Over 600 acres set to be public open space in Woodland Park

WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KRDO) -- Over 600 acres of land in Woodland Park will soon be publicly accessible open space after being acquired by the Palmer Land Conservancy.

According to officials, the 674-acre Pinestone Ranch will give Woodland Park easily accessible mountain open space in the next few years. The Palmer Land Conservancy says it is their first project of this size dedicated to future public access.

"There are very few chances left to create public open space at this scale on the Front Range," Rebecca Jewett, the president and CEO of Palmer Land Conservancy said in a press release. "When an opportunity like Pinestone Ranch comes along, you don't just protect it. You protect everything it can become."

The land is along existing federal public land. Officials say the new acquisition will enable better connectivity throughout the wider Pikes Peak region and foster more outdoor recreation.

The Palmer Land Conservancy says it will own the property temporarily while it works to determine a long-term owner that will keep the property publicly accessible.

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