The long-desired goal to develop a Jeffco Open Space Communications and Community Involvement Plan was completed in July and approved by the Advisory Committee at their August meeting. Multiple events garnered momentum for this plan, from the public input during the Crown Hill Park project to the process which updated the Jeffco Open Space Master […]
by Vicky Gits Ian Billick, PhD, the executive director of one of the nation’s renowned biological laboratories, founded 80 years in the Colorado ghost town of Gothic, spoke May 8 at Plan Jeffco’s annual dinner with the commissioners at the Applewood Golf Course. Dr. Billick introduced the dinner attendees to the activities of the Rocky […]
Perhaps city folks don’t notice, but few who live in mountains and foothills escape knowing when the pines are doing their thing, and this spring was certainly one of the obvious ones. We see pollen adrift on spring puddles, pollen gathered from the roof to collect in rain barrels, pollen like golden dust all over […]
Creating coyote-savvy open space users and residents helps reduce conflict between coyotes, pets and people throughout Jefferson County. Educating and motivating citizens to help preserve open space and the wild species that use it is at the core of the PLAN Jeffco mission. This is the first of two articles designed to improve our understanding […]
Land Trust Alliance Website: www.landtrustalliance.org In a show of bipartisanship, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the House bill to make permanent an enhanced tax incentive for conservation of farmland, rangeland, woodlands and other important open spaces. The bill, which included other charity provisions, passed by a vote of 277-130. This has been a priority […]
Jefferson County straddles one of the most conspicuous and important geographic and geologic boundaries in western North America, the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains. To the east you can travel 1,100 miles across Great Plains and Central Lowlands before you sight the western foothills of the Appalachians. If you travel in the other direction […]
On February 11, the Board of County Commissioners approved the 2014 Local Grants as recommended by the Open Space Advisory Committee. Funds for the grants come from the County share of Lottery proceeds and Open Space Sales Tax Funds. Non-profits, recreation districts, and cities are eligible to apply for grants. Grants from the lottery proceeds […]
by Michelle Poolet & Ann Bonnell Website: gbbc.birdcount.org The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) results are in, and it was a success, with 144,109 checklists submitted, 4,296 different species observed, and 17,748,756 individuals birds counted between February 14-17, 2014! Browse the results online on the National Audubon/Cornell website: Results for Jefferson County (Colorado): Jefferson County Hot Spots […]
by Ann Bonnell Website: www.birdsource.org Birdwatching has become a leading national pastime/hobby. If you enjoy watching birds consider joining with other birdwatchers in keeping a list of birds you see between Friday, February 14 and Monday, February 17; it’s the Great Backyard Bird Count, or GBBC for short. Over 135,000 individuals recorded their bird sightings from […]
The Jeffco Open Space Foundation, Inc. (JOSF) changed its official name to the Jeffco Outdoors Foundation (JOF) at the beginning of 2014. JOSF was started in 1998. The specific purposes for which JOSF was organized were to receive, solicit, administer and disburse gifts, grants, devises, bequests or other conveyances of real and personal property or […]