Our parks staff, community members, and partners are being recognized for taking care of our parks, trails, and open spaces!
The Leave no Trace Center has designated SIXTEEN of our incredible parks, trails and open spaces as Leave No Trace Gold Standard Sites!
Achieving Gold Standard means that our parks and people have set the bar for responsible recreation all across our community. We join an elite group of 13 parks nationwide to earn this national recognition for leadership in outdoor stewardship, and we are the first municipal site to receive this designation.
In order to be named a Gold Standard Site, the following criteria must be met:
Demonstrate successful implementation of Leave No Trace outdoor skills and ethics into management, programming, outreach and education efforts at the site
Formally train staff and community partners in Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics
Include Leave No Trace language and messaging on signs at trailheads, visitor centers and campgrounds as well as in pamphlets, maps and other distributed materials for visitors
Facilitate Leave No Trace interpretive programs including ranger talks, campfire events and trail outings for visitors
The quality of support from our partners, stakeholders, volunteers, visitors and staff who helped us achieve this goal has been tremendous. Minimizing impacts in our world-class regional parks, trails and open spaces is a team effort, and we can’t thank our community enough for your active and ongoing support. This award is for all of us!
Here is the list of sites to receive the Gold Standard. Austin Bluffs Open Space, Blodgett Open Space, Bluestem Prairie Open Space, Corral Bluffs Open Space, @GardenoftheGods, High Chaparral Open Space, Manitou Incline, North Cheyenne Cañon Park, North Slope Recreation Area, Palmer Park, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Sinton Pond Open Space, Sondermann Park, South Slope Recreation Area, Stratton Open Space and Ute Valley Park.
Leave No Trace is nonprofit organization at provides innovative education, skills, research and science to help people care for the outdoors. By working with the public and those managing public lands, Leave No Trace focuses on educating people as the most effective and least resource-intensive solution to land protection.
“Leave No Trace is thrilled to announce the City of Colorado Springs Regional Parks, Trails and Open Spaces as a designated Gold Standard Site,” said Dana Watts, Leave No Trace executive director. “The hard work of staff and local community stakeholders means that the City of Colorado Springs is a leading force in the Leave No Trace movement nationally and an example of how effective the role of education is in protecting our public lands. It was a particularly ambitious move to nominate 16 properties for this designation, and Colorado Springs should be proud of its efforts to promote outdoor stewardship across its entire park system.”
Learn more about the Leave No Trace program in Colorado Springs at ColoradoSprings.Gov/lnt
Read more about the Colorado Springs trails!
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