On Sept. 23, Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS) held the annual Conservation Awards ceremony to celebrate the 2025 winners for their outstanding contributions made to the conservation, preservation, and protection of land-based environmental resources as well as their contributions toward connecting our communities to open space. Here are highlights from the special gathering for this year’s recipients.
Land Conservation Award
The Land Conservation Award recognizes contributions that demonstrate notable achievements in preserving Boulder County’s open space lands through the sale or donation of land or conservation easements, donation of funds, or through significant activities that resulted in the preservation of open space.
Linda Holubar Sanabria is recognized for preserving the 493-acre Spruce Gulch property with conservation easements held by Boulder County, forever ensuring the protection of its pristine wildlife habitat and intact ecosystems. Spruce Gulch has been in Linda’s family for almost 100 years. The property is located on Lefthand Canyon adjacent to Heil Valley Ranch, United States Forest Service land, and other privately conserved land. Protection of the Spruce Gulch property has been on the county’s priority list for decades. With its pristine ecological condition, unfragmented wildlife habitat, and proximity to the county’s Heil Valley Ranch open space, this property has been the missing puzzle piece to thousands of contiguous acres of open space protected by the county. Thanks to Linda’s conservation-minded foresight, Spruce Gulch is now permanently conserved and contributes to thousands of acres of contiguous protected land in this area of the Rocky Mountain foothills.
Environmental Stewardship Award
The Environmental Stewardship Award recognizes contributions and activities that have made a significant impact on the conservation, preservation, and/or protection of Boulder County’s land-based environmental resources through on-the-ground actions or program management.
Dave Sutherland has dedicated his life to protecting and preserving the natural world through his work as an environmental educator. He has been offering his amazing skills and talents as a naturalist in Boulder County for at least 30 years. After retiring from his job as a lead environmental educator for City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, he has continued to offer quality environmental education programs free of charge to the lucky people of Boulder County. Dave also offers programs through Boulder County Audubon and Environment for the Americas.
Outstanding Volunteer Award
The Outstanding Volunteer Award honors individuals whose leadership and support of the BCPOS volunteer programs have enhanced our community partnerships and improved public service. This year, BCPOS bestowed this honor twice.
Roberta Johnston has served as a dedicated Wildlife Master Volunteer since 2016, contributing significantly to the success of Boulder County’s Wildlife Master Program—currently the only active program of its kind in the state in partnership with Colorado State University. Each year, Roberta completes the required trainings and volunteers for three or more weeks, providing research-based, unbiased information to the public regarding human-wildlife interactions. As the population of Boulder County continues to grow, so do the number and complexity of wildlife conflicts. Roberta has played a vital role in addressing these challenges by offering science-based recommendations and practical solutions to residents. Her work not only helps community members navigate these encounters safely and responsibly but also alleviates the workload of county staff.
Kumiko “Amy” Iwata has been volunteering with Boulder County Parks & Open Space since at least 2019. She is passionate about all things plants, but she will be the first to say, her real passion is killing weeds! She is extremely knowledgeable, not only in plant identification, but also ecological processes and truly understands the importance of a healthy ecosystem. Amy has volunteered extensively on native seed collections, seed cleanings, and weed eradication efforts. She was one of our founding members of the Weed Warriors program that started in 2024. The success of the Weed Warriors program has largely been due to volunteers like Amy. She is always ready to learn and do some hard work. Her passion and commitment not only inspire the other volunteers, but staff as well.
Community Connections Award
The Community Connections Award recognizes individuals, families, community groups, and organizations for programs and activities that have made a significant community impact and/or reach underserved residents of Boulder County. These programs include activities that connect the community to open space values, goals, and access to public parks and trails.
Andrea Yoloteotl Nawage is recognized for work with Harvest of All First Nations (HAFN), which is focused on Indigenous-led reparations, rematriation, and Earth-based decolonization for the benefit of BIPOC+ communities for cultural education and health equity. HAFN is a grassroots community-based organization guided by the council of leaders creating change in BIPOC+ communities in the Denver/Boulder Front Range, and beyond. Over the last two years of working with HAFN, they have provided a space for Indigenous people to connect back to the Land through Traditional Ecological Knowledge and provide education for allies.
Cultural and Historic Preservation Award
For nearly 15 years, Stephanie Wendorf has been a devoted partner of the Agricultural Heritage Center (AHC) at Boulder County Parks & Open Space, playing a vital role in preserving and sharing the county’s agricultural legacy. Since 2011, she has generously loaned her goats, sheep, cows, and occasionally horses each year from late March through early November, ensuring that the AHC’s educational livestock program remains vibrant and immersive. Stephanie has also expanded AHC’s reach by connecting staff with other local farmers, sharing knowledge and building bridges across the agricultural community. These connections enrich programming and foster public appreciation for Boulder County’s living agricultural traditions.