“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” — Albert Camus
"Beleaf" it or not, fall is just around the corner! It is a wonderful time of year in Colorado. The change of seasons brings cooler temperatures, bugling elk and vibrant colors across the state. Despite the start of the school year and end of the summer travel season, crowds of adventurers can be found throughout Colorado, enjoying our spectacular landscapes painted in swaths of gold from the leaves of autumn aspen trees.
This month, we pulled together a suite of resources from Stewardship Partners to encourage visitors to "leaf it be" this fall. We hope you will share the assets below through all your channels to help support the protection of our precious natural resources this fall.
Jill Corbin, Interim Director, Colorado Tourism Office
Dana Watts, Executive Director, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
Help Us Share the Care for Colorado Monthly Messaging
- Leave No Trace: What Happens When We Carve Into Trees?
- Leave No Trace Principle 4: Leave What You Find
- Leave No Trace: Leaf What You Find youth activity
- Leave No Trace: 5 Tips for Your Leave No Trace Autumn Adventures
- CTO: Aspen Viewing: Drives To See Fall Leaves in Colorado
- Camp Colorado: Responsible Colorado Camping: Aspen Trees (Bark, Specifically)
- USDA/U.S. Forest Service: How Aspens Grow
- USDA /U.S. Forest Service: Aspen Decline
#CareForColorado Social Media Posts
Share any of the posts below to encourage visitors to Care for Colorado on all their adventures. Don’t forget to tag @VisitColorado and @LeaveNoTraceCenter on all your posts.
- Enjoy viewing our aspens but refrain from leaving your mark. Carving into the bark of trees can make them susceptible to disease and pests and can have lasting impacts on our aspen groves. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace
- Let’s protect our forests and Leave No Trace. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace
- Watch out for each other when taking fall-color photos outside of the car. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace #CDOT
- When viewing fall colors, watch out for vehicles pulling off the roadways and parked on the sides of roads. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace #CDOT
- When viewing fall colors, motorists need to watch out for pedestrians! People will be out of their vehicles with their cameras. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace #CDOT
- When viewing fall colors, look out for other vehicles that may be traveling at lower speeds. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace #CDOT
- When viewing fall colors, vehicles should always find safe, designated areas to park. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace #CDOT
- When viewing fall colors, pedestrians are encouraged to be extremely diligent and watch out for passing cars and trucks. #CareForColorado #LeaveNoTrace #CDOT
Care for Colorado Additional Resources
New Colorado Concierge Training Module
The Colorado Tourism Office has launched a new Colorado Concierge hospitality training module entitled Inclusive Colorado Culture! Increase your knowledge of Colorado by completing this new training module containing practical guidance for advancing an inclusive culture and creating more welcoming experiences for diverse guests.
The training also introduces general Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) language and concepts, applied to Colorado tourism scenarios. This module was developed in partnership with the Inclusivity in Travel Advisory Group and Ascent Inclusion Consulting, a firm that provides guidance to advance DEI in the outdoor industry and the outdoor recreation economy.
2021 Gov Con Registration Is Open
Don’t miss your chance to secure the lowest rate possible for the annual Colorado Governor’s Tourism Conference Wednesday, Nov. 3, through Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. Gov Con 2021 will take place at the Pueblo Convention Center. Be sure to book your hotel room soon to ensure you get the hotel of your choice. Early Bird Registration ends Sept. 10, 2021.
Colorado Open Space Alliance Conference Registration Is Open
The COSA Steering Committee is excited to announce that registration for the 2021 conference is now open! Special welcome to Keep It Colorado members as we join forces with the Keep It Colorado Fall Summit. Early registration runs through August. Register for the conference >>
Thanks to our many generous sponsors, the registration fees are very affordable. Grand Hyatt special room rates expire on Sept. 19. Find details on the conference registration page >>
Scholarships are available!