Our Role:

Empower government, institutions, organizations and community members to be leaders in collaborative climate action and resilience in the Yampa Valley. We achieve this by catalyzing, supporting and leading regional initiatives that bring cross-Valley stakeholders to the table. 

Why it Matters:

The Yampa Valley is changing socially, economically and environmentally. The region is transitioning away from coal and the economic development pathways for the region are uncertain. Tourism remains a major source of regional revenue while sustainable tourism management and planning lags behind other mountain tourism destination norms. We are seeing the effects of climate change firsthand in the Yampa Valley through increasing temperatures, earlier spring melt, changing snowpack, increasing risk of wildfire and more. 73% of people in Routt County and 63% in Moffat County believe that global warming is happening, but over half do not know what they can do to address it. This underlines the need to increase public understanding of what we can do to address climate change. There is a need to increase connection between Routt and Moffat County so NW Colorado can create and scale services and economic development pathways that advance climate solutions and increase resilience, while increasing mutual understanding and respect among disparate geographies and ways of life in the Yampa Valley.  Collaborative projects strengthen connections throughout the Yampa Valley that elevate climate action as something that unites the region, working to increase mutual understanding, learning, empathy and dialogue among the diverse people and places of the region.

Resources

• Read Routt County’s Climate Action Plan
• Routt County Climate Action Plan Website
• Colorado Green Business Network