Annex 1: Abbreviations and Acronyms

  • APS Avalanche Preservation Society
  • BCDF Bent County Development Foundation
  • BLM Bureau of Land Management
  • BHS Bent County Historical Society
  • CHFA Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
  • CPRHTF Canyons and Plains Regional Heritage Task Force
  • CPW Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • CTO Colorado Tourism Office
  • DMO Destination Management/Marketing Organization
  • KCEDF Kiowa County Economic Development Foundation
  • NPS National Park Service
  • OEDIT Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
  • OREC Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office
  • ROO Rural Opportunity Office
  • RFV Roaring Fork Valley
  • RFVDA Roaring Fork Valley Destination Alliance
  • SCCOG South Central Council of Governments
  • SECWCD Southeast Colorado Water Conservancy District
  • SEBREA Southeast Colorado Business Retention Expansion and Attraction
  • USFS United States Forest Service

Annex 2: Destination Stewardship Partners

Government Agencies

Colorado is fortunate to have millions of acres of public lands, many of which can be found in southeast Colorado and within the Canyons and Plains region. The following state and federal land management agencies are leading efforts to protect natural and cultural resources and encourage responsible recreation on public lands.

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) (Fishers Peak State Park, Trinidad Lake State Park)
  • National Park Service (Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, Amache National Historic Site, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site) )
  • U.S. Forest Service (USFS) (Comanche National Grassland)

Regional Municipalities and Counties

The Canyons and Plains travel region is comprised of the following cities and counties:

  • Cities: Campo, Cheraw, Chivington, Crowley, Eads, Fowler, Granada, Hasty, Haswell, Holly, Kim, La Junta, Lamar, Las Animas, Manzanola, Ordway, Pritchett, Rocky Ford, Springfield, Sugar City, Towner, Trinidad, Two Buttes, Vilas, Walsh, Weston and Wiley
  • Counties: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers

Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative

There is one Colorado Regional Partnerships at work in the Canyons and Plains travel region. While the missions and scope of projects vary within the statewide Colorado Regional Partnerships program, they are based upon collaboration between land managers, conservation organizations, and recreation user groups, as well as a commitment to habitat protection, restoration, and stewardship.

  • Spanish Peaks Outdoor Coalition

DMOs and Local Tourism-Related Organizations

The Canyons and Plains region boasts a diverse array of organizations and initiatives focused on advancing destination stewardship. Many of these organizations work locally and often partner with municipal governments. This list is not exhaustive, as numerous emerging efforts involve collaboration among multiple DMOs, local and county governments, state and federal land managers, and other non-profit organizations.

Amache Preservation Society (APS) maintains Amache Museum and leads tours of the site and was instrumental in its preservation. The society was established by Mr. John Hopper, a social studies teacher and now Principal of Granada High School, and consists of volunteer students from that school.

Bent County Development Foundation (BCDF) was founded in 1989 to promote the general economic activity of our local community; and to improve the standard of living for its existing and future residents.

Bent County Historical Society (BHS) preserves the history and heritage of Bent County through the facilitation of the Bent County Chronicle, Art Guild, programs and activities that interpret the culture and architectural history of the region, the operation and preservation of the John W. Rawlings Heritage Center and Museum and Boggsville Historic Site.

Canyons and Plains Regional Heritage Taskforce is a community organization and tourist information center working to preserve and promote Southeast Colorado heritage, culture, and natural resources.

City of La Junta Tourism / Visit La Junta grows the tourism economy in a manner that is authentic to the community and develops and promotes tourism assets and experiences that reflect the nature of La Junta, its residents, and its surroundings.

Kiowa County Economic Development Foundation (KCEDF) actively promotes and manages growth and development for Kiowa County while preserving the unique rural atmosphere and quality of life inherent throughout the history of Kiowa County, Colorado.

La Junta Economic Development has formed partnerships with regional, state, and national agencies to streamline the process to help industries relocate and grow in Southeast Colorado.

Otero County Historic Preservation Board identifies, documents, and preserves historic resources in Otero County.

Prowers County Lodging Tax Panel manages funds received through collection of the 2% lodging tax for the purpose of marketing, advertising, and providing group incentives that inspire travel to Prowers County.

Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway (also a National Scenic Byway) is managed by the Canyons and Plains of Southeast Colorado Regional Heritage Taskforce, a non-profit volunteer organization that promotes visitation to and stewardship of the heritage resources of southeast Colorado.

South Central Council of Governments (SCCOG) works to help the bi-county region identify issues and create strategic solutions to address regional problems and/or issues that exist or could arise.

Southeast Colorado Business Retention Expansion and Attraction (SEBREA) supports regional local economic development organizations and local governments in Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero and Prowers counties. SEBREA provides a foundation for sustaining and expanding the economic growth in southeast Colorado utilizing the strength of partnerships and resources to thrive in today’s business environment regionally, nationally and globally.

Visit Trinidad / City of Trinidad Tourism aims to increase economic development in the Trinidad area by promoting tourism.

NGOs, Academia and Community Entities

Below is a list of other groups, organizations and entities in the Canyons and Plains travel region currently engaged in resource stewardship at a community or county level. It is important to note there are many other public and private sector individuals and organizations supporting the work of the listed entities as well as championing other initiatives.

  • Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)
  • Colorado Preservation, Inc.
  • Downtown Trinidad Development Group
  • Lamar Community College
  • Lamar Partnership Inc.
  • Main Street La Junta
  • Otero College
  • Otero Historic Preservation Board
  • Purgatoire Watershed Partnership
  • South Central Council of Governments (SCCOG)
  • Southeast Colorado Business Retention Expansion and Attraction (SEBREA)
  • Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development, Inc. (SECED)
  • Southeast Colorado Water Conservancy District (SECWCD)
  • Southern Plains Land Trust
  • The Corazon de Trinidad Creative District
  • Trinidad State College
  • Trinidad Trails Alliance
  • Trinidad Urban Renewal Authority