Investing in the Future of Colorado’s Lands, Waters, and Outdoor Recreation
The Pikes Peak Outdoors Board of Directors has voted to endorse Initiative 308, a measure that would dedicate existing state sales tax revenue from sporting goods and equipment to conservation, wildfire risk reduction, water protection, and outdoor recreation across Colorado.
If approved by voters in November 2026, Initiative 308 would allow the state to retain roughly $175 million per year in sales tax revenue (when Tabor surplus exists) already collected on sporting goods and related equipment. That revenue would be exempted from TABOR refund requirements and directed into a dedicated fund for protecting Colorado’s land, water, and forests. Importantly, the measure does not raise taxes or increase the price of sporting goods or outdoor equipment.
What Initiative 308 Would Fund
According to Legislative Council Staff estimates and supporting analyses, the funding would be allocated approximately as follows:
- About half (~$83 million) to Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) for land and water conservation, parks, open space, trails, and local government grants.
- About half (~$83 million) to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and Colorado State Forest Service for wildfire risk mitigation, forest health, watershed protection, and related work.
- Smaller portions to outdoor recreation economic development, workforce training, and programs that expand equitable access to the outdoors for youth and families.
These investments would support projects such as science-based wildfire risk reduction, creation and improvement of state parks and recreation areas, trail maintenance and development, watershed and stream restoration, habitat protection, and expanded outdoor experiences for communities that have historically had less access.
Why This Matters for Colorado — and for the Pikes Peak Region
Colorado faces mounting pressure on its natural resources. Catastrophic wildfires have burned more than a million acres in recent years, with several of the state’s most destructive fires occurring in the last six years. Drought, rapid development, and growing outdoor recreation use continue to strain forests, watersheds, and recreation infrastructure. Experts have identified a significant annual funding shortfall — estimated in the $100–200 million range — for the scale of wildfire prevention and conservation work needed.
Colorado already partners with logging companies, contractors, and land managers on a range of forest treatment approaches—mechanical thinning, fuels reduction, and restoration projects—intended to lower wildfire risk and improve forest health. These efforts are essential, yet a persistent challenge limits how far they can scale: much of the material removed consists of small-diameter, low-value timber and biomass that has limited commercial markets. Because the lumber and residual wood rarely generate enough revenue to offset harvesting, hauling, and processing costs, treatments often depend heavily on public funding rather than market-driven cost recovery. Expanding dedicated resources through measures like Initiative 308 helps close that gap, allowing more acres to be treated even when the wood itself cannot pay its own way.
For the Pikes Peak region, the benefits are especially relevant. Our community is actively advancing major efforts such as completing and stewarding the Ring the Peak trail system, expanding sustainable recreation access, protecting critical wildlife habitat, improving camping opportunities, and managing visitor impacts on one of Colorado’s most iconic and heavily used landscapes. Reliable, dedicated funding streams like those created by Initiative 308 strengthen the pipeline of grants and partnerships that make these projects possible. GOCO and Department of Natural Resources resources have already played key roles in recent regional investments; expanding that capacity supports long-term progress.
Why Our Board Is Endorsing Initiative 308
Pikes Peak Outdoors exists to strengthen outdoor recreation, conservation, and community quality of life across the Pikes Peak region. Our board reviewed Initiative 308 through that lens and concluded that it advances core priorities:
- It protects the natural resources that make outdoor recreation possible and sustainable.
- It supports wildfire risk reduction that safeguards communities, watersheds, and recreation areas.
- It expands capacity for trails, parks, open space, and equitable access — areas central to our work and the Outdoor Pikes Peak Initiative vision plan.
- It does so without raising taxes, tying the investment to the outdoor economy itself.
- It strengthens Colorado’s ability to respond to growing pressures on land, water, and forests while supporting the outdoor recreation economy that contributes so significantly to our region’s quality of life and economic vitality.
The board recognizes that no single measure solves every challenge. Implementation details, prioritization of projects, and ongoing accountability will matter. Still, the scale and purpose of this dedicated funding represent a meaningful step forward for conservation and outdoor recreation statewide.
Pikes Peak Outdoors encourages community members, partners, and outdoor enthusiasts to learn more about Initiative 308, review the official materials, and make an informed decision when the measure appears on the November 2026 ballot (pending final signature verification and certification).
Together, we can help ensure that the lands, waters, and outdoor opportunities that define Colorado — and the Pikes Peak region — remain healthy and accessible for generations to come.
