For over 40 years the Boulder County community has cared deeply for parks and open space, the wildlife it supports, recreation opportunities it offers, and cultural history it provides. Participation in the care and maintenance of this resource plays a direct role in the high quality of life we enjoy here. Through our various volunteer programs and the Partnership Program, we endeavor to protect and preserve this resource into the distant future.
About 130 department staff members, along with a small army of volunteers, care for over 98,000 acres and 110 miles of trails. If the care of all of this were to fall solely on the staff of Parks and Open Space, each staff member would be responsible for 750 acres and almost one mile of trail. Fortunately, Boulder County residents, including local organizations and businesses, dedicate their time and energy to the stewardship of our public lands.
The Boulder County community continues to be extremely grateful for the capable help we received from our devoted partners in the challenging days following the epic flood event of September 2013. With our partner groups and other volunteer help, we have begun to restore damaged land and trails. This year’s projects focused on collecting seed to be used in rejuvenating flood ravaged areas, removing debris from agricultural lands so local farmers can continue to produce, constructing and removing fences for farmers as well as on other properties, and on a great deal of demanding trail restoration work.
On a warm fall evening in October at The Great Frame Up in Longmont, Boulder County partners celebrated the completion of their sixth year of caring for our public parks and trails. This year’s Partnership Program event coincided with “Outdoor Creations – A 2014 Boulder County Juried Art Show.” Beautiful artwork depicting our parks and open space properties was on display for a month. Celebrating our partners in this setting emphasized the special place in which we live and why we care so much for it. Thank you to our partners for their steadfast involvement!
2014 Partner Groups
Trail Stewardship (help with trail maintenance and construction two or more times a year): Backpacker Magazine, Boulder Area Trails Coalition, Boulder County Horse Association, Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, Boulder Trail Runners, Redstone Cyclery, Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures, and Ultrarunners.
Property Stewardship (help with property maintenance two or more times a year): Amgen, Boulder Climbing Community, Corden Pharma, University of Colorado – Program for Writing & Rhetoric, Eldorado K-8, Geocachers, Level 3 Cares, Nederland Area Trail Organization, New Vista High School, Oncore Manufacturing, Smartwool, vAuto Genius Labs, Volunteers for Outdoors Colorado, and Wildland Restoration Volunteers.
Foothills Partner: (participate in at least one trail or property project a year): Alexander Dawson School, Alpha Phi Omega, Behind the Red, Boy Scouts of Boulder County, Defenders of Wildlife, Foothills United Way, Google, Leisure Trends Group, Mapleton School District, Naropa Institute ROOTS program, Niwot Community Association, Olde Columbine High School, Only Natural Pet Store, Qualcomm, Rally Software, Stratus Consulting, Thornton Youth Volunteer Corps, University of Colorado-MBA Program, University of Colorado-Upward Bound, and WILD Foundation.
| Project Type | Tangible Results |
|---|---|
|
Agriculture |
2,100 feet of irrigation ditches cleared |
|
Facilities |
1,350 feet of new fence constructed 300 tires removed 8 tons of trash collected 30 tons of fill for belay areas moved |
|
Forestry |
80 slash piles built 2 acres of forest floor raked prior to |
|
Plant Ecology |
4,800 grass & sedge planted 6,500 perennials planted 1,150 trees planted 450 pounds of native seed collected 1 acre of shrubs lopped 30 tree cages removed |
|
Trails |
3 miles of trails maintained, restored & improved |
|
Weeds |
211 Russian olive trees removed 2 acres of weeds removed |
|
Wildlife |
2,000 feet of prairie dog barrier 4,380 feet of fence removed 3,400 feet of fence maintained |