As Governor, Hickenlooper signed into law a bill creating Colorado Public Lands Day, first state to do so. Hick’s CORE Act will protect 400,000 acres of Colorado public lands. 

To celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper recently joined outdoor recreation and conservation advocates to float down the Animas River in Southwest Colorado. Under Hickenlooper’s leadership as Governor, Colorado was the first state to create a holiday celebrating our public lands, which contribute $28 billion to Colorado’s economy each year. 

“Colorado’s public lands offer adventure, escape and jobs — all needed now more than ever. Our outdoor recreation economy supports a quarter million jobs, driving rural economies across the state,” said Hickenlooper. “Cheers to our public lands!” 

On the Animas River, Hickenlooper and the group discussed ways to better support Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy, the need to fight climate change, and the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act, which includes protections for 61,000 acres of land in the San Juan Mountains. 

Hickenlooper toured Alpacka Raft’s manufacturing facility in Mancos to highlight how our public lands support Colorado small businesses. He also joined former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Governor Jared Polis for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Rio Grande Natural Area near Manassa. 

Hickenlooper is a member of the U.S. Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which oversees federal management of 8.3 million acres of federal public lands in Colorado.