Colorado Parks and Wildlife facts for kids
 The sign in front of the Fort Collins office. |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Headquarters | 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | Colorado Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | http://cpw.state.co.us/ |
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is a government agency in the State of Colorado. Its main job is to take care of all the state parks and wildlife across Colorado. They look after 41 state parks and 307 wildlife areas. CPW makes sure these natural places are safe and fun for everyone to enjoy.
CPW also helps protect special places called Colorado Natural Areas. There are 93 of these sites. They help keep over 250 types of plants and animals safe, especially those that are rare or endangered.
How Colorado Parks and Wildlife Started
The way Colorado Parks and Wildlife works today has changed a lot over the years. Here's a quick look at its history:
- 1937 – The state government created the first State Parks Board. This group was in charge of managing Colorado's parks.
- 1951 – The State Parks Board began to manage the Cherry Creek recreation area. They leased this land from the Army Corps of Engineers.
- 1963 – The State Parks agency joined with the Division of Wildlife. This meant one group was now in charge of both parks and animals.
- 1971 – A new program was started to create and manage recreational trails. These are paths for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities.
- 1972 – State Parks and the Division of Wildlife became separate agencies again. They each focused on their own areas.
- 1977 – State Parks was asked to manage the snowmobile program for Colorado. This included rules and safety for snowmobiling.
- 1984 – State Parks took on the job of licensing river outfitters. These are companies that lead trips on rivers.
- 1990 – State Parks began managing the off-highway vehicle program. This covers rules for vehicles like ATVs.
- 1992 – Voters in Colorado approved a special amendment called Great Outdoors Colorado. This means that money from the Colorado Lottery helps fund outdoor spaces. A part of this money goes directly to State Parks and Wildlife.
- 2011 – Colorado State Parks and the Colorado Division of Wildlife merged once more. They became the single agency we know today as Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Currently, there are 41 State Parks open for people to visit. The newest one, Staunton, opened in 2013. Other parks like Lone Mesa and Fishers Peak are planned to open in the future.
How Colorado Parks and Wildlife is Managed
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission helps guide the agency. This group has eleven members. The Governor chooses these members, and the state's lawmakers must approve them.
The Commission members represent different parts of Colorado. Their job is to make sure the agency listens to the people of Colorado. They also set important rules and policies for CPW. This group meets every other month to review and decide on new policies.
