Resource Management
 Prior
to modern human settlement of the west, Boulder County was a very
different place. It was home to bison, antelope, grizzly bears, and vast
herds of elk. This area was considered so important to wildlife that Rocky
Mountain National Park was to have originally contained most of Boulder
County.
Elevations in the county range from just less than 5,000 feet in
the eastern portion of the county to over 14,000 feet along the
Continental Divide. As a
result, very unique and diverse environments
exist containing a tremendous variety of plants and animals. Because open
space properties are located throughout the county, managing these diverse
resources is a challenge.
The
county's growing population threatens remaining undeveloped lands, through
both the demand for new housing and increased recreational pressures. A
century and a half of wildfire suppression, heavy grazing, introduced
weeds and other influences have also profoundly changed the landscape. If
we are to save our wild lands for future generations, they need to be
managed wisely now.
 Biologists study wildlife and
plants
to protect and restore wildlife habitat, wetlands and other plant
communities. Other natural resource experts manage forests,
monitor agricultural lands and determine
ways to rid open space lands of harmful weeds.
Each of these roles is crucial to the preservation of these magnificent
lands.
Each year, the Parks and Open Space awards small grants for research
and biological inventories on open space lands. The purpose of the Research
Funding Program is to increase the scientific knowledge of ecosystems
and visitors.
Environmental sustainability is a long-term goal that seeks to
balance environmental, economic and societal needs. This involves the
wise use of natural and economic resources and includes energy, fuel and
resource efficiency; waste reduction; reuse and recycling; changes to
building and land use; and a coordinated effort to educate and encourage
the broader community to follow suit.
Parks and Open Space is committed to environmental sustainability and
aims to be a role model for the greater community. In 2005, the
Commissioners launched an sustainability initiative, headed by
Commissioner Will Toor. One new sustainable technology adopted by the
County is a biomass energy system used to heat the the Parks and Open
Space and Transportation facilities in Longmont. The biomass energy
system uses wood byproducts, or wood chips, from our natural resource
management activities on Parks and Open Space properties.
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A
biomass feasibility study (582KB PDF) conducted in 2003 determined that we have
enough wood-product to meet the site’s heating demands, the system meets
air quality regulations, and the investment would pay for itself well
within the system’s lifespan. |
This technology is not complex and many other municipalities, school
districts and counties are also interested in using this technology.
Go to our
Parks and Open Space Videos page to watch a video about Boulder
County's biomass energy system.
If you would like more information on our biomass energy system, please
contact Resource Management Division Manager, Therese Glowacki, at (303)
678-6206.
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