DENVER Colorado – Governor John Hickenlooper announced on Tuesday a proposal to combine the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation into a new division. The reorganization would streamline state government, improve service to customers and preserve critical programs by combining resources of the two divisions.

Hickenlooper was joined during an announcement at the state Capitol by Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, Sen. Mary Hodge, D-Brighton, Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling and Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen. The four lawmakers will sponsor legislation to authorize the consolidation.

“We committed on our first day in office to making government more efficient, effective and elegant,” Hickenlooper said. “This proposed change in the Department of Natural Resources would do all of those things and continues our work with the legislature to more efficiently provide state services in these difficult budget times.”

The proposal marks the latest step by the Hickenlooper administration to consolidate and change state functions. Other recent actions include:

• Merging jobs done by the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the state’s Chief Medical Officer into one position.
• Working with the General Assembly to allow Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia to also serve as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education.
• Evaluating the organizational structure of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and other emergency management operations.
• Supporting legislative efforts to consolidate Supportive Housing and Homeless Programs in the Department of Human Services and the Colorado Division of Housing in the Department of Local Affairs.
• Making staff changes in the Governor’s Office that combines duties and jobs.

The reorganized division announced today would remain a part of the Department of Natural Resources and would continue to focus on providing excellent outdoor recreation experiences for boaters, hunters, campers, anglers and many others who cherish Colorado’s unmatched natural environment. The new division would be called the Division of Parks, Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation, or CDPW.

Early estimates show the creation of the new division would allow the elimination – through attrition – of roughly 25 positions, as well as reduce duplication of equipment, including fleet vehicles. Those and numerous other efficiencies would lead to significant cost savings while also preserving a number of important Parks-run programs that create significant benefits for wildlife. An exact dollar figure for the costs savings is not yet known.

Mike King, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources said, “Uniting the outstanding personnel who work on behalf of our parks and wildlife would result in a stronger, more effective and more efficient approach to managing our state’s irreplaceable natural resources,” he further stated,  “This is an opportunity for our Department and our employees to collaborate and streamline the way we do business while preserving opportunities for outstanding outdoor recreation and maintaining our commitment to protecting and managing wildlife.”

Because Colorado State Parks faces further budget reductions in the upcoming fiscal year, combining the agencies would meet the twin goals of more efficient delivery of services and continuation of critical programs.

Those include efforts to limit invasive species in Colorado lakes, preserve important landscapes through voluntary agreements with other governments and private land owners, and develop the recreational trails program that assists in building and maintaining trails to enhance wildlife viewing and provide greater access to the outdoors.

The Colorado State Parks Board and the Colorado Wildlife Commission would be combined into a single oversight board. The newly unified board would, along with division employees and other stakeholders, help guide the consolidation creation of the agencies into a new division.

“The Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Parks are well thought of and have strong relationships in the communities they serve,” said Hickenlooper. “Both agencies will find synergy in the merger. What will make this successful is people’s will to make it successful.”

Mike King said the consolidation is right for the state of Colorado at a time when government is striving to serve citizens more efficiently and effectively. “There is hunting in 32 State Parks and 39 State Parks offer fishing,” said King. “There are many overlaps. This will allow parks to stay vibrant and provide many other kinds of outdoor recreation.”

“On behalf of the Colorado State Parks Board, we appreciate this as an opportunity to serve all Coloradans,” said Gary Butterworth, chairman of the board. “As the governor noted, there are similar missions in our organizations. A partnership seems appropriate. “We will approach this challenge with an open mind and a desire to respect the history of both divisions,” said Butterworth.

Dean Winstanley, director of Colorado State Parks, said everyone at State Parks will approach the changes with a positive attitude and a commitment to serve the many park supporters and wildlife interests. “This is a win-win situation for the users of parks and for all wildlife advocates,” Winstanley said. “We look forward to collaborating with our colleagues at the Division of Wildlife, our parks employees and other stakeholders to move this forward.”