2025 Colorado Open Space Alliance Conference
October 6–8, 2025
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Celebrating Stories of Open Space: 25 Years of Conservation and Connections
COSA continues to partner with the Rocky Mountain Ranger Association and the National Association of Interpretation Four Corners Region to bring you an amazing line-up of conference sessions and keynote speakers. Offsite field trips and a 25th conference anniversary celebration featuring Mountainfilm on Tour will make COSA’s 25th conference its best yet!
Christopher Preston
Christopher Preston is an award-winning author, environmental philosopher, public speaker, and clean energy enthusiast based in Missoula, Montana. Christopher grew up on the white cliffs of England’s south coast and moved to Colorado at age 22 to pursue a graduate degree from Colorado State University. While in the United States, he fell in love with the giant landscapes, wildlife, and wildlands of Alaska. Christoper is a accomplished writer and his most recent work, Tenacious Beasts, won the 2024 High Plains Book Award for non-fiction and was included in The New Yorker’s ‘Best Books of 2023.’ Christopher will share his experiences researching recoveries across the globe and the lessons that open space agencies can learn from these success stories.
Marcus Robinson
Marcus Robinson is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Ride for Racial Justice, a Colorado-based organization whose mission is to ensure access to resources, education, and community for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) cyclists and to dismantle systemic racism. Through advocacy and lobbying, Ride for Racial Justice works to enhance BIPOC leadership, voices, experiences, community and infrastructure in cycling, from global brand to local events. Marcus came to Colorado as an infant and like many kids, Marcus was lucky to have a bike growing up. That sense of freedom and joy is still a driving force for him today. Marcus attended Denver East High School and Colorado State University. Marcus will share his insights on equity and the outdoors and how open space agencies can ensure our parks and trails are welcoming, equitable spaces.
Presented by the Colorado Lottery and Great Outdoors Colorado.
Conference App
Download Attendify and search "COSA" to access the conference.
Don’t want to download the app? You can still see all the features using the Web App.
- Agenda & Presenters (great if you can't get the Eventzilla app to work)
- Pre-Arrival Message
- Agenda Overview
- Session Room Assignments
Attendee Portal
Networking Event
Everyone is invited to attend the networking event on Tuesday. Tickets are $25 and need to be purchased for each guest or conference attendee who did not register using a ticket with the networking event option. Purchase Networking Event TicketHotel Reservations
Elevations Hotel SOLD OUT
Unfortunately the Elevations Hotel is completely sold out of rooms. Please try reserving a room at the Grand Lodge.Grand Lodge
The Grand Lodge is only a two minute walk to the conference and COSA registrants are guaranteed their lowest rate of $126/night + $20 resort fee. $49 is due at time of booking, with 100% due 7 days before arrival. All payments are non-refundable. Parking is free. Please call 855-332-1601 option 1, then option 7 any day from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to get the group rate.Other Lodging Options
- Lodge at Mountaineer Square, next door, condo style rooms, (970) 349-4000
- Plaza, next door, condo style rooms, (970) 349-2900
- Nordic Inn, 10 min walk, (970) 349-5542
Sponsors
COSA is seeking sponsors for the 2022 conference! Reach open space professionals and get acknowledged in a variety of ways. Sponsorship DetailsScholarships
COSA will award several scholarships to cover the registration costs for the 2022 conference. This award is made possible by our sponsors. Scholarships
Bronze
Kriste Peoples
Kriste Peoples is a Denver-based outdoor enthusiast and guide, runner, writer, and mindfulness meditation teacher. She serves as the Executive Director of Women's Wilderness, a Boulder-based nonprofit offering transformational experiences that cultivate a greater sense of agency, community, and engagement in nature among women, girls, and nonbinary people. As a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher, she brings her sense of adventure and curiosity to the inward journey of self-discovery. In her downtime, she's committed to finding an easy alternative to popcorn ceilings.