People take pride in protecting their land when it becomes more
populated. The reverse might seem more plausible, but when
population density increases, people become more aware of the
benefits their area provides.
“The community interest might be enhanced,” former Teller County
Parks Coordinator Kevin Tanski said of protecting land in growing
areas. “While all open lands have the risk of being developed, as
more people move into the area, the value of open space – to
maintain watershed, wildlife and provide recreation benefits – I
think becomes increasingly important.”
Population growth can compromise the quality of the county’s
recreation experiences. Stricter management of the land is a
necessity in a growing area.
“I think we can anticipate that over time the trails and open
space in our region will see increasing demand,” Tanski said.
“There will be the necessity of the land recreation managers to
manage the use so it can be sustained over time.”
More controlled access and fees could be the end result for
county recreation areas. Regulations are meant to keep the land
from deteriorating.
“Other parts of the state offer glimpses of what our future
might be in some areas,” Tanski said. “Rafting on the Arkansas
River is an example. Over time it has become increasingly regulated
and permits are required.
“As the population in the Colorado Springs metropolitan area
continues to grow, I think we’re going to see additional pressures
on the public lands,” he said. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing,
it is what it is. The more we can do to develop these sites and new
sites to accommodate increased use, the better off we will
be.”
Local governments also become more reliant on grant money in
developing regions. The funds go toward maintenance issues such as
trail upkeep.
“As areas become more urbanized, many communities have seen fit
to adopt dedicated funding measures,” Tanski said. “A property or
sales tax could help fund not only the management of, but the
development of parks, trails and open space.”
Outdoor recreation entices countless tourists to Teller County.
While some of the activities can get overlooked, all are evolving
as the makeup of the area changes.
“When you look at the broad spectrum, motorized recreation in
Teller County is extremely important,” Tanski said. “The area
around Pikes Peak is also evolving. I think it will become
increasingly popular for many types of recreation because of the
stunning beauty and the quality of trails.”
No matter how beautiful the scenery is, drought is a hindrance
residents and tourists must accept. The hazards of wildfire will
always remain, no matter how much rain falls on the surrounding
forests.
“I think we are a drought prone region,” Tanski said. “As a
result, you go through these periodic drought cycles that can be
intense and create some serious risks.
Camping regulations will continue to mirror drought conditions
affecting the area.
“Things like dispersed camping in our area may become the norm,”
Tanski said. “Focusing camping to approved campgrounds.”
Linkages of trails within and between communities also grow in
importance as population increases. The county will be focusing on
providing people a safe route to get from place to place without
driving, Tanski said.
“If we’re not providing people with safe trails to recreate or
commute on, I think we’re doing our community a disservice,” he
said. “As the growth continues and the traffic density increases,
it becomes increasingly dangerous for people to recreate or
commute.”
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Unique fossil formations millions of years old are preserved at
a site west of Divide. Seeking more visits, the Florissant Fossil
Beds National Monument could benefit from the county’s
growth.
“Over the last five years, our visitation has been going down,”
Reggie Tiller, superintendent of the fossil beds, said. “An influx
of more people in the area probably would get us back to where we
were 10 years ago.
“It would give us an opportunity to recruit more volunteers,” he
said. “We could also offer programs off site.”
The monument’s boundaries are surrounded by private landowners.
New neighbors moving in means educating people about living next to
federal lands.
“The only change would be if someone sold out and a new person
came in,” Tiller said. “We’d just have a new neighbor to get to
know. I think it’s just a matter of building a
relationship.
“It is a huge honor, as well as a huge learning curve, in being
a neighbor to federal land,” he said. “When you think about the
fire restrictions when summertime hits, the people from the
northeast (U.S.), even the southeast, don’t have the fire danger we
have in the west. It’s an opportunity to educate those folks on how
to be good stewards of the land.”
As visitation to the fossil beds increases, so does trail use.
The more hikers, the better, Tiller said.
“The more use, really the better the trails are,” he said. “The
weather actually has the biggest impact.”
Ute Pass Corridor Trail
The world is becoming increasingly interconnected. So, too, are
towns in the region.
The Ute Pass Corridor Trail, a part of the American Discovery
Trail, is a project underway. The trail will begin in Manitou
Springs, traversing the mountains 40 miles to Cripple Creek and
Victor. Thirteen miles are completed so far. Branches will also
lead to Woodland Park and the Florissant Fossil Beds National
Monument.
“It provides an opportunity to connect towns and people, to
boost the economy with hikers coming from outside the area, safety
for people to travel,” Dick Bratton, chairman of the corridor
trails committee, said. “When completed, it will provide a safe way
for people to hike from Manitou Springs all the way to Cripple
Creek.”
Along with hiking, biking and jogging, the pathway will
accommodate horseback riding, cross country skiing and, with some
blacktop surfaces, skateboarding and rollerblading. The goals for
the trails include safety, alternative modes of transportation,
boosting the local economies and preserving regional
history.
Mueller State Park
Private land surrounds Mueller State Park on three sides, with
Dome Rock bordering it on the fourth. Population growth along the
park’s perimeters is a pervasive issue.
“The biggest impact to us is additional housing on the perimeter
of the park,” Mueller State Park Superintendent Gregg Nootbaar
said. “That could lend itself to disturbances of the wildlife
migration routes and potentially some trespassing into the
park.”
The only way to get in the park is through the main entrance.
Nootbaar said keeping a working relationship with the park’s
neighbors is an important part of maintaining its beauty.
“We try to do community outreach,” Nootbaar said. “Generally, we
contact our neighbors and try to open up lines of communication
with those people.”
With fire danger a consistent threat to the area, reaching
neighbors of the park becomes even more essential.
“We have to educate them on what our policies are,” Nootbaar
said. “How we deal with wildfire mitigation is always a concern
here. We try to seek their cooperation.”
More homes means more potential for a fire to spread.
“When the weather dries out, fire’s always a concern here,”
Nootbaar said. “The more homes you have around the area, you have
that potential of a fire spreading from an adjacent landowner.”