On April 18, the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Department (BCPOS) held the annual Land Conservation Awards ceremony. Here are highlights from the special gathering:
Land Conservation Award
This award honors individuals, families, and organizations whose contributions demonstrate notable achievements in preserving Boulder County’s agricultural lands. Helen McCarty wanted to see her 126-acre agricultural property preserved through a Boulder County conservation easement. She made arrangements for the easement to be donated to the county after her death. The McCarty farm, which lies just northwest of the intersection of Highways 52 and 287, is recognized as a Centennial Farm for having been in the same family for more than 100 years. After her death in 2016, McCarty’s wish to donate a conservation easement to include 100 acres of the 126-acre farm to the county began to take shape. In 2017, her trust granted the easement to Boulder County, which also tied 64 shares of Boulder and White Rock Ditch water to the property to ensure that it will remain irrigated farmland. The family retained two home sites on the property.
Partnership Award
This award recognizes alliances with businesses and organizations around the county to foster a community-based stewardship ethic for the preservation and care of open space. The Defenders of Wildlife organization has been volunteering with BCPOS since 2011, working on two or three projects each year. They have done many wildlife-related projects, including removing fencing that could be problematic for wildlife, and constructing other fencing to keep wildlife from entering fragile wetland areas.
Outstanding Volunteer Award
This award honors individuals whose leadership and support of the Parks and Open Space volunteer programs have enhanced our community partnerships and improved public service. This year there were two recipients.
Melanie Bohren has been a volunteer for the Colorado State University Extension Office and the Boulder County 4-H Program for over 10 years in the roles of project leader, club organizational leader, county leaders’ advisory member and president, 4-H parent, 4-H livestock superintendent, and many more. She leads one of the most active 4-H clubs in Boulder County—it reaches its enrollment maximum of 50 members within 24 hours each enrollment year! Bohren also volunteers with the Boulder County Fair and Rodeo recruiting volunteers, organizing goat yoga, and welcoming fairgoers.
Roger Myers has been a volunteer naturalist since 2009 and has led more than 100 programs. He has a wonderful ability to connect with people and communicate complex geological processes with those who are not geologists (see page 11 for an upcoming program). Myers is a knowledgeable amateur herpetologist and frequently helps lead rattlesnake and bull snake hikes, sometimes accompanied on the trail by his pet bull snake, Bobby. Myers also volunteers his artistic skills with beautiful illustrations for the kid’s insert, Nature Detectives, in this quarterly publication!
