By Don Moore, PLAN Jeffco Board Member
An important tool in the toolbox to preserve open lands and natural landscapes is the use of conservation easements. Conservation easements have been increasingly gaining favor in recent years as a means to preserve wildlife habitat and agriculture lands, and to protect scenic views, lands for recreation, and lands of significant ecological, historic, or cultural value. Read more
The 2025 SLASH season is upon us. From May 16th to October 26th, four SLASH collection sites will be open for business , mostly on Thursdays thru Sundays, 9AM to 4PM, unless otherwise posted. You should plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to closing. Read more
In memory of our beloved Board member Bette Seeland, we’re republishing a few of the articles in which she was a major contributor…this is one of them.
Have you ever wondered how many miles of trails are included in our Jeffco Open Space parks? Can you guess how many acres have been preserved? or how much land is under direct management by JCOS? Here’s the place to find out…the Jefferson County Open Space Dashboard.
In memory of our beloved Board member Bette Seeland, we’re republishing a few of the articles in which she was a major contributor…this is one of them.
Dear Miss Mountain Manners: When I got to my favorite Jeffco Open Space Park for a hike, the parking lot was full. What should I do? Feeling Shutout
Dear Shutout: You could walk close to home instead of driving to a park. Do not park on the road shoulder leading to the park. Download, sign up, then check the LotSpot parking lot app to find a park not currently overcrowded. Come at a time when the park is less crowded such as weekdays, before 9 am or after 3 pm.
In memory of our beloved Board member Bette Seeland, we’re republishing a few of the articles in which she was a major contributor…this is one of them.
It’s called hygge, defined as a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being. It’s a defining characteristic of Danish culture, where winters can be long and dark and cold.
Here in the middle of a North American winter, we’ve been experiencing some pretty darn chilly days. A little bit of hygge (purse your lips and say hu-gue) might feel pretty good right now, so I invite you to join me in front of the fireplace. Read more
PLAN Jeffco co-founder Bette Seeland helped launch the campaign for Jefferson County Open Space and was a pillar of PLAN Jeffco for 52 years.
By Vicky Gits
Bette Seeland, one of three co-founders of PLAN Jeffco in 1971, along with John Litz and Margot Zallen, passed away March 2, after a long illness. Read more
Westminster social trail heading west across Indiana Street into Rocky Flats.
By Vicky Gits
Jeffco Open Space Advisory Board unanimously approved an agreement resolving a contract dispute between Open Space and the City of Westminster over completing a 0.4-mile-long trail connection between the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and Westminster Hills Open Space. The advisory board endorsed the deal in an 8-0 vote in a regular meeting on March 6. Read more
2025 Conservation Awards Ceremony – Tom Hoby, Opening Ceremony, January 30, 2025. Article by Vicky Gits, photo courtesy of Michelle Poolet
Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Jefferson County Open Space system. In 2024, 6,038 individuals logged 57,000 working hours. They completed 549 projects, preserved 291 acres and created 17 miles of new trails.
All this effort represented the equivalent of 31 full-time workers, said Tom Hoby, executive director, at the 2025 Conservation Awards ceremony Jan. 30 at the Lakewood Cultural Center. Read more
