Nearly a dozen GOCO-funded projects were finished this spring, from land conservation in the most northwestern corner of the state to the completion of major "legacy" projects along the Front Range. Keep scrolling to see what our grantees got done with over $2.4 million in GOCO grants.

Bitter Brush

Every year, GOCO funding helps Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquire high priority wildlife habitat. One $80,000 grant helped CPW acquire 320 acres to expand Bitter Brush State Wildlife Area in northwestern Colorado, which is home to deer, elk, and pronghorn. Read about other recently closed GOCO-funded CPW projects.

Burke and Barnett Ranch

The Montezuma Land Conservancy received a $208,500 GOCO grant to conserve the 960-acre Burke and Barnett Ranch in southwestern Colorado. The ranch sits between the San Juan National Forest, Lone Mesa State Wildlife Area, and thousands of acres of other conserved properties.

Burke and Barnett also serves as an important migration route for elk. The project conserved a large stretch of Disappointment and Nash creeks, protecting water supply for both humans and wildlife.

Crested Butte Tennis Court Renovation Project

The Town of Crested Butte used nearly $200,000 from GOCO to build three new tennis courts to replace amenities that had been “loved to death” by the exploding tennis programs in the town. The grant also built a shade structure and replaced sidewalks around the courts.

Fountain Creek River Corridors Initiative

Earlier this year, several other elements of this “legacy” project closed. Summer 2016 marked the official completion of a $2.5 million effort to improve access to the outdoors along Fountain Creek in El Paso and Pueblo counties. The final projects to cross the finish line were the Pueblo Fountain Creek Trail and Pueblo Creekside Park, which included El Centro Del Quinto Sol skate park on the east side of the city. See this park's impact on the surrounding community.

Fresh Air Friday

Last year, GOCO and CPW teamed up to turn Black Friday into Fresh Air Friday. Inspired by REI’s Opt Outside campaign, we picked up the tab for all state parks visits on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Despite below freezing temperatures, more than 1,000 Coloradans took advantage of the free day!

Indian Wash at Matchett Park

Matchett Park in Grand Junction was overrun with invasive plants until a youth corps crew cleared the last few acres with $15,000 in GOCO funding. Invasive species not only negatively impact Colorado’s water supply, but were also preventing the park from being development for trails and other outdoor recreation. Grants to the Colorado Youth Corps Association help employ hundreds of youth every year across the state. Read more about CYCA grants through GOCO.

Jefferson County Flood Recovery

The September 2013 floods caused more than $1.2 million in damage and destroyed access to four of Jefferson County’s most visited parks: Apex, Lair O’ the Bear, North Table Mountain, and White Ranch. The county received $110,000 from GOCO to repair seven miles of trails across all four parks as part of our $4 million flood recovery initiative. Read about other GOCO-funded flood projects.

Marine Road Open Space Invasive Weed Management

The City of Montrose received a $15,000 GOCO grant to employ crews from the Western Colorado Conservation Corps to remove invasive plant species and replace them with native species at Marine Road Open Space along the Uncompahgre River.

Park Lane Elementary School

Park Lane Elementary in Aurora recently completed its new playground funded by another $100,000 School Yard Initiative grant. The project replaced 40-year-old equipment with a nature-inspired playground designed by kids. A Discover Colorado walking path was built along with a native species garden. Improvements to the blacktop will make basketball, four-square, and hopscotch even more fun.

Riverside Park Flood Restoration

Fort Morgan wrapped up its flood recovery project this month, which rebuilt the softball and baseball fields in the most heavily used park in the city. Approximately $2 million in damage was done to Riverside Park, and more than half a million in GOCO funding rebuilt the only lighted fields in Fort Morgan.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a Constitutional Amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 4,700 projects in urban and rural areas in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. 

All photos submitted by grantees as part of their closing project reports.