Snowmass takes stance on public lands

Snowmass Town Council has outlined their support of public lands in writing to serve as a resource for elected officials.

Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday advocating for public land protection. The document describes why public lands are an important resource for Snowmass and Colorado residents, focusing on the lands’ economic, social, and environmental value. 

Snowmass Town Attorney Jeff Conklin said the document will give Colorado’s elected officials a written resource when justifying land-protective policy decisions. 

“For that reason alone, I’m really happy we’re doing this,” council member Britta Gustafson said. 

The decision comes in the wake of the astronomic public land sale proposed by the federal government in President Donald Trump’s recent “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The attempted land sale was removed from the bill on June 29.

The resolution passed by Snowmass Town Council begins by acknowledging that a significant amount of public lands surrounding Snowmass are “integral to the town’s economy, environment, and quality of life.”

The resolution states that outdoor recreation in Colorado generated $65.8 billion in economic output, according to data displayed in the 2023 Colorado Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. It contributed $36.5 billion to Colorado’s Gross Domestic Product, or the annual value of goods and services. It also supported 404,000 jobs and contributed $11.2 billion in annual tax revenue. 

“The citizens of Snowmass Village deeply value these public lands for their recreational, economic, cultural, and spiritual significance, recognizing that these lands are accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or gender,” the resolution states.

According to the data, 96% of Coloradans participate in outdoor recreation. Seventy-two percent do so at least once per week. 

“Outdoor recreationists spent over $52.1 billion on trips and equipment, underscoring the widespread and active use of public lands for recreational purposes,” the resolution states. 

The resolution also references a 2024 Colorado College poll, which found that the majority of Western voters support conservation. Sixty-seven percent of voters across Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming “are worried about the future of land, water and wildlife,” the poll showed.

“There may be a lot that divides voters across the country, but in the West there is nearly universal consensus in favor of conservation,” Katrina Miller-Stevens — a Colorado College associate professor and chair of State of the Rockies, which conducted the poll — said in a press release. “Not only do voters prefer conservation when asked how public lands and water should be utilized, but issues involving water, air, land, and wildlife are top of mind when they make their voting decisions.”

The Snowmass resolution notes that 85% of Westerners — and 71% of Western Republicans — will more likely support presidents who protect public lands, according to a 2023 Conservation in the West poll. 

“Therefore, be it resolved, that the Town of Snowmass Village hereby expresses its strong support for the continued federal management and stewardship of public lands within Snowmass Village, opposes any efforts to sell, transfer, or dispose of these public lands,” the resolution states. 

It also encourages the Colorado congressional delegation to oppose legislation that would negatively impact public lands and support policies that favor preservation. It opposes attempts to reduce or change historic landmarks and national monuments.

The resolution recognizes that federal land has a variety of uses and encourages balanced land management, urging federal agencies to collaborate with local communities and governmental entities to ensure “effective and responsible management of public lands.” 

Council member Susan Marolt emphasized the importance of the resolution given Snowmass’s connection to public lands. 

“I think it’s an important part of the atmosphere of the town as well as the economy,” Marolt said of the lands. “I just think it’s something we should make a statement about.”

A full copy of the resolution can be found on the meetings section of tosv.com.

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.