What if I told you the Colorado State Parks system could grow by nearly 9,000 acres without costing taxpayers a dime? That is the opportunity before the State Land Board this fall, and it should not be wasted.

This November, a Beneficial Use Agreement between the State Land Board and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a 10-year use agreement that enables public access and protection to 8,817 acres, will expire. This agreement includes state trust land within, and directly adjacent to, 13 state parks including Golden Gate Canyon, Staunton, Lake Pueblo and Cheyenne Mountain. These lands are cherished by Colorado citizens; state parks saw more than 18.2 million visitors in 2022.

Instead of simply renewing the same agreement for another decade, there is a chance to permanently protect these acres by deeding them to Colorado Parks and Wildlife and fully integrating these lands into our state park system. Many state trust lands are held to raise revenue for Colorado school children, however the acres in question are already held to benefit Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This exchange will benefit recreationists across the state without changing who benefits from the income stream of these lands.

Stay up to speed: Sign up for daily opinion in your inbox Monday-Friday

Though Colorado Parks and Wildlife already manages these lands as part of the state park system under the current agreement, the State Land Board retains the right to lease the lands for other uses. Transferring these lands to Colorado Parks and Wildlife would enable the department to manage the parcels in a manner that prioritizes conservation and recreation as opposed to extraction.

This is a unique opportunity to expand one of the most popular and economically beneficial state park systems in the nation. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, Colorado’s state and local park system generates $7 billion in annual economic impact, making it the sixth-highest grossing park system in the U.S. With 96% of Colorado residents recreating outdoors and more than 72% doing so weekly, it is clear Coloradans love their parks. By making this permanent transfer, the State Land Board would champion a significant public access win in line with the Gov. Jared Polis’ administration’s goal of expanding the state park system.

Though a 10-year agreement may sound akin to permanent protection, there is always the potential for the State Land Board to sell off the land rather than safeguarding it as a state park — a designation that comes with significant public pressure to preserve access. Recently the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments recommended auctioning off 640 acres of state land within the Grand Teton National Park for residential development. This demonstrates the potential threat to state lands if not afforded permanent protections. We cannot risk the temptation to sell these cherished lands to the highest bidder.

The pressure to sell popular state trust land, like those abutting Great Sand Dunes National Park or within Golden Gate Canyon State Park, will only grow with our population and as these lands become more valuable. Now is the time to put a stake in the ground and stand up for permanent expansion of our beloved parks.

Please join me in encouraging the State Trust Land Board and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to permanently expand our state parks system without spending a dime of state money.

Anneliese Steel is a senior policy advisor for Western Resource Advocates, a regional nonprofit fighting climate change and its impact to sustain the environment, economy and people of the western Unites States.