On September 29, Colorado Governor Jared Polis released “Opportunities to Improve Sensitive Habitat and Movement Route Connectivity for Colorado’s Big Game Species” in conjunction with the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Department of Transportation. The report recognized the critical importance of big game to the state and highlights the primary threats including roads and other infrastructure, industrial activities, residential growth, and outdoor recreation. The report examines a range of options to address these challenges, including implementing regulations for energy development and other land uses; improving infrastructure to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions; coordinating conservation funding; planning trails with wildlife in mind; and better incentivizing participation by industry and private landowners in voluntary habitat conservation efforts.

“Coloradans care deeply about protecting and preserving our state’s wildlife ecosystem and improving driver safety. Colorado is using all available tools and funding options to preserve wildlife habitats by reducing wildlife and vehicle collisions, reducing traffic delays, and ensuring that human activities protect wildlife,” said Governor Jared Polis. “I appreciate the work of the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation and I look forward to working with the Colorado legislature, local, federal and Tribal governments and private landowners in implementing many of the policy priorities laid out in this report."

The Colorado big game policy report was a task identified in the governor’s 2019 Executive Order, developed as part of the state’s response to Department of the Interior 2018 Secretarial Order 3362. Other states, including New Mexico, Wyoming, and Nevada, have also issued executive orders calling for state level actions to conserve big game winter range and migration corridors.