Seen Any Moose Around Here Lately?

Bull moose standing in a fieldHave you seen a moose in our Open Space parks yet? If you haven’t, you may soon. Moose, which was a rarity in Colorado only 50 years ago, are now routinely sighted in Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties since their introduction in 1978 — transplants from Utah and Wyoming. The transplants have delighted in their new home state. According to biologists from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, there are an estimated 3500 moose roaming the Rockies between Red Feather Lakes and Pagosa Springs. Read more

Stack of newspapers

Presidents Report 6/15/2023

Stack of newspapers

Towards the end of every PLAN Jeffco Board meeting, there is a Presidents Report. This is our opportunity to bring awareness to issues that transcend our local Jefferson County Open Space Parks. The Presidents Report lists activities and events from local and regional organizations, both land conservancy and otherwise, with reports from national and global news agencies. We hope you enjoy the read, and in so doing, we hope this may broaden perspectives in some small way.
– the Fine Folks at PLAN Jeffco

NOTE: in this Presidents Report you’ll read about lands that have been “Permanently Protected” by land organizations. Most of these protected lands have conservation easements on them, unlike our Jeffco Open Space Parks.
What is a conservation easement? It’s a promise to the land, a promise that encumbers the land, that protects the land from ever being developed into something other than what it already is. The land is still privately owned, so no — you cannot go trekking across the property without the owners’ permission, but you can rest assured that the land will not sprout condominiums or shopping centers. Read more