From the iconic Flatirons to the wonders of the wetlands and prairies, the ecological diversity of the Boulder area is some of the most diverse due to the geological intersections of the foothills and the prairies. Ironically, the diversity of people that use and recreate in Boulder’s open spaces contrasts the area’s ecological diversity. The lack of diversity in outdoor spaces extends much further than the Boulder area; it is a state and national issue rooted in systemic and historical factors that primarily impact marginalized communities and individuals. Public lands throughout the country exhibit a lack of diversity in outdoor spaces. According to the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, people of color are less likely to use public parks and recreation programs compared to white individuals.

A significant contributing factor to the lack of diversity in outdoor spaces is the result of historical marginalization of communities of color. The exclusion of communities of color in the conservation movement and land use planning has caused the lack of diversity in outdoor recreation we see today. Taking a look into the history of the conservation movement during the eighteen-hundreds, we find the start of a movement of romanticizing nature by authors such as Henry David Thoreau and John Muir, as well as the establishment of public lands. The influence Thoreau and Muir, among others, had on privileged white elites to view the natural world as a place they could go recreate and play while protecting it from the dirty, unhealthy, and filled with immigrants urban cities created a space designed for white men. These ideologies were the foundation for forming public lands and helped inform policies around open spaces, leaving people of color out of the conversations, especially indigenous voices.  

As a continuation of the historical influences of the conservation movement, we can see how green spaces have been used as a weapon to keep unwanted people out. Let’s take a more recent look at this green weaponization in Colorado.

Welcome to Aspen, CO, the exclusive pristine environment where rich and famous ski and where there are more empty houses than residents at once. This is also the place where policies in the late 1990s and early 2000s were put in place to keep unwanted people out of “their” town, particularly immigrants. In the book “The Slums of Aspen” (2021), authors Parks & Pellow expose the weaponization of “saving the environment” by Aspen officials and residents as an act to keep immigrants out of Aspen. What is more horrifying to think about is that Aspen is not the only place where this weaponization of the environment happens, as Parks & Pellow have coined the phenomenon “The Aspen Logic”. The Aspen logic represents a worldview that upholds green capitalism yet fails to address all the marginalization and oppression it can cause to others.  

As a result of the historical exclusion of communities of color in outdoor spaces, the lack of representation of these communities in outdoor recreation activities and the outdoor industry can be seen today. Let’s examine this further in the Boulder area; Think about the last time you went hiking at Chautauqua or Sanitias, who did you go with? Who else was hiking there? Did the other hikers look and dress like you? Now let’s look at the last time you went skiing at Breck, what type of individuals were hitting the slopes? Did those individuals have the means and resources to recreate? Out of the two local experiences, how many people of color did you encounter? 

Through my experience of growing up in Boulder, the answer to the questions above is I rarely saw people of color in open space trails and partaking in recreational activities that required a cost of entry, such as gear or technical knowledge. The lack of representation is a significant problem as it contributes to a lack of awareness, understanding, and empathy for the experiences of people of color. Stereotypes and prejudices perpetuate this issue, suggesting that outdoor activities are primarily the domain of the white middle class.

To change the narrative that outdoor spaces are only for a few and privileged, let’s help support grassroots organizations working with communities to address barriers and concerns directly. 

• Organizations like Latino Outdoors help provide space for Latinx community members to have a space to meet and recreate together. https://latinooutdoors.org/
• Outdoor Afro-Colorado help provides affinity space for people who identify as Black as a place of connections and leadership in nature.  https://outdoorafro.org/
• Spirit of the Sun is a nonprofit organization in Colorado that partners with Native American communities to create effective and sustainable development of programming. https://www.spiritofthesun.org/
• Other organizations like HECHO help advocate for policies highlighting Hispanic voices in public land decisions. https://www.hechoonline.org/

Whether it is financial support for organizations that are actively changing these spaces or volunteering at these organizations, acknowledging the privilege of recreating in the open spaces of Boulder is the first step to ensuring that more people can enjoy the outdoors.