The story of Boulder County’s beloved parks, open spaces, and agricultural lands is a story of foresight, commitment, and community. For 50 years, Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS) has worked to protect the region’s natural landscapes and heritage. And behind the scenes for the last 20 years, quietly and powerfully amplifying that mission, is the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Foundation, a small but mighty organization making a big impact.
Just like a stone cast into a still pond, the foundation creates ripples, small acts of support that extend outward, touching people, programs, and partnerships that otherwise might not flourish. From cultural celebrations to nature-based education, the foundation extends the reach of the county’s open space program by funding collaborations for tangible programs that deepen our connection to the land.
Collaborating for Inclusion and Connection
One of the most powerful ways the foundation creates impact is by partnering with community-based nonprofits. Together, we open doors, often literally, for underrepresented groups to feel welcome in public spaces and connected to nature. These partnerships help remove barriers that may be physical, financial, or, for Indigenous communities, rooted in historical displacement and systemic exclusion from ancestral lands. Whether it’s a first encounter with open space or a meaningful reconnection, we believe that fostering a bond between people and the land is essential for health and well-being.
Take Explorando Senderos, for example. This grassroots initiative creates safe, welcoming hiking experiences for Latinx families in Boulder County. With support from the foundation, Explorando Senderos has expanded its guided hikes, led by bilingual leaders who help families explore local trails while building confidence and community. These hikes aren’t just outdoor recreation, they’re moments of belonging, empowerment, and joy.
Similarly, through its work with Harvest of All First Nations, the foundation has helped elevate Indigenous voices and traditions in Boulder County. With financial support from the foundation, Harvest of All First Nations hosts the annual Corn Festival at the Agricultural Heritage Center. The event celebrates corn as a unifying ancestral food that connects many Native and Indigenous communities. It weaves storytelling, music, and traditional dance into a family-friendly, educational experience. It’s more than a festival; it’s a reclamation of space and an invitation to learn with original peoples of the land.
Helping Students Experience the Land
The foundation also plays a crucial role in educational access. For many elementary school children, the chance to see a working farm, pet a sheep, or watch a blacksmith at work can be life changing. But those experiences often depend on one simple, overlooked detail: how to get there. Schools have limited funding for activities.
That’s why the foundation helps fund school bus transportation for elementary classes visiting the Agricultural Heritage Center. These field trips connect young students to Boulder County’s agricultural history through immersive, hands-on learning. Thanks to foundation support, financial barriers are removed for schools with limited resources, ensuring all children, regardless of background, can experience the magic of learning outdoors.
Expanding Naturalist Programming for All Abilities
Another ripple of impact comes through a partnership with Environment for the Americas (EFTA), a nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity in the conservation field. With the foundation’s support, the EFTA interns have launched “train-the-trainer” naturalist programs designed for disabled individuals and the professionals who serve them.
This work is about more than compliance, it’s about creating authentic, enriching outdoor experiences for people of all abilities. By training educators and caregivers to adapt programming, interpretive signs, and outdoor experiences, the foundation is helping ensure that Boulder County’s open spaces are truly for everyone.
A Golden Year: Celebrating 50 Years of Parks & Open Space
This year marks a major milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Department (learn more at boco.org/OpenSpace50). In honor of this golden year, the foundation is sponsoring a special celebration on Oct. 9, bringing together founders, volunteers, and current supporters to honor a half-century of stewardship.
This festive event will celebrate and pay tribute to those whose vision created the department in 1975 and to the residents who fought, through three separate elections, to secure the county’s first open space sales tax, finally passing in 1993.Their unwavering persistence, along with the community’s continued support for sales taxes, has shaped the open space legacy that now defines Boulder County. Learn more and purchase tickets at preservebouldercounty.org/50-event.
Join the Ripple Effect
The Boulder County Parks & Open Space Foundation may not be a household name, but its impact is felt throughout the county, in the joy of a child on a field trip, in the quiet appreciation of a community hike, and in the gatherings that honor our deep cultural connections to the land.
As the department looks to the next 50 years, the foundation’s role will only grow more important. Your support can help make sure those ripples continue to spread.
To donate or learn more about the foundation’s work, visit preservebouldercounty.org.
Whether your passion lies in equity, education, conservation, or celebration, your gift helps ensure that Boulder County’s parks and open spaces remain not just protected, but truly shared.