In Eagle County, 80-year-old Smokey Bear has a new generation of furry and feathered friends working to prevent wildfires and protect wildlife and open spaces from human negligence. Beavers, bears and birds are among the animals in a new campaign to help folks adventure in the mountains responsibly.
“It’s inspiration for travelers to be good stewards of the place we love,” says Maren Cerimele, vice-president of strategic initiatives at Vail Valley Partnership (VVP). “It’s primarily directed toward visitors but locals can also take some guidance from it.”
The campaign was funded through a portion of lodging tax revenue approved by voters in unincorporated Eagle County and the town of Gypsum in 2022. VVP and the Basalt Chamber of Commerce gathered local experts from different sectors, including government, nonprofits and land management, to determine the most critical issues to address in their work to protect our mountain community, the wildlife and wild spaces we love.
You may have heard of Smokey Bear’s campaign to prevent wildfires or the “Leave No Trace” principles. It’s not that the information isn’t out there — it’s that people aren’t getting the information.
“There’s a lot of noise in this space and we wanted to make sure we capture people’s attention,” says Kris Mattera, president and CEO of the Basalt Chamber of Commerce, adding that the campaign is intentionally “edgy” for this purpose. “I think playing it safe may not result in the behavior change we’re looking for.”
The campaign includes both an English and Spanish version, in an effort to reach as many people as possible.
“We wanted it to be accessible to everyone,” Cerimele says.
Online at TheyDidWhat.org and QueHicieron.org, you’ll find 20 easy tips to minimize your impact on mountain environment or, as the website says, to protect “the wildlife from ourselves.”
Beavers and bunnies watch their homes burn from scattered cigarette butts and smoldering campfires. There are elk in coffins and bears in prison garb. Together, the animals point out how small actions have big consequences for our environment and how to make better choices.
“We wanted to get the message out in a fun and eye-catching way,” Cerimele says.
In addition to the 20 tips, the website offers links for additional information from experts such as the Mountain Rescue Group, Colorado Search and Rescue, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and more. It even includes ways to give back to the environment through donations and/or volunteer work.
“The hope is that people can take the information and use it while they’re here,” she says. “Maybe they’ll take some of it home with them. We hope that, ultimately, it affects some behavior change that makes the world a better place.”
“Our hope is that this is greater than us,” Mattera agrees.
Though the campaign was designed specifically for unincorporated Eagle County, the messages are universal among Colorado’s mountain towns — if not beyond.
As the popularity of Colorado’s outdoor recreation grows, so does the impact on our mountains, trails, rivers, wildlife and open spaces. How can we adventure responsibly in order to preserve those natural resources from which we find so much joy?
“Destination stewardship — it’s a community effort,” Cerimele says.
The website includes a toolkit designed specifically for local businesses and organizations to help spread the message.
“The more that we can share these stewardship messages, the better off we’re all going to be,” she adds. “It’s going to be a more enjoyable experience in nature and we’re going to be able to protect the things we love about our community.”