CCLC Calendar Photo Contest Reception, Thu 10/30

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CCLC Calendar 2015The Clear Creek Land Conservancy (CCLC) Calendar Photo Contest Reception is this Thursday, October 30th at 5:30pm at Mount Vernon Country Club.  David McKenna, the Art Director at 5280 Magazine and the final judge this year, will give a presentation on his work and a critique of this year winning photographs.  There will be appetizers and a cash bar, and this is the perfect time to pick up your CCLC calendars, as they will be unveiled at the reception.

Please feel free to invite friends and supporters.  A $15 donation is suggested, or purchase a calendar (which is $15).

RSVP by Monday, October 27th and please include the number and name of your guests. RSVP to:

Claire Riegelman

Executive Director

Clear Creek Land Conservancy

303.718.9546

claire@clearcreeklandconservancy.org

www.clearcreeklandconservancy.org

 

JCOS Hosts ‘Trails Talk’ Forum Wed 10/29

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Jeffco Open Space to Hold Follow-Up ‘Trails Talk’ Forum

Jeffco Open Space is hosting a second Trails Talk public forum this year to continue the dialog on experiences in the parks and on the trails. Come to listen, join the conversation, or sign up to put boots on the ground.

This event will be held on Wednesday, October 29, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., at the American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St, Golden, CO 80401 in the first floor conference rooms.

In addition to talk of flood recovery, Jeffco Open Space will provide an update on new trails, the status of working groups, and volunteer involvement opportunities. Following a presentation, staff experts will be available for one-on-one questions on a variety of topics.

Jeffco Open Space was founded as a land conservation organization in 1972 to preserve land, protect park and natural resources and provide healthy nature-based experiences. We are funded with a one-half of one percent sales tax that has preserved over 53,000 acres and created 28 regional parks and 230 miles of trails in Jefferson County.

For more information contact Thea Rock, Jeffco Open Space
303-271-5902, trock@jeffco.us

 

JEFFCO OPEN SPACE ACQUIRING GOLDEN CLIFFS CLIMBING AREA

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Jeffco Open Space and The Access Fund will celebrate the ownership transfer of the Golden Cliffs rock-climbing area at North Table Mountain Park on Friday, Oct. 24, from 3-4 p.m., at the Peery Trailhead on the south portion of the mesa. Representatives from Jeffco Open Space, The Access Fund, and the climbing community will be present at the celebration; the general public is invited to participate. Light refreshments will be served.

Read the full story at http://jeffco.us/parks/news/2014/golden-cliffs-transferring-to-jeffco-open-space-oct–24/

Golden Cliffs has been a popular destination with many established sport- and traditional-climbing routes. Jeffco Open Space adds this location to its inventory of climbing venues — Cathedral Spires, Clear Creek Canyon and Mt. Lindo. For more information on climbing, please visit the climbing page on our website at http://jeffco.us/parks/recreation/climbing/.

 

Feds OK Chatfield Project; Suit Looms…

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Chatfield project ok-edPage 4A in Friday, October 10, 2014 issue of The Denver Post, “Feds OK Chatfield Project; Suit Looms”

Deal will add to water supply but inundate 10% state park…by Bruce Finley, The Denver Post

Federal water engineers on Thursday launched the long-planned and controversial Chatfield Reservoir water supply project, closing a deal with Colorado sponsors.

Audubon Society opponents filed a lawsuit…

____________________________________________________________________________
If you’ve been following the Army Corp of Engineers’ proposal to heighten the dam at Chatfield, and you missed this article in the Denver and the West section, first page, I hate to break the news to you, but the project has been green-lighted, according to the Denver Post on Friday, October 10th.

The Chatfield Reservoir was initially constructed in 1975 for flood control. Supporters of this project claim that the Denver area will require additional water reserves in order to deal with an estimated population of 8.6 – 10.3 million residents by 2050. By reallocating these waters for residential, industrial and agricultural uses and increasing the holding capacity of the Reservoir, Denver water engineers hope to avoid having to siphon water from the Western Slope.

Conservation groups have fought long and hard to halt this project, citing the impending loss of bird, wildlife and recreational habitat due to the 12-foot projected rise in water level, and the eventual lack of snow melt to fill the larger reservoir. The Audubon Society of Greater Denver filed suit last week in U.S. District Court, arguing that federal authorities dismissed better alternatives without appropriate due diligence, and cited the Clean Water Act, which allows only the least-damaging alternative solution.

For the full story go to http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/DenverPost/Default.aspx?href=TDP%2F2014%2F10%2F10&pageno=4&view=document

 

Jefferson County Open Space Community Meeting – Douglas Mountain Proposed Acquisition

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There will be a community meeting for the proposed Douglas Mountain acquisition (North Jeffco) on Wednesday, October 22,2014, at the Jeffco Open Space Ponderosa meeting room, 700 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, at 6:30PM. Be there on time; a presentation starts promptly at 6:35PM, after which you’ll have a chance to ask questions and review maps.

Read the full letter of invitation here: Doug Mtn letter – final_invitation to public comment mtg

Douglas Mountain Proposed Acquisition map

JCOS Earns CAPRA Certification!

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CAPRA logo

The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) approved National Agency Accreditation for Jeffco Open Space and Parks, recognizing their commitment to excellence.  The accreditation process is a comprehensive self-evaluation and peer review of business practices that take place in three phases: the development of the agency self-assessment report submitted in April, the on-site visitation held in July and the Commission’s review and decision held today, October 13, 2014.

Read the full press release at http://jeffco.us/parks/news/2014/jeffco-open-space-and-parks-receives-national-agency-accreditation/

NORTH FORK TRAIL OPEN

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From: Thea Rock, JCOS Communications Manager, trock@jeffco.us:

Friday, October 03, 2014

Trail Completed from Reynolds Park to South Platte

North Fork Trail Ready for Hiking, Mountain Biking and Horseback Riding

Beginning Saturday, October 11, 2014 outdoor enthusiasts will be able to challenge themselves and enjoy a new 9.3-mile trail from Reynolds Park to the South Platte in Jefferson County.

The North Fork Trail provides a regional connection from Jeffco Open Space to the abundant recreation opportunities of the Pike National Forest. …

In 2004, Reynolds Park was designated for equestrian and hiking opportunities to maintain the Park’s relative serenity, current visitation and intact natural values.  With the designation, a commitment to construct a multiuse trail to the south was leveraged….

Learn more about Reynolds Park and the North Fork Trail by visiting the website jeffco.us/parks/open-space or view the updated Park map here.

Jefferson Conservation District

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The Jefferson Conservation District is a local unit of state government (a Title 32 Special District), one of 76 conservation districts in Colorado that work to provide a local voice on natural resource issues, and work collaboratively with private landowners, residential communities, and local, state and federal government entities to protect the natural resources of Jefferson, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties of Colorado’s Front Range. The district was formed 73 years ago in 1941.

What is a Conservation District?

Conservation districts grew out of the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. Originally called the “Soil Conservation Districts” they were formed to bring landowners together to protect against widespread soil erosion. Since then their mission has evolved to include conservation of all natural resources, such as water, land, air, vegetation, and wildlife.

What does JCD do?

JCD, like most conservation districts in Colorado, works alongside local, state and federal partners to conserve natural resources within the district boundaries. Within our district, a few concerns dominate:

Wildfire Mitigation – The Front Range is subject to wildfires every summer from roughly April through November. Each summer brings the renewed threat that a wildfire will damage public and private property; degrade air quality, cause injury or loss of life. As more people chose to move into the “Wildland-Urban Interface” (the area populated by humans but not fully urbanized), the risk to property and safety become greater. JCD works with local landowners and agencies to reduce these risks with a selection of fuels treatment projects.

Forest Health – The majority of the land within the District’s boundaries is forested with a variety of common tree species. Human impacts such as timber production and wildfire suppression over the last 150 years have frequently left stands of uniformlyaged, uniformly-sized trees of a single species. These stands lack diversity and can be highly susceptible to insects and disease offering up massive amounts of readily-combustible fuel during a wildfire. JCD works with private landowners to encourage a healthy, resilient forest with a variety of forest management methods.

Source Water Protection – Over half of the drinking water supply for Denver and surrounding communities comes from streams and snowpack within our District boundaries. JCD works collaboratively with water providers, landowners and local communities to meet water quality standards and to conserve water.

Urban Agriculture – Increasing access to nutritious, local foods within our District is important to us, particularly as more residents become overweight and are disconnected from the source of their food. We work with a multitude of partners to educate the public on how to grow one’s own food and to encourage home and community gardens and farmers’ markets that are inclusive for people of all income levels. We also provide technical assistance to beginning urban farmers to implement appropriate conservation practices.

Noxious Weeds – Noxious weeds are ever-present on the Front Range and represent a threat to biodiversity and natural ecosystems’ stability. They are often water-hungry and spread quickly onto lands where they were never planted. JCD provides educational materials to landowners and communities, and sells a native grass seed mix designed specifically for the conditions on the Front Range.

JCD is housed by a long-standing agreement within the Denver Metro offices of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the U.S Department of Agricultural. Our office is located in Building 56 of the Denver Federal Center.

Our mailing address is:

Jefferson Conservation District

DFC, Bldg. 56, Room 2604

PO Box 25426

Denver, CO 80225-0426

Our phone number is: 720-544-2870

Our web site is: www.jeffersonconservationdistrict.org 

Jeffco Open Space Communications and Community Involvement Plan

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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 Plan. Also, as a requirement of the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), Jeffco Open Space has to have this plan in place.

The Overall Communications Goal is to provide accurate, consistent and timely information to Jeffco Open Space customers – Jefferson County residents, users of parks, trails and facilities, program participants, and service beneficiaries.

Increase awareness of Jeffco Open Space benefits, services, responsibilities and results by increasing Panorama subscriptions, Facebook fans and Twitter followers. Jeffco Open Space will collect email addresses and organize them by park, region and division for various communications.

Produce an annual report from the information contained in the Quarterly Management Reports and post on the Jeffco parks website (http://jeffco.us/parks/).

Improve communication and information management by:

Conducting a statistically valid, quantitative survey prior to updating the Master Plan.

Identify what the audience wants to hear, needs to hear, and already knows, while designing messages that address misconceptions and convey benefits. Seek feature reporting for compelling topics. Use a monthly feature on KUSA-TV’s “Colorado and Company” to address specific issues.

Support rangers in creating materials related to health, safety and natural resource protection issues in our parks, including Share & Care messages.

Employ multimedia communications:

Traditional media – Issue news releases to media — newspapers, radio and television stations. Solicit coverage from individual reporters.

Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) – Create compelling messages, initiate contests and invite participation. Utilize videos to help convey complex information and highlight enjoyable recreation and nature/history experiences.

Brochures and other printed materials – Use graphic standards and warm, friendly and easy-to-understand messages.

Website – Continually improve and update the website. Review analytics quarterly. Keep content fresh and succinct.

Signs/Kiosks/Displays – Follow style guide, graphics and sign standards. Develop attractive and engaging displays to invite public dialogue at community festivals and promote attention at parades. Construct and maintain a photo database for easy retrieval of images by location and subject.

Increase employee motivation and satisfaction by:

Providing opportunities for employee dialogue and recognition

Supporting the acknowledgment of extraordinary work through award nominations and media placements Supporting continuing education, networking and training for Communications Team members.

The Community Involvement Goal is to increase public involvement that allows Jeffco Open Space to receive information from the community on an ongoing or project-specific basis. This will help Jeffco Open Space formulate decisions related to their projects, programs and services.

Define and promote methods for citizens to communicate needs and interests.

Invite public involvement and make processes apparent.

Build stronger relationships through better community relations.

Develop and implement community involvement guidelines and strategies suited to each circumstance.

Employ email lists and newsletters to invite participation.

Use contacts at Homeowners Associations to invite participation.

Continually improve and provide opportunities for feedback and input.

Engage the public through participation in community festivals, parades and events hosted by partner organizations and neighboring municipalities.

Invite participation through communication mechanisms.

Acknowledge public participation through posting of comments in listening logs, or showing polling results for a particular effort on the website and in media releases.

Marketing Goals:

Increase awareness of Open Space and Parks and our role in enriching life.

Help connect outdoor recreation with health.

Collect, provide and maintain email contacts and subscriptions to promote the benefits and opportunities of life-enriching experiences.

Key Messages to be featured in the planned communications include:

Enriching Life – Jeffco Parks and its divisions enrich life. We provide quality experiences for our customers, visitors, participants, staff and volunteers. With unique and accessible parks across the County and knowledgeable, caring staff, we offer an enduring value for businesses, their employees and the community at large.

Share & Care – Knowledge is powerful. By having an understanding of the value of the outdoors and the amenities within Jeffco Parks, our customers will have a greater appreciation for the park resources that we steward. The Share & Care message is reinforced by Leave No Trace ethics, natural resource management expertise, and programs provided by Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Hiwan Homestead Museum. A variety of volunteer opportunities allows the public to engage in sharing and caring for their parks in a deeper way, and extends the work of the organization.

Lifelong learning and award-winning programs may be emphasized under the banner of Share and Care.

Nature-Health Connection – Enhance the ongoing partnership with Jeffco Public Health to call attention to research connecting outdoor recreation with better health. Produce monthly news releases shared with cities and districts for their communication outlets. Promote healthy opportunities for citizens, promoting physical and economic vitality in the process. 

Dinner Speaker Describes Elk Mountains Retreat

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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 Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), a scientific research outpost eight miles north of Crested Butte and the Crested Butte ski area. The summer program at this famous biological study center attracts students, scientists, and tourists.

Ian Billick was appointed to head the nonprofit 501c(3) organization in March 2012. He is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego and previously was a student and worked at the lab. He was a visiting professor at Truman State University and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Houston, conducting ecological research on population and community biology prior to accepting the RMBL opportunity.

The RMBL provides living facilities, access to research sites and laboratory sites and helps manage the information generated by resident scientists. The lab employs a staff that varies seasonally from 10 to 75 people and maintains 70 buildins on 1,300 acres. The lab is a gathering place for leading scientists and provides an outdoor classroom where the next generation of field scientists can be mentored.

The lab is inaccessible to the public in the winter but in the summer months welcomes visitors and offers workshops and special classes for children. It operates on a budget of about $2 million a year.

The RMBL Education Program offers students the opportunity to decide if a career in field biology is right for them in an active scientific community with up to 160 scientists, postdocs, graduate students, staff and family members.

RMBL has had the opportunity in the last 80 years to document the positive and negative effects of climate change on the ecology surrounding Gothic. The recent effects are that some migrating birds are arriving earlier in the spring, before some of the insects have hatched. The climate change also is affecting those mammals that inhabit the higher altitudes as the warmer temperatures are forcing them to even higher altitudes where there is less forage.

More information on the laboratory is available at www.rmbl.org