaborating on ways to address the challenges that the mountains and foothills in this region face due to high visitation and a growing population.
- We are committed to sustainable solutions, equitable actions, and beneficial land management practices that promote the long-term conservation of Colorado’s public lands and enhance the quality of life for residents as well as the overall experience for visitors from outside the state.
What are the problems and opportunities NoCo is working to address? Why?
The Front Range population is growing. Many of those moving here or being born here are doing what Coloradans have enjoyed for generations – heading to the mountains to hike, ski, camp, or simply drive around to enjoy the scenery. Our growing population and the increasing demand for recreation are straining the capacity of our public lands, negatively impacting our wildlife, the environment, and the outdoor experience. In addition to these challenges, climate change is a factor in what is impacting Colorado’s environment. We must take steps to protect what makes our state so special – our ability to enjoy our mountains and all they offer.
What are NoCo’s goals?
The following goals were prioritized to address the mission of NoCo, which is to collaborate to protect and conserve natural and cultural resources while providing equitable access and a quality recreation experience for current and future generations.
NoCo Places and our partners will protect and conserve natural and cultural/heritage resources in the NoCo region by:
- Instilling an outdoor stewardship ethic among visitors and recreationists that promotes an awareness of their impact on the land and wildlife, reduces those impacts by educating them on how they can mitigate or manage them, and creates a personal sense of ownership, responsibility, and pride in better protecting those resources.
- Building community support for increased funding for public land management, and exploring opportunities and mechanisms for sharing financial resources across jurisdictions in the NoCo region.
- Increasing the amount of conserved and/or restored land, and protecting the land that is already conserved and/or restored.
- Supporting outdoor recreation and visitation in areas best suited for that activity.
NoCo partners will provide equitable access and a quality recreational experience to NoCo residents and visitors by:
- Improving the quality of the visitor experience, particularly in areas facing the greatest threats from overuse and congestion, through management approaches, education, more effective infrastructure, and other means.
- Ensuring that the region continues to provide and support a wide range of quality outdoor experience opportunities.
- Increasing the visitation by historically underrepresented communities and the Americans with Disabilities Act/Architectural Barriers Act (ADA/ABA) communities.
- Reducing conflict and promoting compatibility among visitors and recreational use types, and increasing the safety of outdoor experiences.
Who are the decision-makers at NoCo?
The Executive Committee is NoCo’s decision-making body. Its membership includes one representative from each of NoCo’s nine land management agencies, selected by the entity they represent. Each entity’s representative has the authority to represent their agencies in making decisions concerning land management of their respective jurisdictions.
Implementation of the NoCo mission is led by an Executive Director, appointed by the Executive Committee.
The Executive Director’s and Executive Committee’s decision-making are guided and informed by the input of the NoCo Partners, a standing group that includes each member of the Executive Committee, staff from their agencies that the Executive Committee designates, and experts in issues the Executive Committee has determined to be important to the long-term management of public lands in the region.
Where is NoCo’s geographic area of focus? Why did you select this area?
- NoCo is focused on the local, state, and federal lands in the region of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. See map.
- The north-central Front Range of Colorado experiences high visitation due to its proximity to the largest population in Colorado: the Denver metropolitan area. For those living in this area, the foothills and the Front Range are the closest natural experiences outside municipal parks and green spaces. The concentration of people funneling to the public lands just to the west adds pressure on the carrying capacity. The land managers in this region have been experiencing challenges with high visitation and have desired a collaborative approach with their neighbors when creating solutions.
I want to be involved. How do I join the coalition?
There are several ways to get involved, depending on your interests and role:
- Agency Membership
Land management agencies can join the coalition as members. Contact the Executive Director to find out more: jd at nocoplaces dot com - Partnership
Nonprofits and community organizations can join the coalition as partners. This includes participating in working groups, planning efforts, and programs that support regional stewardship goals. - Volunteer Opportunities
Individuals can support NoCo Places by becoming Trail Ambassadors (stay tuned for more information), joining stewardship events, or helping with public outreach and education efforts. - Community Engagement
You can participate in public meetings, listening sessions, and forums to share your perspective and help shape recreation and conservation strategies in the region. - Stay Connected
Sign up for our newsletter, follow NoCo Places on social media, or reach out directly to learn about upcoming opportunities and initiatives. Contact us.
How will the public be engaged?
NoCo Places believes that protecting and enjoying Colorado’s outdoor spaces is a shared responsibility. There are several ways community members can engage with our work:
- Volunteer with the Trail Ambassador Program
Become a friendly face on the trail! Ambassadors help educate visitors, share Leave No Trace practices, and support land managers in keeping trails safe and enjoyable for everyone. Stay tuned for more information.
- Share Feedback and Local Knowledge
Community perspectives help shape recreation and conservation strategies. You can submit feedback online, participate in surveys, or join topic-specific work groups. - Partner with Us
Local businesses, nonprofits, and community groups can collaborate with NoCo Places through sponsorship, partnership agreements, or joint stewardship initiatives. - Spread the Word
Follow us on social media, share information about responsible recreation, and help build awareness of conservation efforts across the Front Range.
Your voice matters. Public input ensures that regional recreation planning reflects the values, priorities, and needs of the people who live, work, and play here.
Are these agencies aiming to all have the same rules and regulations eventually?
Each agency maintains its own rules and regulations for the land it manages.
Will NoCo close or restrict areas for recreation or regulate certain recreation activities?
NoCo Places does not have the authority to make these decisions. The group aims to support outdoor recreation and visitation in areas best suited for that activity. Human impact on land will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, with recommendations for conserved land made based on thorough research and data.
What is NoCo doing to ensure that public lands are welcoming to all and to encourage participation by communities who are currently underrepresented on public lands?
NoCo Communications incorporates Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles and considerations in all activities and strategies. NoCo leadership also engages in dialogue with affinity groups for underrepresented communities to identify specific actions the coalition can take to encourage participation in NoCo itself by historically underrepresented communities and Americans with Disabilities Act/Architectural Barriers Act (ADA/ABA) communities.
What types of solutions is the group considering?
NoCo Places is focused on collaborative, regional solutions that balance outdoor recreation with conservation. Some of the key solution areas include:
- Visitor Education & Stewardship
Creating and expanding programs like the Trail Ambassador Program to help educate visitors, promote responsible recreation, and reduce impacts on natural and cultural resources. - Trail & Access Management
Working with land managers to address overcrowding, unauthorized trail use, and infrastructure needs through coordinated planning, improved signage, reroutes, and sustainable trail design. - Resource Protection
Protecting wildlife corridors, sensitive habitats, and cultural resources by aligning recreation access with conservation goals. - Data-Driven Decision Making
Using visitor use data, mapping, and environmental assessments to guide management decisions and ensure actions are effective and equitable. - Regional Coordination
Encouraging collaboration among agencies and communities to create consistent messaging, shared priorities, and joint funding strategies. - Funding & Capacity Building
Exploring new funding sources, grant opportunities, and partnerships to support stewardship projects and long-term management needs.
These solutions aim to balance access, stewardship, and sustainability to protect the region’s unique outdoor places for future generations.
How did you decide on the pilot programs and where they would be implemented?
NoCo Places selected its pilot programs and locations through a collaborative, data-informed process with partner agencies and community input. The goal was to focus efforts where regional recreation pressures are high and conservation needs are significant, while also ensuring a balance across different parts of the NoCo region.
Key factors considered in selecting pilot programs and locations included:
- High Visitor Use & Impact Areas
Sites experiencing heavy recreation use, crowding, or resource damage were prioritized to test new strategies and learn what works best. - Agency Partner Priorities
Pilot sites were identified through close coordination with public land agencies and local governments that manage these areas. - Opportunities for Stewardship
Areas with clear opportunities to improve trail systems, protect wildlife corridors, or reduce environmental impacts were targeted. - Ability to Scale & Replicate
Selected programs and locations are intended to serve as models that can be adapted and expanded across the region in the future. - Community Input & Equity
Local community perspectives helped guide where pilot efforts could have the greatest benefit for both people and the environment.
By starting with targeted pilot programs, NoCo Places can test solutions, build partnerships, and develop best practices that support responsible recreation and conservation throughout northern Colorado.
How is NoCo funded?
- Each member agency of NoCo contributes annual funds
- Grants from
- Colorado Department of Local Affairs
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Great Outdoors Colorado
- The Gates Family Foundation
- The Boettcher Foundation
- The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
- Western Resource Advocates
- Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation
- The Colorado Forum
- Mighty Arrow Family Foundation
Where else is a similar coalition taking place in Colorado or across the country?
- NoCo Places is part of the state of Colorado’s Regional Partnership Initiative, which advances regionally driven collaboratives working to ensure that Colorado’s land, water, and wildlife thrive while also providing equitable access to quality outdoor recreation experiences. While there are 20+ Regional Partnerships in the state, NoCo Places is the only one that is made up of a combination of federal, state, and county-level agencies addressing the same issues together.
- While our research is not exhaustive, we have not yet identified a coalition that is similar in nature to NoCo Places in the United States.
Does NoCo think this problem is solvable?
- With Colorado’s population increasing rapidly year over year, the problems and challenges our public lands face will likely never be fully ‘solved’. However, with beneficial land management practices, and an educated public who embraces land stewardship and encourages others to do so, a wide-spread, positive effect can be achieved.