Reintroduction of CORE Act Renews Hope for Conservation of Colorado Public Lands and Wildlife Habitat
By conserving over 420,000 acres, including 100,000 acres of wilderness, the CORE Act would keep Colorado’s backcountry intact for wildlife and Public Land Owners® alike.
Washington, D.C. – Imagine standing on the edge of Colorado’s high country, where the air is crisp and the echo of bugling elk fills the valleys. These landscapes are more than just scenic views—they are where generations of Coloradans have forged traditions, where wildlife thrives, and where the spirit of adventure is alive and well. Today, those opportunities come one step closer to permanent protection from development with the reintroduction of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act (H.R. 1728/S. 764) in Congress. Offering a renewed vision for the conservation of Colorado’s public lands and waters, the bill – championed by Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO) – is a decade-long priority for the Colorado Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
“The reintroduction of the CORE Act is a major opportunity for Congress to conserve one of Colorado’s greatest attributes: our high country and our access to it,” said David Lien, co-chair for the Colorado chapter of BHA. “Elk, bighorn sheep, black bears, mule deer, greenback cutthroat trout and more native species need this space to survive and thrive, and it’s our responsibility as Coloradans and stewards of these public lands and waters to do our part in sustaining them for future generations.”
The CORE Act is a combination of four key bills that together would permanently protect 420,000 acres of public lands from the rugged peaks and summer range of the San Juan Mountains, to the trout-rich streams and big game winter range of the Continental Divide. The Act also protects migration corridors in the Thompson Divide, as well as increases fishing access to offset streams lost by historic dams in the Curecanti National Recreation Area.
Two iconic landscapes included in the CORE Act have already received conservation designations by the Biden administration. In 2022, the Camp Hale – Continental Divide National Monument was established, earning applause from BHA for conserving more than 10,000 acres of critical winter range for elk as well as mule deer habitat, migration corridors and headwaters fisheries. The area also is home to historic military site, Camp Hale, a World War II-era training ground. In 2024, a mineral withdrawal for 220,000 acres of the Thompson Divide. This withdrawal protects 34,000 acres of elk migration corridors and 83 miles of native cutthroat trout streams. However, this withdrawal is under review by the Trump administration and only Congress can ensure these protections become permanent.
As the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to conserving our nation’s wild public lands, waters, and wildlife, BHA will continue to advocate for the passage of the CORE Act. BHA invites its members, supporters, and the broader public to join in supporting this invaluable Act by visiting BHA’s Action Center.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. To learn more about issues important to BHA’s membership, visit www.backcountryhunters.org/our_issues.
