Colorado passes Public Lands Day bill

by Randy Scholfield

Colorado last week took a welcome step to return some sanity to the debate about public lands in the West. The state's General Assembly passed a bill that establishes Colorado Public Lands Day, which designates the third Saturday of May each year to acknowledge the importance of America's public lands to the state's quality of life and economy. 

Count sportsmen in on the celebration. 

"It’s about access,” said Tyler Baskfield, TU's Colorado Sportsmen's Coordinator, in a release.  “Colorado is fortunate enough to have millions of acres of public lands for hunters and anglers to explore—and sportsmen and women deeply appreciate the opportunity these lands provide for outdoor recreation. We look forward to celebrating Colorado Public Lands Day.”

There was some predicted pushback on bill from some fringe voices who would like to seize—not celebrate—America's public lands. But reason prevailed, and after some political posturing, the legislation passed in bipartisan fashion. 

Colorado is the first state to officially recognize in this way the importance and value of our national public lands. Let's hope this inspires other Western states to express a commonsense appreciation of these special lands—our lands. 

That's right—we already own these incredible places, and we don't need crackpot groups like the Bundys to "take them back." 

Randy Scholfield is TU's communications director for the Southwest region.