Conservation fund has saved special places

An overwhelming majority of Coloradans agree that protecting our watersheds, preserving our natural resources and conserving our priceless public lands are not only important for our health and environment, but also for our state’s thriving outdoor economy.We were recently reminded of the incredible beauty and value of our land at the Tolland Ranch Property we visited last month. In a field near South Boulder Creek, we joined members of the local community to celebrate the designation of a 3,300-acre conservation easement, the centerpiece of a 4,700-acre project to preserve the property.This project on the Toll family land — which they have owned for more than 120 years — was a top priority for the U.S. Forest Service. It ensures that water supplies to Denver and Boulder remain healthy, that the scenic landscape remains unchanged, that a diversity of wildlife continues to inhabit the entire area, and that the world-class Nordic trails on the property remain accessible to the public.The South Boulder Creek Project is a shining example of what can be done to protect our watersheds and public lands when private landowners, conservationists and federal, state and local governments join forces. And this project and others like it could not have been completed without federal dollars from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The LWCF operates under a simple concept that has endured for half a century. The fund reinvests a small portion of the royalties from offshore oil and gas drilling to permanently conserve our land and water. The program doesn’t use a dime of taxpayer money.It’s hard to imagine what the American landscape might look like today if the LWCF had not been established 50 years ago. Colorado has received more than $ 230 million in LWCF funding that has been used to preserve areas like the Ophir Valley in the San Juans and Little Echo Lake in Gilpin County, as well as treasures like the Great Sand Dunes and Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s also been used to create and maintain local parks, urban nature areas and state parks. Following flooding in 2013, LWCF state assistance grants were used to help with recovery efforts like rebuilding the St. Vrain River corridor.The conservation of these public lands has also contributed greatly to our outdoor recreation economy, which generates $ 13.2 billion in consumer spending, supports 125,000 jobs and produces $ 994 million annually in tax revenue.Unfortunately, the LWCF is set to expire at the end of September, putting projects like the one we celebrated last month and others across the state in jeopardy. We’re continuing to fight for the LWCF in the Senate and have sponsored several measures to reauthorize the fund and to fully fund it — which has only happened once since the LWCF was created. In Colorado and Washington, D.C., we have broad bipartisan support for the LWCF, and we will continue to be a strong voice for protecting it.We owe it to future generations to leave our parks and public lands better than we found them and to impart the lessons of conservation and stewardship onto our kids and grandkids. The LWCF is our most effective tool to do that, and we are committed to ensuring our children can enjoy the benefits of this fund for the next 50 years.Democrat Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009.