A new report offers a glimpse into how Colorado Springs-area business people and advocates are feeling about hot-button issues facing the outdoor industry.

With a grant from Colorado Tourism Office, Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance contracted a survey of 160 representatives of local stewarding groups, retailers, outfitters and manufacturers. The intent, according to the nonprofit alliance, is “to better prioritize efforts in supporting the region’s outdoor industry, inform regional planning, and benchmark the local industry to monitor growth and change in the future for better advocacy.”

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The so-called stakeholder report compiled responses to 24 wide-ranging questions. Asked how they felt about business prospects over the next 12 months, 82% of respondents expressed optimism despite broader economic uncertainty. In terms of employment, though, they were split. While 33% said they strongly agreed or agreed that they have a strong pool of workers to draw from, 28% said they disagreed or strongly disagreed.

And while 58% of respondents said they saw the industry becoming more diverse and inclusive, a common theme in responses was a struggle to hire people of color and reach underserved communities. Only 36% said they felt those communities were being served.

Another common theme regarded, as one respondent wrote, “a balance between use, conservation and economic growth.” A majority of those surveyed said they would benefit from increased promotion, though a bigger majority voiced concerns about crowding and local land managers’ capacity to keep up.

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Two-thirds of respondents said increased visitation is having a negative impact on public lands. Only 11% said there was enough funding for maintenance and enforcement.

A majority 51% said they agreed or strongly agreed user fees could help. Another common theme in responses was a need for more trails and open spaces to spread people out.

“We are overused in some key areas but also under-used in other parts of the region that desire more outdoor recreation,” one wrote. “We need to work collaboratively to find more ‘win-win’ scenarios.”

Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance, convening local officials, advocates and land managers, recently announced another state-authorized grant to continue working toward what the group is calling a “comprehensive recreation and conservation plan” for the region.

Read the stakeholder survey here: https://bit.ly/3XSOyrZ

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