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Government plays a major role in the region. Most regional communities and agencies have master plans with provisions for land conservation. Funding for the most part comes from Colorado Lottery Conservation Trust Funds and a variety of grants from sources such as Great Outdoors Colorado and public/private partnerships.
The City of Colorado Springs has dedicated funding available for land conservation through the Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) tax initiative that provides $5.5 to $6 million annually with approximately 60% going to open space preservation. The tax has funded such open space projects as the Stratton Open Space (308 acres), Big Johnson Reservoir (650 acres), Cheyenne Mountain State Park (1600 acres), Houck Estate (73 acres): High Chaparral (54 acres), Blodgett Peak (167 acres) and consideration of Red Rock Canyon. In addition, the TOPS program has funded dozens of trails and parks projects.
Manitou Springs has both a sales tax and a property tax that has generated $359,000 for open space, parks and trails since its passage in 1995. This has enabled the city to purchase its number one priority open space project, Red Mountain in 1997.
Both Teller and El Paso County and many of the municipalities have open space master plans. These master plans define open space and identify many of the areas that meet the criteria. An open space area's inclusion in a masterplan is only an indication of possible preservation value. The plans do not place special protected status on the areas nor do they indicate that the property is even available for sale.
Teller County Parks administers the open space program for the county. It has recently acquired the 1600-acre Catamount Ranch through a variety of funding sources, mostly foundation grants. It has no dedicated funding for land preservation but depends on Colorado Lottery Conservation Trust funds and Great Outdoors Colorado grants. Teller County also the Community-Oriented Resource Enhancement Fund to provide a source of funds to help leverage projects administered by other government agencies and public or private organizations with about $20000 available for open space over the last five years. No funds are available for 2001.
El Paso County Parks owns or manages a number of open space areas in the county. Most of these are in the form of large regional parks that contain both natural and developed areas. One of these, Manitou Springs Section 16, is under lease from the State Land Board. El Paso County has no dedicated land preservation funding but must depend on Colorado Lottery Conservation Trust income and Great Outdoors Colorado grants for open space acquisition.
In addition, a number of other government agencies have land conservation programs in the Pikes Peak region.
Fort Carson has about 8,000 undeveloped or recreation acres administered through the Natural Resources Division.
The Air Force Academy has 11,000 undeveloped acres open to the public. The program is administered by the Environmental Flight.
The Pikes Peak Ranger District manages 240,000 acres in the Pikes Peak region, most of which is in El Paso and Teller counties.
The State Land Board administers a number of holdings in the Pikes Peak region.
Funding for open space purchase comes from several sources. Colorado Springs (Trails Open Space and Parks Program - TOPS) and Manitou Springs have a small sales tax which goes to open space. Individuals and organizations may apply for funding for specific projects. Funding for the counties and other municipalities comes from small appropriations from their general funds (usually Conservation Trust Funds-Lottery Funds) and from government grant programs like the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (also Lottery funds).
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