Jun 17, 2026 - News

Pikes Peak region gets new shield against sprawl

John Frank

Schriever Space Force Base. Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images

The Pikes Peak region just landed a federal designation as a "Sentinel Landscape," which could help keep growth from crowding some of the nation's most important military sites.

Why it matters: The designation — the only one in Colorado — gives local leaders a better chance at securing federal money to protect open space, reduce wildfire risk and keep development from interfering with military operations.

The big picture: The designation is about aligning conservation with national security.

As homes and roads push closer to military facilities, officials worry development could make training and operations more challenging — and eventually threaten the military missions that drive a huge piece of the local economy.
Supporters want to protect about 100,000 acres while tackling wildfire mitigation, habitat protection and water quality.

What they're saying: "If a community goal is to keep our military presence here strong and to support the military as much as we can, conservation in this case is a tool for achieving that," Palmer Land Conservancy president and CEO Rebecca Jewett told KRCC.

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Pikes Peak region gets new shield against sprawl

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