PLAN Jeffco’s 40th Anniversary & Fundraiser

/0 Comments/in /by

Date: December 2, 2012

Location: 240 Union: A Creative Grille, Lakewood, CO

ANNIVERSARY BASH BEST EVER, TAKE OVER 240 UNION FOR THE NIGHT!

It’s a rare occasion when so many supporters of Jefferson County Open Space come together in friendship and celebration, but that’s what happened at PLAN Jeffco’s 40th Anniversary Dinner & Fund-raiser. That Sunday evening, December the 2nd, saw this gathering at the 240 Union Restaurant in Lakewood. Aptly named, that night the restaurant played host to some 220 people, all of whom had come to celebrate 40 years of open space preservation in Jefferson County, and to hear the keynote speaker, Ed Bangs, talk about his 22 years of experiences as the Northern Rockies Wolf Reintroduction coordinator.

At the door, ready to greet revelers as they signed in and collected their name badges, were PLAN Jeffco long-timers and Board Members Bette & David Seeland, Ann Bonnell, and John Litz. Just around the corner, Don Moore was sharing space with “Save the Mesas” at the information and membership signup table.

Past and current members of the Open Space Advisory Committee were present to help celebrate the occasion, as were many members of the JeffCo Open Space Staff. Greg Stevinson, past Chair of OSAC, and under whose guidance the acreage of Open Space grew to over 50,000 acres. Greg (seen here on the right, with Richard Zallen) has been a significant contributor to PLAN Jeffco’s efforts, and we were pleased that he was present to celebrate this, our significant anniversary.

PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Renowned wolf expert Ed Bangs discusses the human facination with wolves and the restoration of wolves around the country.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Wolf biologists Ed Bangs (center) and Mike Jimenez with helicopter pilot Bob Hawkins capture, sedate and radio tag wolves in Wyoming.

Wolf Expert Ed Bangs Keynote Speaker

Ed Bangs was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the northwestern United States for more than 23 years until his retirement in 2011. Prior to his position as the Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Ed worked on a variety of wildlife programs on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. His programs included wolf, lynx, brown and black bear, wolverine, marten, coyote, moose, bald eagle and trumpeter swan management and research, reintroduction of caribou, and land-use planning and management.

He was involved with the recovery and management of wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming beginning in 1988. He led the interagency program to plan, conduct public outreach, and reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s. “I’ve been fortunate with opportunities to examine wolf and human relationships in many other parts of the world as well, including Mongolia, Sweden, England, Japan, Italy, Spain and Africa,” explains Ed.

Well published, Ed has more than 120 scientific and popular articles to his credit on a wide variety of wildlife management issues. He has given hundreds of professional and public presentations and conducted thousands of media interviews. Ed has been recognized with numerous awards, including the U.S. Dept. of Interior Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Awards, Letter of Commendation from U.S. Department of Justice, and Distinguished Alumni Award from Utah State University, his Alma Mater. Professionally, he is still focused on human values, conflict resolution in wildlife management, and the restoration of ecological processes. On the personal front, Ed enjoys spending time with his two daughters, staying fit, bow hunting, wildlands, food, wine, dancing, travel, scuba, literature, the Arts and oceans.

Photos

It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so in the interest of space and time, we’re going to let these pictures tell their own story:

PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012PLAN Jeffco long-timers and Board Members Ann Bonnell, and John Litz greet people at the door. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012JeffCo Open Space Staff Greg Stevinson, past Chair of OSAC, and under whose guidance the acreage of Open Space grew to over 50,000 acres. On the right is Richard Zallen.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012CEAVCO technicians worked all afternoon to make 240 Union ready for the evening event. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012The 240 Union staff set up the entire restaurant for the event, complete with Christmas-themed decorations.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Bette Seeland and Ken Foelske register Pat Keller at the door, with John Litz looking on. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012The Silent Auction room was set up for easy browsing of all the artwork and fun stuff.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Ralph Schell (former Director of Open Space & current County Administrator), Casey Tighe (recently elected to the Board of County Commissioners) and wife Laura, and Tom Hoby (current Director of Parks & Open Space) gather for a photo in 240 Union’s famous Wine Room. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Some of the offerings in the Silent Auction room elicited vigorous bidding.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Michelle Poolet, PJ Board member, takes a break and samples the excellent food and wine – at 240 Union, we expected no less! PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Families and interest groups were able to reserve entire tables for the event, thus ensuring good seating and a good view of the evening speakers.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012The Silent Auction closed after dinner; Vera had to remind everyone to get their final bid in, or lose out on that precious what-not. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Margot Zallen, chief PJ’er told the history of our team.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012

Ed Bangs was, for 22 years, the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Grey Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the northwestern US. He was involved with the recovery and management of wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming beginning in 1988. He led the interagency program to plan, conduct public outreach, and reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s. Read more about Ed in the High Country News.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Ed talks with Bruce Rosenlund about aspects of his work. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012We say as we raise a glass to wish you all that is right. Thank you so much for your support!


PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Presentation

by PLAN Jeffco Chairperson,
Margot Zallen

If you are unable to view content in the frame below,
click to view: Margot Zallen’s Presentation (PDF)

View the presentation by Margot Zallen and read the full text of the speech given by her at the PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary EventWelcome to PLAN Jeffco’s 40th Anniversary Celebration. I am Margot Zallen, Chairperson of PLAN Jeffco. We, in PLAN Jeffco, owe a very special thanks to our sponsors, 240 Union, Greg Stevinson and all those who contributed to our silent auction.

With us today are many of those ordinary citizens who joined together in 1972 to do something extraordinary—convince the voters of Jefferson County to tax themselves so we could conserve fast disappearing open spaces.

All of those who are founding Plan Jeffco members please stand. Did you know that that our little ½ percent tax has brought in ¾ of a billion dollars since 1972, with $240 million going directly to the cities and over $500 million going to Jefferson County? And the best part is that over 53,000 acres of land has been preserved with over 200 miles of trails constructed. Thank you all.

There are others to be acknowledged. Please stand when I call your name. But hold any applause until after the introductions. Joining us today are Faye Griffin and Don Rosier, our County Commissioners, Ralph Schell, the County Administrator and former Open Space Program Director, Ellen Wakeman, County Attorney, Tom Hoby, Director of the Open Space Program, and his staff, former Program Director Ray Prinz, current and former Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) members, Pete Roybal, Lakewood City Council, Marjorie Sloan, the Mayor of Golden, Golden City Councilwomen Marcie Miller and Saoirse Charis-Graves and Casey Tighe, our newly elected Commissioner.

PLAN Jeffco’s formation began in 1971 after a League of Woman Voters study concluded that the best way to conserve those fast disappearing open lands was for the county to buy them and to conserve them. Carol Karlin and Mike Moore began organizing us in the fall of 1971. P J was incorporated in March, 1972.

We had a lot to do, write a resolution for a ballot issue that not only would fund acquisitions but would set the rules for their permanent protection, would convince conservative commissioners to put a tax increase on the ballot and establish OSAC, the Open Space Advisory Committee, with its citizen representatives and to sell the idea to the voters. Eventually, with the help of hundreds of high school students we doorbelled 96% of the county with this brochure (slide #5) and 55% of the voters said YES to their new tax.

We helped Jefferson County get the program started and then hibernated until 1978 when 3 ballot issues to revise the original Open Space Resolution that we believed were harmful to the program were approved to go to the voters. PLAN Jeffco was not able stop those issues from getting on the ballot. But the voters agreed with us and rejected all three.

Then in 1980, after the county settled a federal lawsuit on unconstitutional conditions at the old jail, the county decided to sell the voters on the idea of taking ½ of the Open Space revenues to build a new jail. PLAN Jeffco really organized to defeat this and two other ballot issues.

The county sued some of us personally for requesting the county to tell both sides of the of the story when promoting the jail issue. PLAN Jeffco counter sued and the court eventually agreed with us. The jail issue failed and the hard feelings it generated between PLAN Jeffco and Jefferson County remained for several years.

The one ballot issue that was approved in 1980 allowed the Open Space funds to be used for “recreational capital improvements”. This new authority led to Jefferson County deciding to build and manage an active recreational program at Clement Park. The recreation districts went ballistic over the county going into the recreational business. At the same time there was a big controversy over a request for Open Space funds to be used to build a cultural center/theater on the existing Open Space lands at Elk Meadow Park in Evergreen, which PLAN Jeffco strongly opposed. To resolve this Pandora’s Box dilemma regarding how Jefferson County should exercise it new authority to spend funds for “recreational capital improvements”, we went to the County Commissioners and asked them to form an ad hoc group to deal with these issues. A facilitator from Keystone met with a group of us, including representatives from the cities, recreation districts, Westernaires, and others for over a year. The ad hoc group agreed on a set of recommendations which were accepted by the County Commissioners, who told us that these saved the program.

Based on the committee’s recommendations, Jefferson County agreed to not to get into the park and recreation business, to focus on land acquisition and to create a joint venture program that has provided over $50 million in grants or matching funds to the cities and recreation districts. These helped fund projects like the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center and the Evergreen Lake House.

In the 1980’s the savings and loan crisis resulted in scores of developers offering to sell their land and many worthy purchases were made, like Apex Park. But there was no overall plan or set of priorities. So PLAN Jeffco did what it has frequently done, held a workshop attended by some OSAC members. They were impressed with the results and held their own workshop which led to the famous Black Book which identified five scenic acquisition priorities, Bear Creek Canyon, Clear Creek Canyon, the north and central mountain backdrop and North Table Mountain and five natural area priority areas: Ralston Buttes, Centennial Cone, Cathedral Spires, Dear Creek at the Hogback and Ralston Creek. These priority lands have almost all been acquired. The Black Book also contains plans for mile of trails to be constructed.

In 1992 PLAN Jeffco formally proposed that all of Clear Creek Canyon be purchased, the first time citizens asked Jefferson County Open Space to buy a specific parcel. Although, staff complained that there were too many owners to deal with, this initiative was approved by OSAC and the County Commissioners.

The final result is that all but one piece at the mouth of the Clear Creek Canyon is now conserved. But this did not happen until PLAN Jeffco and others successfully fought against the Goltra quarry proposed for the north side of the canyon. This was one of our many successful cooperative efforts.

In 1992, another cooperative effort prevented a land trade proposed by Western Mobile for Open Space land near the quarry at Heritage Square for its land on North Table Mountain. Ten years later new owners came back with a better trade which PLAN Jeffco helped negotiate. That resulted in Jefferson County Open Space acquiring 400 acres on North Table Mountain which is almost all of the undeveloped land on the mesa.

In 2005, while Open Space staff was working on the plans for trails for North Table Mountain, bikers and preservationists were hotly disputing the future use of North Table Mountain which contains valuable native grass lands. PLAN Jeffco intervened, formed a “team of rivals” with bikers, hikers, equestrians, wildlife biologist, native plant expert, and an Open Space staff person. We had scientific studies carried out and met several times a month for over a year. All this to develop a proposal for OSAC. Most of which was adopted.

In 2000, Plan Jeffco proposed another large land conservation initiative which was accepted. That initiative called for the conservation of the Rocky Flats ecosystem because of its wonderful scenic and natural values. Our latest related effort was PLAN Jeffco’s 2011 involvement in the NEPA process relating to disposal of a strip of land on the east side of the Rocky Flats Refuge for a tollway.

PLAN Jeffco also joined in the successful fight against NIKE’s plans for building on top of South Table Mountain and joined in the effort to finally conserve those lands.

We were not as successful in our joint efforts to prevent the super tower on Lookout Mountain.

In the late 1990’s, realizing that land prices were skyrocketing, interest rates were plummeting and key lands were again threatened, PLAN Jeffco held another workshop. The solution we proposed was for the county to issue bonds to provide additional funds immediately for Open Space acquisitions. The two County Commissioners in attendance were very concerned about borrowing money. One of them told me that they are Republicans and we don’t borrow. But after seeing how this could be achieved, they agreed this was a good idea. And the SOS bond campaign was born. Many of us in this room can claim credit for more than 73% of voters finally voting yes to approve the bond issue. It was very clear that Jefferson County Open Space program is now sacred to the overwhelming majority of our citizens.

When some again began to question the economic impact of taking all these Open Space lands off the tax roles, PLAN Jeffco convened a conference focusing on this issue. Our many speakers from John Crompton, a professor at Texas AM, from the Jefferson Economic Council, the Colorado Land Trust and others, all concluded that the Open Space program and its land conservation was a powerful economic benefit to the county.

I am going to end this retrospective and turn to PLAN Jeffco’s focus for the next 40 years:

ACQUISITION—The concerns that drove the PLAN Jeffco to be created in 1972 are even more evident today. We need to continue to focus on acquiring more of what remains of our open lands, finding willing sellers and encouraging new developments to focus on areas near light rail and in rejuvenating the decaying areas in our cities. And of course there is the 4,700 acres at the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon that must be purchased to finish the conservation of this awe inspiring canyon. (slide #35)

PURSUE ADDITIONAL FUNDING—More funding is needed, especially during the next 9 years while the SOS bonds are still being paid off. We will continue to support the Open Space Programs requests for GOCO and other grants. We encourage the creation of a revolving fund to help local land trusts pay the upfront costs of conservation easements. These easements are conserving many undeveloped parcels in both the cities and mountain areas. And in 9 years we may again be looking at another bond campaign. (slide #36)

WORK WITH PARTNERS—Of course we will continue to work with the County Commissioners and the Jeffco Open Space Program as we have historically. We will continue to work with local land trusts, such as MALT, CCLC and others. And when the next NIKE or Goltra quarry is proposed we’ll be there to join with other groups in opposition. (slide #37)

CONTINUED PROTECTION—It is essential to pass on the land conservation ethic to the next generations. None of us want voters in 2042 to be presented with a ballot issue to sell some of our Open Space lands or to eliminate the Jefferson County Open Space Program because it’s cheaper to build on undeveloped land. (slide #38)

We all know that kids and their families are often too busy going from soccer, to Little League, to gymnastics and when at home kids spend more time on their computers that then spend sleeping. Getting diverse families and their kids into the outdoors and having fun doing it, is how many experts believe is the way to foster a continued land conservation ethic. To this end we are working with Denver Mountain Parks, Open Space, GOCO, and the Jefferson County Open Space Foundation to raise $100,000 to increase outdoor use by kids and their families. You’ll be hearing more about this later this winter.

Let me show you what could have happened and what could happen.

Just think of the real past and future threats to our hogbacks. Instead of being part of our scenically valued foreground, they just as easily could be gravel pits. (slide #39-40) This could have been or could become the fate of the Table Mountains and any of our mountain canyons.

Just think what a good spot Elk Meadow is for a new Walmart and for homes conveniently to be built behind this new shopping center. (slide #41-42)

Just think about how centrally located Crown Hill Park is and how convenient it would be for a shopping center. (slide #43-44)

And last think about the great views that condo owners would get if they could build up the slopes of our mountain backdrop. Just think of all the property taxes all these developments on our open space lands would generate. (slide #45-46)

We can’t let this happen and that’s why PLAN Jeffco is going to stick around for the next 40 years. We encourage you to not only join PLAN Jeffco but to work with us. Come to our board meetings held the 4th Thursday evening of every month. Go to our web site, www.planjeffco.org to find out more.

Now to our key note speaker, Ed Bangs, a world renowned expert on grey wolves, their biology, their habitat, and the love/hate relationship that we humans have with this charismatic mega fauna. Ed was the Grey Wolf Recovery Coordinator in Western U.S. for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 23 years and was intimately involved in the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park and Central Utah. His work during and since the reintroductions resulted in the eventual recovery of this population of wolves which by the 1930’s had been purposefully eliminated. Enough of me talking about my former clients, Ed and the wolves. Let’s welcome Ed Bangs.

 

PLAN Jeffco’s 40th Anniversary & Fundraiser

/0 Comments/in /by

Location: 240 Union: A Creative Grille, Lakewood, CO

ANNIVERSARY BASH BEST EVER, TAKE OVER 240 UNION FOR THE NIGHT!

It’s a rare occasion when so many supporters of Jefferson County Open Space come together in friendship and celebration, but that’s what happened at PLAN Jeffco’s 40th Anniversary Dinner & Fund-raiser. That Sunday evening, December the 2nd, saw this gathering at the 240 Union Restaurant in Lakewood. Aptly named, that night the restaurant played host to some 220 people, all of whom had come to celebrate 40 years of open space preservation in Jefferson County, and to hear the keynote speaker, Ed Bangs, talk about his 22 years of experiences as the Northern Rockies Wolf Reintroduction coordinator.

View the presentation by Margot Zallen and read the full text of the speech given by her at the PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary EventAt the door, ready to greet revelers as they signed in and collected their name badges, were PLAN Jeffco long-timers and Board Members Bette & David Seeland, Ann Bonnell, and John Litz. Just around the corner, Don Moore was sharing space with “Save the Mesas” at the information and membership signup table.

Past and current members of the Open Space Advisory Committee were present to help celebrate the occasion, as were many members of the JeffCo Open Space Staff. Greg Stevinson, past Chair of OSAC, and under whose guidance the acreage of Open Space grew to over 50,000 acres. Greg (seen here on the right, with Richard Zallen) has been a significant contributor to PLAN Jeffco’s efforts, and we were pleased that he was present to celebrate this, our significant anniversary.

PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Renowned wolf expert Ed Bangs discusses the human facination with wolves and the restoration of wolves around the country.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Wolf biologists Ed Bangs (center) and Mike Jimenez with helicopter pilot Bob Hawkins capture, sedate and radio tag wolves in Wyoming.

Wolf Expert Ed Bangs Keynote Speaker

Ed Bangs was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the northwestern United States for more than 23 years until his retirement in 2011. Prior to his position as the Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Ed worked on a variety of wildlife programs on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. His programs included wolf, lynx, brown and black bear, wolverine, marten, coyote, moose, bald eagle and trumpeter swan management and research, reintroduction of caribou, and land-use planning and management.

He was involved with the recovery and management of wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming beginning in 1988. He led the interagency program to plan, conduct public outreach, and reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s. “I’ve been fortunate with opportunities to examine wolf and human relationships in many other parts of the world as well, including Mongolia, Sweden, England, Japan, Italy, Spain and Africa,” explains Ed.

Well published, Ed has more than 120 scientific and popular articles to his credit on a wide variety of wildlife management issues. He has given hundreds of professional and public presentations and conducted thousands of media interviews. Ed has been recognized with numerous awards, including the U.S. Dept. of Interior Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Awards, Letter of Commendation from U.S. Department of Justice, and Distinguished Alumni Award from Utah State University, his Alma Mater. Professionally, he is still focused on human values, conflict resolution in wildlife management, and the restoration of ecological processes. On the personal front, Ed enjoys spending time with his two daughters, staying fit, bow hunting, wildlands, food, wine, dancing, travel, scuba, literature, the Arts and oceans.

Photos

It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so in the interest of space and time, we’re going to let these pictures tell their own story:

PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012PLAN Jeffco long-timers and Board Members Ann Bonnell, and John Litz greet people at the door. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012JeffCo Open Space Staff Greg Stevinson, past Chair of OSAC, and under whose guidance the acreage of Open Space grew to over 50,000 acres. On the right is Richard Zallen.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012CEAVCO technicians worked all afternoon to make 240 Union ready for the evening event. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012The 240 Union staff set up the entire restaurant for the event, complete with Christmas-themed decorations.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Bette Seeland and Ken Foelske register Pat Keller at the door, with John Litz looking on. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012The Silent Auction room was set up for easy browsing of all the artwork and fun stuff.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Ralph Schell (former Director of Open Space & current County Administrator), Casey Tighe (recently elected to the Board of County Commissioners) and wife Laura, and Tom Hoby (current Director of Parks & Open Space) gather for a photo in 240 Union’s famous Wine Room. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Some of the offerings in the Silent Auction room elicited vigorous bidding.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Michelle Poolet, PJ Board member, takes a break and samples the excellent food and wine – at 240 Union, we expected no less! PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Families and interest groups were able to reserve entire tables for the event, thus ensuring good seating and a good view of the evening speakers.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012The Silent Auction closed after dinner; Vera had to remind everyone to get their final bid in, or lose out on that precious what-not. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Margot Zallen, chief PJ’er told the history of our team.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012

Ed Bangs was, for 22 years, the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Grey Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the northwestern US. He was involved with the recovery and management of wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming beginning in 1988. He led the interagency program to plan, conduct public outreach, and reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s. Read more about Ed in the High Country News.
PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012Ed talks with Bruce Rosenlund about aspects of his work. PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Event Dec 2, 2012We say as we raise a glass to wish you all that is right. Thank you so much for your support!


PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary Presentation

by PLAN Jeffco Chairperson,
Margot Zallen

If you are unable to view content in the frame below,
click to view: Margot Zallen’s Presentation (PDF)

View the presentation by Margot Zallen and read the full text of the speech given by her at the PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary EventWelcome to PLAN Jeffco’s 40th Anniversary Celebration. I am Margot Zallen, Chairperson of PLAN Jeffco. We, in PLAN Jeffco, owe a very special thanks to our sponsors, 240 Union, Greg Stevinson and all those who contributed to our silent auction.

With us today are many of those ordinary citizens who joined together in 1972 to do something extraordinary—convince the voters of Jefferson County to tax themselves so we could conserve fast disappearing open spaces.

All of those who are founding Plan Jeffco members please stand. Did you know that that our little ½ percent tax has brought in ¾ of a billion dollars since 1972, with $240 million going directly to the cities and over $500 million going to Jefferson County? And the best part is that over 53,000 acres of land has been preserved with over 200 miles of trails constructed. Thank you all.

There are others to be acknowledged. Please stand when I call your name. But hold any applause until after the introductions. Joining us today are Faye Griffin and Don Rosier, our County Commissioners, Ralph Schell, the County Administrator and former Open Space Program Director, Ellen Wakeman, County Attorney, Tom Hoby, Director of the Open Space Program, and his staff, former Program Director Ray Prinz, current and former Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) members, Pete Roybal, Lakewood City Council, Marjorie Sloan, the Mayor of Golden, Golden City Councilwomen Marcie Miller and Saoirse Charis-Graves and Casey Tighe, our newly elected Commissioner.

PLAN Jeffco’s formation began in 1971 after a League of Woman Voters study concluded that the best way to conserve those fast disappearing open lands was for the county to buy them and to conserve them. Carol Karlin and Mike Moore began organizing us in the fall of 1971. P J was incorporated in March, 1972.

We had a lot to do, write a resolution for a ballot issue that not only would fund acquisitions but would set the rules for their permanent protection, would convince conservative commissioners to put a tax increase on the ballot and establish OSAC, the Open Space Advisory Committee, with its citizen representatives and to sell the idea to the voters. Eventually, with the help of hundreds of high school students we doorbelled 96% of the county with this brochure (slide #5) and 55% of the voters said YES to their new tax.

We helped Jefferson County get the program started and then hibernated until 1978 when 3 ballot issues to revise the original Open Space Resolution that we believed were harmful to the program were approved to go to the voters. PLAN Jeffco was not able stop those issues from getting on the ballot. But the voters agreed with us and rejected all three.

Then in 1980, after the county settled a federal lawsuit on unconstitutional conditions at the old jail, the county decided to sell the voters on the idea of taking ½ of the Open Space revenues to build a new jail. PLAN Jeffco really organized to defeat this and two other ballot issues.

The county sued some of us personally for requesting the county to tell both sides of the of the story when promoting the jail issue. PLAN Jeffco counter sued and the court eventually agreed with us. The jail issue failed and the hard feelings it generated between PLAN Jeffco and Jefferson County remained for several years.

The one ballot issue that was approved in 1980 allowed the Open Space funds to be used for “recreational capital improvements”. This new authority led to Jefferson County deciding to build and manage an active recreational program at Clement Park. The recreation districts went ballistic over the county going into the recreational business. At the same time there was a big controversy over a request for Open Space funds to be used to build a cultural center/theater on the existing Open Space lands at Elk Meadow Park in Evergreen, which PLAN Jeffco strongly opposed. To resolve this Pandora’s Box dilemma regarding how Jefferson County should exercise it new authority to spend funds for “recreational capital improvements”, we went to the County Commissioners and asked them to form an ad hoc group to deal with these issues. A facilitator from Keystone met with a group of us, including representatives from the cities, recreation districts, Westernaires, and others for over a year. The ad hoc group agreed on a set of recommendations which were accepted by the County Commissioners, who told us that these saved the program.

Based on the committee’s recommendations, Jefferson County agreed to not to get into the park and recreation business, to focus on land acquisition and to create a joint venture program that has provided over $50 million in grants or matching funds to the cities and recreation districts. These helped fund projects like the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center and the Evergreen Lake House.

In the 1980’s the savings and loan crisis resulted in scores of developers offering to sell their land and many worthy purchases were made, like Apex Park. But there was no overall plan or set of priorities. So PLAN Jeffco did what it has frequently done, held a workshop attended by some OSAC members. They were impressed with the results and held their own workshop which led to the famous Black Book which identified five scenic acquisition priorities, Bear Creek Canyon, Clear Creek Canyon, the north and central mountain backdrop and North Table Mountain and five natural area priority areas: Ralston Buttes, Centennial Cone, Cathedral Spires, Dear Creek at the Hogback and Ralston Creek. These priority lands have almost all been acquired. The Black Book also contains plans for mile of trails to be constructed.

In 1992 PLAN Jeffco formally proposed that all of Clear Creek Canyon be purchased, the first time citizens asked Jefferson County Open Space to buy a specific parcel. Although, staff complained that there were too many owners to deal with, this initiative was approved by OSAC and the County Commissioners.

The final result is that all but one piece at the mouth of the Clear Creek Canyon is now conserved. But this did not happen until PLAN Jeffco and others successfully fought against the Goltra quarry proposed for the north side of the canyon. This was one of our many successful cooperative efforts.

In 1992, another cooperative effort prevented a land trade proposed by Western Mobile for Open Space land near the quarry at Heritage Square for its land on North Table Mountain. Ten years later new owners came back with a better trade which PLAN Jeffco helped negotiate. That resulted in Jefferson County Open Space acquiring 400 acres on North Table Mountain which is almost all of the undeveloped land on the mesa.

In 2005, while Open Space staff was working on the plans for trails for North Table Mountain, bikers and preservationists were hotly disputing the future use of North Table Mountain which contains valuable native grass lands. PLAN Jeffco intervened, formed a “team of rivals” with bikers, hikers, equestrians, wildlife biologist, native plant expert, and an Open Space staff person. We had scientific studies carried out and met several times a month for over a year. All this to develop a proposal for OSAC. Most of which was adopted.

In 2000, Plan Jeffco proposed another large land conservation initiative which was accepted. That initiative called for the conservation of the Rocky Flats ecosystem because of its wonderful scenic and natural values. Our latest related effort was PLAN Jeffco’s 2011 involvement in the NEPA process relating to disposal of a strip of land on the east side of the Rocky Flats Refuge for a tollway.

PLAN Jeffco also joined in the successful fight against NIKE’s plans for building on top of South Table Mountain and joined in the effort to finally conserve those lands.

We were not as successful in our joint efforts to prevent the super tower on Lookout Mountain.

In the late 1990’s, realizing that land prices were skyrocketing, interest rates were plummeting and key lands were again threatened, PLAN Jeffco held another workshop. The solution we proposed was for the county to issue bonds to provide additional funds immediately for Open Space acquisitions. The two County Commissioners in attendance were very concerned about borrowing money. One of them told me that they are Republicans and we don’t borrow. But after seeing how this could be achieved, they agreed this was a good idea. And the SOS bond campaign was born. Many of us in this room can claim credit for more than 73% of voters finally voting yes to approve the bond issue. It was very clear that Jefferson County Open Space program is now sacred to the overwhelming majority of our citizens.

When some again began to question the economic impact of taking all these Open Space lands off the tax roles, PLAN Jeffco convened a conference focusing on this issue. Our many speakers from John Crompton, a professor at Texas AM, from the Jefferson Economic Council, the Colorado Land Trust and others, all concluded that the Open Space program and its land conservation was a powerful economic benefit to the county.

I am going to end this retrospective and turn to PLAN Jeffco’s focus for the next 40 years:

ACQUISITION—The concerns that drove the PLAN Jeffco to be created in 1972 are even more evident today. We need to continue to focus on acquiring more of what remains of our open lands, finding willing sellers and encouraging new developments to focus on areas near light rail and in rejuvenating the decaying areas in our cities. And of course there is the 4,700 acres at the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon that must be purchased to finish the conservation of this awe inspiring canyon. (slide #35)

PURSUE ADDITIONAL FUNDING—More funding is needed, especially during the next 9 years while the SOS bonds are still being paid off. We will continue to support the Open Space Programs requests for GOCO and other grants. We encourage the creation of a revolving fund to help local land trusts pay the upfront costs of conservation easements. These easements are conserving many undeveloped parcels in both the cities and mountain areas. And in 9 years we may again be looking at another bond campaign. (slide #36)

WORK WITH PARTNERS—Of course we will continue to work with the County Commissioners and the Jeffco Open Space Program as we have historically. We will continue to work with local land trusts, such as MALT, CCLC and others. And when the next NIKE or Goltra quarry is proposed we’ll be there to join with other groups in opposition. (slide #37)

CONTINUED PROTECTION—It is essential to pass on the land conservation ethic to the next generations. None of us want voters in 2042 to be presented with a ballot issue to sell some of our Open Space lands or to eliminate the Jefferson County Open Space Program because it’s cheaper to build on undeveloped land. (slide #38)

We all know that kids and their families are often too busy going from soccer, to Little League, to gymnastics and when at home kids spend more time on their computers that then spend sleeping. Getting diverse families and their kids into the outdoors and having fun doing it, is how many experts believe is the way to foster a continued land conservation ethic. To this end we are working with Denver Mountain Parks, Open Space, GOCO, and the Jefferson County Open Space Foundation to raise $100,000 to increase outdoor use by kids and their families. You’ll be hearing more about this later this winter.

Let me show you what could have happened and what could happen.

Just think of the real past and future threats to our hogbacks. Instead of being part of our scenically valued foreground, they just as easily could be gravel pits. (slide #39-40) This could have been or could become the fate of the Table Mountains and any of our mountain canyons.

Just think what a good spot Elk Meadow is for a new Walmart and for homes conveniently to be built behind this new shopping center. (slide #41-42)

Just think about how centrally located Crown Hill Park is and how convenient it would be for a shopping center. (slide #43-44)

And last think about the great views that condo owners would get if they could build up the slopes of our mountain backdrop. Just think of all the property taxes all these developments on our open space lands would generate. (slide #45-46)

We can’t let this happen and that’s why PLAN Jeffco is going to stick around for the next 40 years. We encourage you to not only join PLAN Jeffco but to work with us. Come to our board meetings held the 4th Thursday evening of every month. Go to our web site, www.planjeffco.org to find out more.

Now to our key note speaker, Ed Bangs, a world renowned expert on grey wolves, their biology, their habitat, and the love/hate relationship that we humans have with this charismatic mega fauna. Ed was the Grey Wolf Recovery Coordinator in Western U.S. for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 23 years and was intimately involved in the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park and Central Utah. His work during and since the reintroductions resulted in the eventual recovery of this population of wolves which by the 1930’s had been purposefully eliminated. Enough of me talking about my former clients, Ed and the wolves. Let’s welcome Ed Bangs.

 

Life After Life

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Hidden within our soils are a host of organisms engaged in decomposition, that deconstruction project without which life on Earth would long since have disappeared. As with other ecological systems, this one is an iceberg: The part we can’t see is far bigger and more complex than the small fragments that intrude into our everyday lives. Most of the time, then, we are able to remain blissfully unaware of where everyone’s next meal is coming from. We may be able to talk comfortably about the water cycle, despite the probability of eventually drinking “Cleopatra’s bathwater,” but most of us would rather not examine the nutrient cycle too closely. Perhaps the Halloween season is a good time to talk a bit about the fate that awaits us all, humans, mice, and pine trees alike. Though some may say “we’re a long time dead,” the truth is that, sooner or later, reincarnation is a virtual certainty. We’re not immortal, but the chemicals within us are.

Most of the critters that carry out the phases of decomposition spend much of their lives in soil or in the litter layer that often covers it. The first steps, of course, are occasionally carried out by larger organisms, like mice and squirrels and cows, who eat plant materials and then deposit the indigestible portions on the ground. In the global cycle, that’s only an optional side trip for carbon and nitrogen—most of the organic material tied up in plants, even in the hugest redwoods, will be released by much smaller organisms, those we tend to dismiss as insignificant.

Only in size can we easily dismiss them, for soil life is diverse and abundant. In a good season, one prairie acre might harbor two billion microarthropods (such as mites and springtails), as many as five million earthworms, and 200,000 millipedes. A host of insects and macroarthropods, such as fly larvae, termites, pillbugs, and crickets, also participate in decomposition. Outnumbering them all would be the nematodes, or roundworms: At 22 billion per acre, they are among the most abundant organisms on the planet, and are found in pretty much everything and everybody. In the prairie environment, almost half of the nematodes feed on fungi, which are also abundant soil inhabitants, along with the couple of tons of bacteria also present.

A forest ecosystem, of course, is equally dependent on those tiny soil inhabitants, and some forests produce enough organic matter to support even larger populations of such critters. In our dry forests, decomposition is far less obvious than in the moister forests across the great divide. It may go on more slowly, but still it must go on. It may have to hide, literally, from the light of day, but this is one process that works just fine in the dark. Unless we go looking for evidence of decomposition, sifting through leaves and litter or kicking open rotting logs, we will rarely see this process in action.

When conditions are just right, with cool weather and a little moisture, the last participants in the decomposition process begin to “flower,” reminding us of this unsuspected underground world. Suddenly, often overnight, mushrooms appear in our meadows and forests. Their forms are as varied as their cryptic lifestyles, and we often name them for their underworld associations: Destroying Angel, Jack-o’-lantern, Devil’s Snuffbox, Witches’ Butter, Dead Men’s Fingers are all names that remind us Halloween is approaching. And all are the tips of their own respective icebergs, appearing above ground to spread their spores, ensuring that nowhere on Earth will dead things go undecomposed. If one Giant Puffball (Calvatia gigantea) can produce seven trillion spores, few acres will miss receiving their fair complement.

The real decomposition work, however, is being done by the mycelium, a webby mass of underground strands, called hyphae, that makes up the body of the fungus and occasionally produces the “fruit” we see. Some mycelia are annuals that grow from a single spore each year and die after one season. In contrast, other fungi form “fairy rings,” whose fantasy name reflects our attempt to explain their mysterious origin. Whether produced by deadly Amanita or delicate Marasmius, the rings are formed by the outward growth of mycelia that live year after year and form mushrooms only where they are actively growing. Fairy rings have been found in Colorado that may have taken more than 500 years to develop.

Puffballs spread their spores on the wind, as our child-selves know, but some mushrooms depend on animals to consume the tempting fruits and spread the spores; the stinkhorns even attract flies for that purpose. Slugs, mice, turtles, and squirrels, as well as deer and cattle, will eat these seasonal temptations when they can. We humans are also attracted by the culinary qualities of many species of mushrooms, and by the exotic substances (hallucinogenic or merely deadly) produced by others. The economic importance of edible mushrooms and the yeasts who bring us beer and bread is offset a bit by the financial havoc wrought by the many fungi that cause tree and crop diseases. In the end, however, both of these aspects pale in comparison to the service soil fungi provide us by assuring the final chemical breakdown of organic matter into its constituent minerals. Without the help of these fungi and other decomposers, the continual recycling of life from one form to another would end, and the wheels of chemical reincarnation would stop turning forever.

Copyright © 2013 Sally L. White

PLAN Jeffco ~ Looking Forward to Another 40 Years

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Continued stewardship of our open spaces cannot be taken for granted. PLAN Jeffco remains committed to its mission: ensuring that future citizens can enjoy the same quality of life and rich outdoor experiences that we do today, and that the value of open space lands is not forgotten or disregarded in exchange for short term gains.

Today, as the result of our fourdecade-long commitment to conserving open spaces, along with the community’s strong support and continued investment, we now enjoy a great variety of benefits. We all can be proud of the over 53,000 acres of lands that have been conserved in Jefferson County—the hundreds of miles of trails for all of us to enjoy, and that much of our treasured views, natural areas and wildlife are conserved.

PLAN Jeffco was formed by citizens concerned that open spaces would quickly vanish within the decade. In 1972, we initiated and campaigned for the ballot issue that provided for the ½ cent Open Space sales tax, which has funded our award winning Jefferson County Open Space program and provided millions of dollars to the cities and recreation districts. 

Open Space Citizen Survey

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In the Fall of 2011, the Open Space Department funded a scientific survey to gather public feedback on Jefferson County Open Space Parks. The survey covered usage characteristics of parks, trails and other facilities, community values with respect to open space, satisfaction with current facilities and the importance of various park features, views on park and trail management, and communication. This feedback and subsequent analysis was designed to assist Jefferson County Open Space in future planning and policy formulation efforts.

A total of 10,000 surveys were mailed to a random sample of Jefferson County residents in early October 2011, with 9,990 being delivered after subtracting undeliverable mail. The final sample size for this statistically valid survey was 1,345, resulting in a response rate of 13.5 percent giving a margin of error of approximately +/- 2.7 percentage points. A detailed summary of the survey is posted on the Open Space Website – the URL is: jeffco.us/parks/documents/2011-jeffco-open-space-citizen-survey/

Jefferson County Open Space 2011 Citizen Survey, 2011Respondents were almost equally divided female (52%) and male (48%). The random survey was targeted at residents 18 years and older. The age profile of responses is virtually identical to the County as a whole. The average age of respondents was 47 years. The average respondent had lived in Jefferson County for 19.6 years. About 24% of respondents had lived in the County less than five years.

The questionnaire contained a question designed to determine “household status” or the makeup of the family unit. About 28% of respondents reported that they are single. About 72% are couples, with 34% reporting that they are couples with children at home. Open Space use by children was 90% on family outings, 50% with friends, 35% with school groups, and 19% with youth organizations.

The results suggest that about 83% of County residents visited the Open Space Parks at least once each year. The most visited parks, by 10-11% of the residents, are Crown Hill, Lair o’ the Bear and Deer Creek Canyon parks. The results are similar for children’s activities and use with Lair o’ the Bear 20%, Deer Creek Canyon Park 13%, Apex 13%, Mount Falcon 12%, and Elk Meadow 11%.

The typical uses of open space were hiking/walking (87%) and hiking/walking with dogs (46%), enjoying the scenery (59%), wildlife viewing (40%), picnicking (33%) and mountain biking (29%). Most frequent uses were hiking/walking (45%) and hiking/walking with dogs (23%) mountain biking (10%) and running (4%).

About 95% of the respondents to “What is the greatest value of Open Space?” supported “Assurance that open space will be there for future generations” and “Outdoor recreation in a natural setting close to home.” Close to home was most important with similar ratings for respondents in older (over 40 years) and younger age groups.

Respondents to a question on how Open Space funds should be spent: Acquisitions was most important with 68% priority, 22% for protection of the land, 15% for recreation, 13% scenic, 9% for land preservation, and 9% for trail corridors. Capital improvements priorities were: 11% for capital improvements, 6% renovation of historic structures, and 4% for regional (off park) trails. Support was equal for preservation vs. recreation.

Support was even for designating trails for single and multiple use trails 56-58%, with high opposition to single use parks or alternate day use.

Positive response to “Friendliness and manners of other visitors” was 68%. Higher positive response was shown by both trail runners (78%) and mountain bikers (73%).

Comments by responders filled 280 pages.

Peaks to Plains Trail – Clear Creek Canyon Phase

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Earlier this year GOCO announced that grants would be available for developments along Colorado river corridors. Both Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties expressed interest in applying for grants. The GOCO Staff suggested that the two counties partner in a joint application.

In mid-March a joint application was submitted by Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties for development of trail along six miles of Clear Creek spanning the county line. Clear Creek County already has 14 miles of completed trail plus a number of miles of available frontage road along the 35 miles of Clear Creek in the County. The Clear Creek County portion of trail would begin at Tunnel 6 and extend to the County Line – about two miles. The Jefferson County portion would extend from the County Line to east of the Mayhem Gulch Parking Lot near Mile Marker 263 – about four miles. The map below shows the trail corridor, proposed parking areas, and bridges.

The application was approved for further consideration in the first round of evaluations. The GOCO Board visited the site in mid-April and final decisions were made in mid-June. $9.2 million was requested from GOCO to fund a little less than 60% of the project’s estimated cost. The estimated project costs were $6 million in Clear Creek and $10 million in Jefferson Counties. In June the GOCO Board awarded Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties $4.6 million. The two counties now have the problem of fitting the development into the funds available. In addition to Open Space development funds, Jefferson County has commitments for $145,000 from outside entities to assist in the funding. 

Douglas-fir: By any other name

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The tree we know today as Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) baffled botanists for decades. People have known it as yellow spruce, red spruce, red fir, Douglas spruce, and Oregon pine. It’s not unusual for a plant to have many common names, but this one has tried on many botanical names as well. Botanists first called it Pinus taxifolia, the pine with yew-like leaves. Later, they tried squeezing it in with spruces, then firs. In 1867, 75 years after it was made known to western science, they finally gave up and created a new genus (Pseudotsuga) to house Douglas-fir and its oriental cousins. Pseudotsuga, meaning false hemlock, reflects its similarity to true hemlocks, or Tsuga, which, to compound the confusion, is the Japanese word for larch.

Our species is named for Archibald Menzies, Scottish naturalist with the Vancouver Expedition, who first collected it in 1792. These grand trees occur from British Columbia to the highlands of northern Mexico, although our Rocky Mountain version of Douglas-fir (the hyphen reminds us it’s not a true fir) is sometimes considered to be a distinct variety, called glauca for its bluish color. A second American species, bigcone Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) occurs in southern California.

The accepted common name honors another Scotsman, David Douglas, pioneer explorer-botanist of the Pacific Coast, who collected the seeds of Douglas-fir and also discovered many other new conifers in California and the Pacific Northwest. He once wrote to William Jackson Hooker, recipient of the many specimens he sent to England:Douglas-fir: By any other name. Illustration by Jan Ratcliffe (sketch of Douglas-fir)“You will begin to think that I manufacture pines at my pleasure.” New species were, in those days, more abundant than botanists.

Through all the confusion of nomenclature, the trees have, of course, not changed perceptibly—nor has their utility been compromised by botanical uncertainties. If this tree was tough to categorize, it was easy to appreciate. In the temperate rainforests where Douglasfir was first “discovered,” its size, abundance, and the quality of its wood were all that mattered, and few cared what you called it. When you hear “old-growth forest” on the evening news, this coastal Douglas-fir is the tree in question. It comprises almost 90% of those forests.

From the Blue Ox to the Spotted Owl, Douglas-fir is part of our lore and landscape and more. For a century and a half, Douglas-fir has literally formed the foundation of our history and development.

In Oregon and Washington, Douglas-firs may reach 300 feet in height and 15 feet in diameter. Who could resist such timber? No one did. Its contributions to western civilization have been both mundane and monumental: from the humble 2x4s that hold up our roofs to the massive beams of the Mormon Tabernacle, from the railroad ties and telephone poles that knit the growing West together to new (in 1925) masts for the U.S.S. Constitution, Douglas-fir has served our needs. Its popularity was assured, in part, by the demise of virgin eastern white pine, which had provided the Constitution’s original masts in 1798, but no longer grew tall enough to do so. That species had dominated the lumber market from the late 1700s until its virgin stands were logged beyond effective use a century later. (Eastern white pine still occupies its original range, but it has not yet returned to its original glory.) Logging firms from the east shipped their lumberjacks (and sometimes their entire operations, mill and all) west to the new frontiers of timber, to the great forests of Douglas-fir.

Here in the Rocky Mountains, our trees do not grow nearly as big or as quickly. They can reach diameters of three feet and heights of 130 feet at maturity; about half the height of large scale coastal Douglas-fir. Our trees are, by necessity, better able to withstand drought and are less shade tolerant than those in the Northwest. Rocky Mountain trees are also valuable as timber, though less so than their coastal cousin. Douglas-fir makes up about 10 percent of Colorado’s forest acreage, but only accounts for about 5 percent of the harvested wood.

Never mind the differences—you’ll recognize Douglas-fir wherever you find it. The 3-pronged bracts between the cone scales are unique to Pseudotsuga. In fact, it’s often easiest to recognize Douglas-fir along the trail by the squirrel-cut cones you see on the ground; the leafy tops are often too tall to distinguish. You’ll find its needles are flat but blunt, giving it a softer feel than spruces; its twigs are somewhat roughened—not as much as in spruces, but more than those of true firs. The graceful presence of Douglas-fir illuminates our woodlands from the foothills to the upper montane, but it rarely occurs in large, single-species stands. At its lower elevations, it often accompanies ponderosa pine, replacing it on the cooler north-facing slopes. In southern Colorado, it’s likely to be found with white fir (Abies concolor).

In addition to its value to us humans, Douglas-fir provides many services to wildlife. Its branches provide cover and nesting sites; its seeds provide nourishment, but keep critters busy in the process. With 20 to 30 seeds per cone, a bushel of cones yields about half a pound of seeds. That’s the entire production of an average tree in a good year. At that rate, by my clumsy calculation, it would take about 12 Douglas-fir trees to support one hungry squirrel through winter—if he can get all the seeds. (In real life, it probably takes even more trees. Squirrels might do better on ponderosa pine seeds, which have more calories, but they’ll have to work harder to get them out of the tougher cones.)

So how does a tree make sure some seeds survive to grow new trees? By tricking those pesky squirrels, and anyone else who’s looking for lunch. Douglas-fir, and a number of other trees, have “learned” to do this by starving the squirrels (or forcing them to look for food elsewhere) during most years, then overwhelming them with a massive seed crop in an occasional good year. Because the squirrels can’t take advantage of this sudden wealth, seeds have a better chance to escape and some will grow. Douglas-fir generally has one complete failure and two or more light crops between heavy, or “mast,” years. After each the squirrels must be prepared for a few lean ones ahead.

Copyright © 2012 Sally L. White

A Harvest for the Holly Days

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That holiday tradition of “decking the halls” is a long one still well practiced today. Seeing our homes and streets festooned with greenery, we might think little has changed from those nostalgic Victorian Christmases we emulate. Gathering decorative greens, however, is a rite best practiced in places where sustained harvests are possible. How well have familiar—and some not so familiar—holiday plants withstood the pressures of our seasonal festivities?

Taking the old songs seriously, we might observe a notable lack of “boughs of holly” in our local decorations. I’ve seen quite a few Christmases, and I’ve yet to see more than a small twig of actual holly at a time. In the milder climates of England and southern Europe, where it is native, holly (Ilex aquifolium) grows into a tree some 70 feet tall, and it is perhaps still feasible to harvest entire boughs for the mantelpiece. According to one study, regeneration of holly trees is not dependent on the seeds eaten by birds, which are deposited under trees in great numbers, because seedlings cannot survive the deep shade and high competition there. Most successful young trees are found in well-lit patches where they are safe from grazing animals. Thus, cows may hold a key to holly’s long-term survival. Gardeners hold another: Many species of holly are also cultivated in milder parts of the U.S.A Harvest for the Holly Days. Illustration by Jan Ratcliffe (sketch of holly)

Ground pines, among my favorite plants, were once used to make wreaths—and may still be in lusher northern regions, such as Scandinavia. I think that most of us were born too late to see such abundance of this obscure plant in the U.S. You’ll find no red or white berries on this primitive plant—only spores. Other than decorative uses, those spores seem to be the most useful feature. They have been used for baby powder, to stop bleeding, and for flash powder for early photography. Thus the reproductive effort of these plants once literally went up in smoke

Ground pines, also known as clubmosses, have had their day, and that day ended more than 300 million years ago. Thanks to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, we can imagine what these ancient trees of the coal age may have looked like. These plants invented trees—and forests! Lepidodendron, the ‘scale-tree’ as one example, was more than 100 feet tall, and grew in dense forests in the equatorial swamps then prevalent across North America and Europe. They, too, eventually went up in smoke: the vast coal deposits these prehistoric forests formed have kept entire countries warm for decades.

Now those ancient giants are gone, and only about 450 species of their lowly relatives survive. Most survivors belong to the genus Lycopodium, or ‘wolf’s foot’ to Greek enthusiasts. We have few species of Lycopodium in Colorado. Most abundant, though hardly common, is the unusual Lycopodium annotinum, or stiff clubmoss, growing on the West Slope in small patches. This species occurs from Greenland to Alaska, where it is found in mature forests, especially those not disturbed by logging for many decades, and is occasionally eaten by moose. It is ranked S4, “apparently secure”, in Colorado; very secure in much of Canada. Another species, L. alpinum, is “critically imperiled” in Colorado and Newfoundland, but rated apparently secure in the Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta.

Are the remaining clubmosses on the way to extinction? If so, it may be that we have helped them down that road a bit. In moist forests of turn-of-thecentury New England, ground pines were harvested in great volume for wreath material and other halldecking. As a child in the northeast, I remember these wonderful plants but never found them in great abundance. About six inches tall at most, spreading outward in patches under the trees, these plants do resemble miniature pine trees. As with most “useless” plants of the forest floor, they are rarely discussed in forestry studies and rarely thrive in managed forests and tree plantations. In New York today, lycopods are protected on public lands, as they all, as a group, are considered to be declining and vulnerable to exploitation, in part because they regenerate very slowly after being harvested. Commercial collecting has made some species rare; the L. complanatum I remember is now considered “critically imperiled” in New York State, but L. obscurum remains secure there. [Explore the status of species of Lycopodium at NatureServe.org.]

Our wreaths and boughs today usually substitute easily gathered pine, spruce, and fir branches for these older plants. Some of us may be able to harvest boughs from our own backyards; most of us probably cannot. A few commercial collecting permits are offered in our nearby national forests; one year the Arapahoe-Roosevelt Forest sold commercial permits for about 8 tons of boughs at $50 per ton. (If you have a permit to cut a Christmas tree, you are allowed to pick up a few boughs for personal use.) Decorative boughs for wreaths and garlands are harvested from private lands in Colorado as well.

Some coniferous decorations offered for holiday sale here and elsewhere in the U.S. are imported from the Pacific Northwest, where trees are larger and grow more quickly. In fiscal year 2010 on the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests in Washington State, more than 60,000 pounds of conifer limbs and boughs were harvested, not counting the bushels of cones and other “foliage.” Perhaps some of this year’s harvest—regional or imported—will end up brightening your own front door.

Copyright © 2013 Sally L. White

Snowbirds

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Author: Ann Bonnell

Date: January 2012

Sometimes called “Snowbirds,” Darkeyed Juncos are slightly larger than House Finches, with white feathers at the outside edges of their tails. They always show up at your yards and feeders with the first snowfall of the season. The word junco comes from the scientific name for the genus coming from the Latin “a rush.” This remains a mystery as juncos are not normally associated with reeds or rushes, only occasionally found in bogs. It may be from Junco – Medieval Latin for the Reed Bunting which this genus resembles. Linnaeus gave them their scientific name Junco hyemalis. He was a Swedish scientist and noticed they showed up only in winter, the Latin hiemalis meaning of or belonging to winter.

At one time the juncos were separate species, however in 1973 most of them were lumped into Dark-eyed Juncos. The old species are now called subspecies, forms, races or types depending upon the author. Currently under Dark-eyed Junco are Slatecolored Junco, Oregon Junco, Pink-sided Junco, Gray-headed Junco, White-winged Junco, and the Red-backed Junco. The Yellow-eyed Junco is a separate species. The juncos that were lumped into Dark-eyed Junco can often be identified separately; however because of cross-breeding some identifications can be difficult. Those we can’t put in a definite slot we call “form.” Juveniles in mid-summer are a challenge as they look like streaky sparrows. The adult juncos we see have pale, pinkish-white conical shaped bills and they are not streaked. Currently juncos belong to the Sparrow Family. At one time they were included in the Finch Family.

Juncos nest in relatively open coniferous forests or mixed woods with patches of open ground and brush from 8,000′ to 10,000′ elevation. The nest is often tucked up against a log, tree, and shrub or in a crevice. The nest is made of grass, plant fibers, moss, rootlets, bark, and twigs lined with finer materials such as hair. The female builds the nest. The male will sing his one pitch, soft trill from the top of a nearby tree. During courtship a pair may hop about with wings drooped and tail held forward showing their white, outer tail feathers. She lays 3-5 whitish eggs speckled with brown. Incubation is about 12 days and hatching to fledging is about another 12 days. The legs of the immatures develop rapidly to aid in running from the nest if a predator shows up. Brown-headed Cowbirds sometimes lay eggs in junco nests. I observed an adult junco feeding a juvenile cowbird in the campground at Kenosha Pass. The junco was about ½ the size of the hungry cowbird. The eye color of Dark-eyed Juncos changes from gray or gray-brown to red-brown as they mature from juveniles to adults. In Colorado our breeding form of Dark-eyed Junco is the Gray-headed Junco. They live year-round in Colorado and are the only juncos we see in summertime. In fall as the weather gets colder and snows start our breeding Gray-headed Juncos move down in elevation and some may even leave the area heading farther south. The other juncos: Grayheaded from farther north, Oregon from areas north and west of us, White-winged from the Dakotas, Slate-colored and Pink-sided from farther north show up along the Front Range. In winter they hang out in small flocks sometimes mixed with chickadees, Bushtits, nuthatches and other species. This gives them a better warning system from predators.

The juncos like to feed on the ground hopping and scratching to find seeds, nuts, some fruits and many different types of insects. Their diet in summer is mostly insects. They feed the nestlings only insects, sometimes regurgitated when the nestlings are very young. In winter their diet is mostly seeds. At your feeder they prefer the small seeds they can crack open such as white millet. They will feed on the ground or at an elevated tray.

Their predators would be hawk, accipiters, egg or nestling eating mammals and snakes. At one time humans shot them for food. John James Audubon commented in his classic Birds of America: Dark-eyed Junco (“… flesh is extremely delicate and juicy”). In 1918 legislation enacted as part of the Migratory Bird Act stopped the hunting of migratory non-game birds except for scientific purposes.

In cold weather juncos, sparrows and finches use thermoregulation while foraging on the ground for food. They will drop down and cover their legs and feet with their breast feathers, pausing in their search for food to warm up. In winter a favorite place to look for juncos is on sunny, bare, south facing slopes.

Some identifying marks to look for in differentiating the adult forms of Dark-eyed Juncos we would normally see in Colorado are: Gray-headed Junco – Dark eyes and area around the eyes, pink bill, pale gray overall, white belly, not distinctly defined, neat, rufous back; Oregon Junco – Only junco with jet black hood contrasting with brown back – the female is paler; Slate-colored Junco – Slate gray with pink bill and white belly; Pink-sided Junco – Slightly larger than Oregon Junco, with pale, bluish gray hood, dark around eyes and rich orange-buff sides; Whitewinged Junco – Larger than Slate-colored, dark around eyes, pale gray throat, distinct, white wingbars and more white feathers at tail edges than other juncos. The Red-backed Junco form from New Mexico is not found in Colorado. The Yellow-eyed Junco is a separate species found in Arizona and Mexico.

How long do juncos live? There are several records of recaptures after 8 ½ years. Young juncos have been recorded returning after migration to nest within 50 yards of the nest location they fledged.

Mila et al. (2007) conclude the entire Darkeyed Junco species has undergone a rapid post-Pleistocene radiation from the south, diversifying in the past 10,000 years into the various forms we see today.

Information for this article was collected from many sources. Perhaps the Snowbirds will visit you this winter.

Copyright © 2013 Ann Bonnell

Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT)

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1992 – 2011

18,000+ Acres Protected

52 Conservation EasementsMountain Area Land Trust (MALT)

Located in Evergreen, Colorado, the Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) was formed in 1992 to work collaboratively with private landowners and public entities to save scenic vistas, natural areas, wildlife habitat, working ranches and historic lands for the benefit of the community and as a legacy for future generations.

Since its inception, MALT has successfully protected over 18,000 acres in Clear Creek, Park and Jefferson Counties. These protected lands truly represent the best of Colorado – including rugged mountains, free-flowing streams, productive hay meadows, working ranches, wetland habitats, dense forests, diverse wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation areas. Perhaps most significantly, these successful projects protect water quality, which is critical to sustaining Colorado’s ecology and economy. MALT facilitates the placement of conservation easements on land that is both public and private. To-date 12,195 acres are protected through partnerships with private landowners and 5,965 acres are protected through facilitated public projects.

2011 was a banner year for Mountain Area Land Trust

As of early December MALT had closed on seven easements adding over 3,000 acres of conserved property. MALT is working on another four that they hope to have completed by the end of this 2011 or early 2012.

MALT has been approved and submitted all final paperwork for National Land Trust Accreditation. Did you know that out of the 1,800 land trusts in the USA only 135 are nationally accredited? That is less than 10%! MALT is on our way to being a part of that exclusive set of highly rated land trusts.

MALT continues to refine its conservation plan and reach out to its service area that stretches from Clear Creek to Jefferson to Park County. Presently MALT is searching for a next great public project.

The Mountain Area Land Trust staff take great pride in what they do but cannot do it without their supporters. Every single dollar that comes in helps them find more land to save. It enables them to continue to protect the open spaces, scenic vistas, working ranches and wildlife corridors forever. Please consider a tax deductible gift to support MALT’s work.

Mountain Area Land Trust Offices:

Evergreen, CO 80439

303.679.0950

www.SaveTheLand.org