The Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is an essential part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program.

About Us

The Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office works cooperatively with the Department of Defense, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Refuge System, and various state agencies to provide management of fish, wildlife and forest resources for the Mountain-Prairie region. Together with our partners, we are involved in natural resource management projects across Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming, to accomplish restoration and conservation actions for Federal and State protected and trust species. 

What We Do

Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office staff and volunteers electrofish a high mountain stream in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Our vision is to achieve sustainable populations of native species and ecosystems through leadership, partnerships, and innovation. We work to conserve and restore federal and state threatened trust species and their habitats in the Mountain Prairie region. Our work includes partnering with Rocky Mountain National Park to help restore greenback cutthroat trout, working with natural resource management on Department of Defense lands and increasing upstream fish passage fish passage
Fish passage is the ability of fish or other aquatic species to move freely throughout their life to find food, reproduce, and complete their natural migration cycles. Millions of barriers to fish passage across the country are fragmenting habitat and leading to species declines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program is working to reconnect watersheds to benefit both wildlife and people.

Learn more about fish passage
across Colorado, Southern Wyoming and Kansas. Our recovery efforts include species protection, stream restoration, invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.

Learn more about invasive species
control, fisheries and wildlife surveys, identification of cultural resources and implementing actions such as controlled burns to achieve healthy forests.

Our Species

A black-footed ferret kit named Noodle at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

We are involved with recovery and conservation efforts for multiple federal and state endangered species including:

  • Greenback cutthroat trout
  • Rio Grande suckers and Rio Grande chubs
  • Southern redbelly dace
  • Black-footed ferrets
  • Preble's meadow jumping mouse
  • Boreal toads
  • Colorado butterfly plant
  • Pawnee montane skipper
  • Burrowing owls and other migratory and grassland birds
  • Northern long eared bat

Projects and Research

Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office biologist, SCA intern, and Colorado State University - Pueblo professor and student transferring black tailed prairie dogs from live traps to a transport kennel so they can be release at the short grass prairie restoration site at Pueblo Chemical Depot.

The Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is involved in many projects and research across our different field offices with various partners. Restoring and maintaining wildlife diversity for threatened and endangered species is a primary focus for our office. Projects such as prescribed burns, channel stabilization, riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

Learn more about riparian
and shortgrass prairie habitat restoration, dam removals, and implementing fish and wildlife surveys all contribute to the recovery and conservation efforts within the Fish and Wildlife Service. We are involved with recovery and conservation efforts for multiple federal and state endangered species by collaborating with local state wildlife agencies, participating in Conservation Strategy Teams, implementing National Fish Passage projects, forestry and fire management, funding and assisting graduate level research, and public outreach. The Colorado Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office also promotes recreational fishing and utilizes hunting as a wildlife management tool on several military installations across the Mountain Prairie Region.

Location and Contact Information