Envision Chaffee County

A future built on Common Ground

Recreation in Balance

Managing the impacts of growth in outdoor recreation

Chaffee County’s stunning landscapes and fantastic recreation opportunities contribute significantly to our quality of life. We highly value the natural beauty and local access to public lands, the main reason many of us choose to call Chaffee County home.

Recreation is growing at an estimated 13% per year as more people move here and the county is discovered as a recreation destination. Growth is an economic win but can bring negative impacts to the health of the land. Trash, human waste, broken tree limbs used for campfires, and trail erosion into waterways are evidence of the consumptive use, as are disrespectful and even dangerous behaviors such as abandoned smoldering campfires.

Colorado is expected to add 1.5 million new residents by 2030. The majority will move to Front Range metro areas that are only a two-hour drive away. The challenges associated with carrying capacity are likely to multiply, yet public lands are the backbone of our tourism economy that contributes a third of our economic product. 

The Recreation in Balance program sustainably manages the impacts of growth to protect quality of life and the benefits of our recreation economy. Our program goals were developed for the Chaffee Recreation Council to deliver an all-lands management plan by 2021:

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Maintain healthy public lands
Support management that maintains healthy landscapes, forests, water quality and wildlife populations and avoids measurable declines attributed to recreation.
Manage the risk of human-caused severe wildfire.
Minimize recreation impacts to agricultural operations.
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Maintain quality of user experiences
Sustain multi-use opportunities and associated access to roads and trails.
Complete development of approved infrastructure and plan for new development as appropriate.
Manage trash, human waste and other visual impacts of over-use.
Minimize impacts to the agricultural sector, the county’s 5th-largest economic driver.
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Sustain the economic benefits of recreation tourism
Support actions that are aligned with local values and culture to ensure continued community enthusiasm for recreation tourism.
Avoid over-regulation and excessive cost to access assets.
Develop and maintain urban recreation and concentrated use areas, such as skate parks, shooting ranges and campgrounds.
Minimize impacts to the agricultural sector, the county’s 5th-largest economic driver.
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Chaffee Council releases Rec Report

County-wide recreation trends and indicators report gives high marks to tourism economy, lower scores to outdoor experiences and environmental impacts

Learn More

Prized natural places make Chaffee County special

 Chaffee Recreation Survey collects data from more than 3,800 outdoor users, including nearly 17,000 write-in comments! 

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Envision task force brings solutions to recreation areas

 Projects address immediate needs on public lands impacted by growth.

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“I want to engage and help us grow. Without being intentional and planning for recreation impacts, there could be some threats to our way of life.”

— Salida Recreation Director Diesel Post, Chaffee Recreation Council member

Program Leadership

Envision Recreation in Balance is driven by the community, including leaders from outdoor businesses, natural resource agencies, nonprofit organizations, local government and recreation enthusiasts. The Chaffee Recreation Council is convened by the Board of County Commissioners to develop a Chaffee Recreation Plan by 2021.

Leadership Partners

  • USFS Salida Ranger District
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA)
  • Envision Chaffee County

Chaffee Recreation Council

  • Andrea Carlstrom – Director, Chaffee County Public Health
  • Ben Lara – USFS Salida District, Recreation Program Manager
  • Brian Berger – Poncha Springs Town Manager
  • Ben Scanga – Mayor Poncha Springs
  • Brady Everett – Everett Ranch, Citizen representing agriculture
  • Diesel Post – City of Salida, Recreation Director
  • Earl Richmond – City of Buena Vista, Recreation Director
  • Cindy Williams – Envision Co-Chair, Citizen
  • Chuck Cichowitz – Owner Noah’s Ark and representing outfitters
  • Dominique Naccarato – ED GARNA and representing conservation organizations
  • Greg Felt – County Commissioner, Envision Co-Chair
  • Jamin Grigg – CPW Wildlife Biologist
  • Jeff Post – Owner First Colorado Land, Chaffee County Economic Development Corp.
  • Jim Aragon – CPW Area Manager
  • Jim Fiorelli – USFS Leadville District, Recreation Program Manager
  • Jim Pitts – USFS Salida District Ranger
  • Kalem Lenard – BLM Royal Gorge Field Office Assistant Field Manager (Salida) 
  • Keith Baker – County Commissioner
  • Kim Marquis – Envision Coordinator
  • Laurie Roberts – ED Salida Chamber of Commerce
  • Patrick Mercer –  USFS Leadville District Ranger
  • Rick Hum – Citizen, Common Ground Council Vice Chair
  • Tom Waters – AHRA Park Manager

Engaged Stakeholder Groups

  • Buena Vista Recreation Department
  • Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition
  • Buena Vista Trails Advisory Board 
  • Central Colorado Mountain Riders
  • Colorado Off Road Enterprise (CORE)
  • Chaffee County Office of Housing
  • Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
  • Colorado Mountain Club
  • Colorado Trail Foundation
  • Continental Divide Trail Coalition 
  • Friends of Browns Canyon
  • National Forest Foundation
  • Quiet Use Coalition 
  • Salida Mountain Trails
  • Skikers Hiking Club
  • Southwest Conservation Corps 
  • Salida-area Parks Open Space & Trails (SPOT) 
  • Salida Recreation Advisory Board
  • Town of Salida Recreation Department 
  • Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited
  • Upper Arkansas Wilderness Volunteers 
  • Friends of Fourmile
  • Western State Colorado University 
  • Trackem Outfitters
  • Noah’s Ark Rafting & Adventure Co.
  • USFS Salida District
  • USFS Leadville District
  • BLM Canyon City Field Office
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)
  • Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA)
  • County of Chaffee
  • City of Poncha Springs
  • Central Colorado Conservancy
  • Greater Arkansas River Nature Association
  • City of Salida
  • City of Buena Vista
  • Mesa State College
  • Colorado Mountain College
  • Chaffee County Economic Development Coalition (CCEDC)
  • Colorado Forest Restoration Institute at CSU
  • Rocky Mountain Research Station
  • Rocky Mountain Jeep Rentals
  • First Colorado Land Office
  • Chaffee County Visitors Bureau
  • Huddle for the Environment
  • CSU Pueblo
  • Western State University, Gunnison
  • Colorado State Land Board 
  • Chaffee County Weed Department
  • Everett Beef
  • Lake County Board of County Commissioners
  • Colorado Fire Camp 
  • Chaffee Fire Protection District

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