COLORADO SPRINGS — As the weather warms up, more people are spending time on the trails in our region. But it’s important that we all become sustainable trail users, especially with a growing population in Colorado Springs.
I spoke with the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance about the importance of being courteous of our environment, and wildlife while out on the trail.
Since the start of the pandemic, more people are opting outside than ever before, and while nonprofits like, the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance enjoy seeing people enjoy the outdoors, they want to put in a few reminders.
They want you to be prepared, pack enough water and give wildlife their space. If you have any trash, take it with you when you leave the trail. That goes for food you might consider biodegradable.
“I know a lot of folks that will throw their apple core or their orange peel and think “no big deal, the animals will eat it.” It takes years and years for those things to decompose. We really want to leave the natural environment the way it was before we got there. It’s better for the animals. It’s better for the flowers,” said Becky Leinweber, executive director at Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance.
“They need to know where they’re going. Make sure it’s open. Make sure there are no closures or special restrictions, especially with what we’ve just seen with all of these fires. We are barely into the season. We are going to see a lot of fire activity, so people need to be aware of that and be prepared.”
Keep in mind that we all like to use trails differently, from biking, to hiking, those on horseback and more. That is why you should also be aware of your surroundings and courteous of others. There’s a wide range of trails and open spaces here in Colorado Springs alone.
For those who want to help preserve our natural habitat, there are several volunteer opportunities that help you to do just that. To access some of those opportunities visit here.
Apps like AllTrails, help you read about trails and learn about which ones are less busy. For more information visit here.
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
