Great Outdoors Colorado RECEIVES NATIONAL conservation HONOR

Washington, DC (October 13, 2010) – Lottery-funded  Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) was one of four honorees to receive national recognition for outstanding achievement in greenways and open space preservation at the 21^st annual Kodak American Greenways Awards, presented at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. last night.

“On behalf of the Kodak American Greenways Program, I am particularly pleased to present Great Outdoors Colorado with an award for its dedicated and imaginative commitment to building Colorado’s trails, greenways and rural and urban open space for the benefit of all Americans,” said The Conservation Fund’s president and CEO, Larry Selzer. “For nearly two decades, the Rocky Mountain state has been a leader in land conservation and greenway creation, thanks to this unique, citizen-approved funding mechanism.”

GOCO is the result of a citizens initiative passed by voters in 1992.  It receives approximately $55 million annually in Colorado Lottery proceeds and has awarded grants for more than 3,000 projects.  To date, GOCO grants are helping to protect more than 800,000 acres of open space in perpetuity, have helped to create or expand more than a thousand community parks and outdoor recreation areas, built or restored nearly 80 miles of trails and enhanced Colorado’s state parks.

“This award really belongs to the people of Colorado who had the foresight to create a dedicated revenue source for one of Colorado’s most valuable assets—its outdoors,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, GOCO Executive Director. “It also belongs to all of GOCO’s grant recipients who are doing the on-the-ground work needed to preserve and enhance Colorado.”

Established in 1989 by Eastman Kodak Company, National Geographic Society and The Conservation Fund, the Kodak American Greenways Program honors leading individuals, organizations and corporations whose ingenuity and creativity have made a significant contribution to creating a national network of open space, trails and greenways.

“Kodak values and is pleased to support local community grassroots initiatives in preserving our nation’s great outdoor heritage,” said Charles Ruffing, Kodak’s director of Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability. “These local initiatives and individuals recognized in the Kodak American Greenways Awards are visible, valuable and never more vital.”

“Greenways not only improve the nation’s ecological health, these natural corridors provide vital opportunities for all Americans to get out, exercise and improve their physical health,” said Gilbert M. Grosvenor, chairman of the National Geographic Society. “With the help of companies like Kodak, the greenways network has linked city streets to parklands and other open spaces. The program still enjoys robust growth as we celebrate 21 years of cooperation.”