Public lands we use for recreation and wildfire protection could face new pressures under possible federal policy changes, conservation advocates warn.

Why it matters: Public lands in and around the Pikes Peak region help power the local outdoor economy and project a first line of defense against wildfires.

Threat level: National forests, wildlife refuges and other public lands face mounting pressure from development, climate change and heavy recreational use.

• The Trump administration and Republican lawmakers are looking to sell millions of acres of public land for development and energy extraction.
• Other threats include climate change, chronic underfunding and wear-and-tear from heavy use in places like Pike National Forest.

What they're saying: "There's no [better] time for people to stand up … to protect our public lands … than today," said Ken Salazar, former interior secretary and Colorado U.S. senator, during last week's summit on the sidelines of the Outside Days festival.

The big picture: About 36% of Colorado is public land, totaling roughly 24 million acres and fueling the state's $18 billion outdoor recreation industry.

What we're watching: Conservation groups are backing a November ballot measure that supporters say would help fund wildfire mitigation, forest restoration and outdoor rec projects across Colorado, including in the Pikes Peak region.

• Yes, but: In years without excess revenue, the measure could siphon money from the general fund, the discretionary spending account used for education, health care and other key government functions.

The bottom line: For Colorado Springs residents, the debate isn't just about distant federal lands — it's about the future of nearby forests, trails and recreation areas that define life in the Pikes Peak region.

You wouldn't know it from this bounty, but a late-April deep freeze nearly wiped out fruit crops in Colorado's North Fork Valley.

😅 Thankfully, cherries, apricots, plums, strawberries and tomatoes escaped major damage and are now showing up (and showing off) at local markets.

Don't miss these fresh picks from Palisade at the Colorado Springs Sunday Market:

• 📍 Acacia Park
• 🗓 Sundays, through Oct. 25
• ⏰ 9am–2pm

🧢 Former El Paso County Commissioner and Air Force veteran Stan VanderWerf is running for mayor, arguing in his campaign announcement that Colorado Springs is at a crossroads "between continued success" and "the dysfunction seen in other American cities." (CPR)

• Mayor Yemi Mobolade announced his re-election bid in April.

🛄 Denver Airport CEO Phil Washington plans to retire Aug. 1. (Axios Denver)

The Department of Defense said in a release sent to Axios that active-duty soldier Sgt. Devin Seibel, 26, died May 31 while training at Erbil Air Base, Iraq.

• He was assigned to the Air Ambulance Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, at Fort Carson.

🚌 Riverstone Academy in Pueblo County, a 30-student "public Christian school," has shut down after just nine months in operation. The school's executive director said changes in state law cut off funding. (Denver Post)

🎻 World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma plays the Ford Amphitheater tomorrow at 7:30pm alongside the Colorado Symphony.

• 💭 My thought bubble: I saw Yo-Yo Ma at Red Rocks about a decade ago and was riveted. No chatter, no shuffling, no phones waving in the air — just thousands of people so silent and still that you could hear a pin drop. I've never seen another performer command a crowd quite like that.

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State of play: Axios is on the hunt for a successor to reporter Glenn Wallace, who launched this newsletter and helped make it a must-read for thousands of locals.

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Between the lines: We want a seasoned, self-directed reporter with ideas, personality and an entrepreneurial streak — someone who's excited to dig into source relationships, experiment with new tools and storytelling formats and help shape what's next for local journalism.

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