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Advocacy & Stewardship Starts With You
The trails we hike, the parks we gather in, and the open spaces that give this region room to breathe do not remain vibrant by accident. They thrive because people speak up, show up, and keep reminding decision-makers what these places mean to everyday life.
That’s what advocacy looks like at the Trails & Open Space Coalition. We help turn love for the outdoors into action that safeguards the parks, sustains the trails, and champions the open spaces that make the Pikes Peak region feel like home.
The Outdoors Needs More Advocates
Most people care deeply about our public lands. They want more connected trails. They want healthy parks. They want open spaces protected as our region grows. But caring and knowing how to make a difference are not always the same thing.
Public meetings happen. Funding decisions get made. Plans move forward. Priorities shift. And too often, the people who use and love our public land are too busy to join in or too unsure of where to start.
We Help Everyday People Become Advocates for the Outdoors
Advocacy shouldn’t feel like something reserved for policy experts, longtime insiders, or the loudest voices in the room. It should feel like a community effort. Something people can step into, enjoy, and grow with over time.
Trails & Open Space Coalition helps people connect with the outdoors, understand what’s at stake, and take meaningful action to protect it. Sometimes that looks like showing up. Sometimes it looks like learning. Sometimes it starts with simply spending more time outside and remembering why our open spaces matter in the first place.
Because when people feel connected to the land, they’re far more likely to invest themselves in it.
Advocacy Can Start With a Walk, a Conversation, or One Decision to Get Involved
Get Out! (GO!)
Advocacy doesn’t always begin in a meeting room. Sometimes it begins on a trail, in a neighborhood park, or during a quiet moment outside that reminds someone why Colorado is worth protecting.
Get Out (GO!) encourages people to spend time outdoors for their physical and mental well-being while deepening their connection to the parks, trails, and open spaces around them. It helps residents reconnect with the landscapes that shape life in the Pikes Peak region and reminds us that outdoor access isn’t just nice to have; it’s part of what makes Colorado healthy, connected, and livable.
Building Outdoor Advocates of Tomorrow (BOAT)
Strong advocacy also means investing in the next generation.
BOAT engages college-age students in environmental research, leadership development, and outreach so they can become informed, confident advocates for public land protection. The program helps young adults build the knowledge and experience to care for wildlife, understand local conservation challenges, and step into meaningful leadership roles in the region.
This is how long-term advocacy grows. Not just by protecting land today, but by preparing future leaders to keep protecting it tomorrow.
A Stronger Outdoor Future Takes All of Us
There is no one right way to be an advocate.
Some people stay informed and speak up when decisions affect trails, parks, and open space. Some bring others outdoors and help build a stronger culture of stewardship. Some support the work financially so TOSC can continue showing up where it matters most. Some are just getting started and need a place to begin.
All of that counts.
As a community, we can help:
- Trails closed or neglected due to lack of maintenance
- Open space permanently lost to unchecked development
- Public access replaced by private use
- Cuts to park conservation and stewardship funding
- A generation growing up without daily access to nature
- Habitats disrupted or destroyed as natural areas disappear
Your Voice Matters
You don’t need a title to be an advocate. You just need a reason to care.
If you love the trails, parks, and open spaces that shape life in the Pikes Peak region, there’s a place for you in this work. Become an advocate today, and help us keep Colorado wild, livable, and most of all, home.
