Annex 1: Abbreviations and Acronyms

  • CCI Colorado Creative Industries
  • CDLE Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
  • CDOT Colorado Department of Transportation
  • CPW Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • CTO Colorado Tourism Office
  • CWDC Colorado Workforce Development Council
  • DEN Denver International Airport
  • DMO Destination Management/Marketing Organization
  • DOLA Colorado Department of Local Affairs
  • DCS Destination Stewardship Council
  • FoCoMA Fort Collins Musicians Association
  • GOCO Great Outdoors Colorado
  • NoCo Northern Colorado Tourism Region
  • NPS National Park Service
  • OEDIT Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
  • OREC Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office
  • RTD Regional Transportation District
  • USFS United States Forest Service

Annex 2: Destination Stewardship Partners

Government Agencies

Colorado is fortunate to have millions of acres of public lands, some of which can be found in the Denver and Northern Colorado 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
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • National Park Service (Rocky Mountain National Park)
  • United States Forest Service (Arapaho National Forest, Pike National Forest, Roosevelt National Forest)

Regional Municipalities and Counties

The Denver and Northern Colorado travel region is comprised of the following cities and counties:

Cities: Adams City, Allenspark, Arvada, Ault, Aurora, Bailey, Bellvue, Bennett, Berthoud, Black Hawk, Boulder, Bow Mar, Briggsdale, Brighton, Broomfield, Buffalo Creek, Byers, Carr, Castle Rock, Centennial, Central City, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Commerce City, Conifer, Dacono, Denver, Drake, Dupont, Eastlake, Eaton, Edgewater, Eldorado Springs, Englewood, Erie, Estes Park, Evans, Evergreen, Federal Heights, Firestone, Fort Collins, Fort Logan, Fort Lupton, Foxfield, Foxton, Franktown, Frederick, Galeton, Garden City, Gilcrest, Gill, Glen Haven, Glendale, Glendevey, Golden, Greeley, Greenwood Village, Grover, Henderson, Hereford, Highlands, Highlands Ranch, Hygiene, Idaho Springs, Idledale, Indian Hills, Irondale, Jamestown, Johnstown, Keenesburg, Kersey, Kittredge, La Salle, Lafayette, Lakewood, Laporte, Littleton, Livermore, Lochbuie, Lone Tree, Longmont, Louisville, Louviers, Loveland, Lowry, Lucerne, Lyons, Masonville, Mead, Milliken, Montbello, Montclair, Morrison, Nederland, Niwot, Northglenn, Nunn, Parker, Pine, Pinecliffe, Platteville, Raymer (New Raymer), Red Feather Lakes, Roggen, Rollinsville, Rustic, Sedalia, Severance, Sheridan, Stoneham, Strasburg, Superior, Thornton, Timnath, Valley, Virginia Dale, Watkins, Wattenburg, Welby, Wellington, Western Area, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Windsor

Counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield City-County, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, Morgan, Weld

Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative

There are a number of Colorado Regional Partnerships at work in the Denver and Northern Colorado travel region. While their missions and scope of projects vary, 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.

  • Metro Denver Nature Alliance (Metro DNA) aligns nature-based efforts to ensure more equitable access to nature and promote healthy people, communities, and natural places.
  • NoCo Places is a collaboration of eight county, state, and federal public land agencies from north-central Colorado that are actively collaborating to address the challenges the mountains and foothills in this region are facing from high visitation and a growing population.

DMOs and Local Tourism-Related Organizations

The Denver and Northern Colorado 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.

Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area offers ample opportunities for adventure as a renowned attraction located on a healthy working river filled with abundant wildlife and breathtaking scenery.

City of Greeley Culture, Parks, & Recreation enhances the Greeley community through exceptional service and stewardship.

Clear Creek County Tourism Bureau acts as the destination marketing and management organization working to maximize visitor spending in ways that support businesses, benefit communities, and protect the homes and heritage in Clear Creek County, CO.

Colorado State University sets the standard for public research universities in teaching, research, service, and extension for the benefit of the citizens of Colorado, the United States and the world.

Continental Divide Trail Coalition builds a strong community of Continental Divide Trail volunteers, enthusiasts, and supporters who want to see the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail completed and protected.

Denver International Airport provides excellent service and support as the largest airport in the region and the state for more than 100 million passengers annually.

Downtown Boulder Partnership promotes the civic, economic, and commercial vitality of downtown Boulder – while helping preserve its historic and cultural environment as the heart of the greater Boulder community.

Downtown Colorado, Inc. builds better communities by providing assistance to Colorado downtowns, commercial districts, main streets, rural communities, and town centers.

Friends of Dinosaur Ridge preserves paleontological history and offers world-class education programs that inspire wonder and curiosity.

Visit Aurora / Aurora Convention and Visitors Bureau is the DMO for Aurora, CO, showcasing Aurora as a premier destination for meetings, business, and leisure travel.

Visit Boulder / Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau is the destination marketing and management organization for Boulder, CO, championing the mission of keeping Boulder an inclusive and sustainable source of health and rejuvenation for locals and visitors alike, now and in the years to come, by providing education on ethical conservation practices.

Visit Denver is the destination marketing and management organization for Denver, CO, bringing conventions and leisure visitors to Denver for the economic benefit of the City, the community, and their partners.

Visit Estes Park / Estes Park Local Marketing District is the destination marketing and management organization for Estes Park, CO, nurturing visitor reverence of their vibrant mountain town for business success, environmental sustainability, and community harmony.

Visit Fort Collins is the destination marketing and management organization for Fort Collins, CO, promoting all there is to do in Fort Collins.

Visit Golden is the destination marketing and management organization for Golden, CO, positioning Golden as a premier destination in Colorado by promoting its unique attributes to residents, regional visitors, and out-of-state travelers.

Visit Longmont is the destination marketing and management organization for Longmont, CO, working to enhance the image, and the historical, cultural, business, meeting, and recreational assets to draw regional, national, and international tourism to Longmont and surrounding areas.

Visit Loveland is the destination marketing and management organization for Loveland, CO.

Visit Lyons is the destination marketing and management organization for Lyons, CO.

Rocky Mountain National Park includes 415 square miles of a spectacular range of mountain environments, located just 55 miles from Denver.

University of Colorado Boulder serves as the state of Colorado’s comprehensive graduate research university with selective admission standards, offering a comprehensive array of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs.

University of Northern Colorado offers a comprehensive array of baccalaureate programs and master’s and doctoral degrees primarily in the field of education.

NGOs, Academia and Community Entities

Below is a list of other groups, organizations and entities in the Denver and Northern Colorado 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.

  • Access Fund
  • Access and Accessibility
  • Big City Mountaineers
  • Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
  • Bohemian Foundation
  • Boulder County Audubon Society
  • Boulder Housing Authority
  • Boulder Mountainbike Alliance
  • Boulder Watershed Collective
  • Chaffee Recreation Adopters
  • Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
  • Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education
  • Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association
  • Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
  • Colorado UpLift
  • Denver Audubon
  • Denver Botanic Gardens
  • Denver Zoo
  • Denver Zoo Animal Academy
  • Douglas Land Conservancy
  • Easter Seals Northern Colorado
  • Environmental Learning for Kids
  • Estes Park Housing Authority
  • Estes Valley Land Trust
  • Friends of Larimer County Parks and Open Lands
  • Friends of Lory State Park
  • Fort Collins Audubon Society
  • Fort Collins Musicians Association
  • Great Outdoors Colorado
  • Growing Gardens of Boulder County
  • High Line Canal Conservancy
  • High Plains Environmental Center
  • Historic Splendid Valley
  • HistoriCorps
  • Mountain Area Land Trust Longmont and Boulder Valley Conservation Districts
  • Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition
  • Northern Colorado Intertribal Pow-wow Association
  • Northern Colorado Wildlife Center
  • NoCo Housing Now
  • Overland Mountain Bike Association
  • Rocky Mountain Conservancy
  • Spark the Change Colorado
  • The Butterfly Pavilion)
  • Urban Land Conservancy
  • Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
  • West Greeley Conservation District
  • Wheel the World
  • Wildlands Restoration Volunteers