LEARNING ABOUT THE LAND IN ‘23

How do you describe a day full of learning, a day full of presentations on ecosystems, and the many ways to conserve our natural resources? It was fun. It was engaging. It created an awareness of what is happening in the conservation world and what each of us can do about it.

On the 29^th of April, 2023, a room full of open space enthusiasts gathered to hear the full story of Jefferson County Open Space, from how it was in the beginning, to the geological, climatological, and biological treasures encompassed within and outside the parks, to future directions in visitor management. Alternative methods of land conservation were introduced. Interactive discussions on diversity, equity, inclusion, and advocacy kept the participants engaged throughout the day.

The morning sessions were opened by John Litz, original member and co-founder of PLAN Jeffco, engineer and graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, as he delivered a story of stewardship in Jefferson County, starting with an acknowledgement of the original Indigenous peoples of this area. He then described the beginnings of the Open Space idea, as crafted by PLAN Jeffco in 1971, and followed through with the challenges that faced PLAN Jeffco and the Open Space Park system through the years.

John was followed by Let’s Get Physical, an overview of Jefferson County ecoregions, their physical components and inter-relationships, and the direct and indirect impacts of climate change, pollution, and human constructs, as presented by Michelle Poolet, PLAN Jeffco Co-President, professional geologist and climatologist. Jean Tate, PLAN Jeffco Board Member, Ph.D. in Ecology, followed up with Maintaining Healthy Biodiversity and Ecosystems, describing the direct and indirect impacts of human intervention on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the consequences thereof, with suggestions on how to help mitigate such impacts.

Cathi Schramm, PLAN Jeffco Board Member, Master of Conservation Biology, wound up the morning sessions with a presentation on Taking Care of Our Lands. Turns out that there are multiple methods of conserving and stewarding the land, including but not limited to conservation easements, rewilding, habitat restoration, Leave No Trace, and volunteer opportunities at Jeffco Open Space and beyond.

The afternoon sessions were opened by Martin Barwick, Jeffco Open Space Park Ranger Supervisor, as he talked about The Visitor Experience. Jeffco Open Space is comprised of 28 parks, 265+ miles of trails, and over 56,000 acres of land preserved. It hosts more than 7 million visitors each year, more per acre than any other park system in the State of Colorado. JCOS has been studying park carrying capacity and methods of enhancing trail courtesy. Martin’s presentation was an update on the latest findings about trail safety, courtesy, and communication.

Carmela Montenegro of Not Mad, Just Misunderstood, a diversity consultant and teacher of diversity, equity & inclusion, with a particular focus on the outdoor industry, lead an interactive discussion on barriers to diverse populations in open space. What makes people feel unwelcome in open spaces? What actions can be taken to mitigate this discomfort?

The Academy wound up with a truly meaningful discussion about advocacy – how to successfully argue for your favorite cause – presented by none other than Jeffco Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper and Colorado State Senator Lisa Cutter. They offered tips on how to talk to the County Commissioners, OSAC (the Open Space Advisory Committee) and other county employees, how to get people to listen, be interested, and be motivated to consider your point of view, and most importantly, what not to do.  This was a valuable addition to the Academy program, and a great way to end this full day of presentations.

Did I mention that coffee and donuts, a delicious lunch, and a one-year membership to PLAN Jeffco were all part of the offerings for this day-long package?

All attendees were invited to join the PLAN Jeffco Board the following afternoon at Mount Glennon, a seldom-visited Open Space property, for cleanup, invasive species eradication, and reseeding with native forbs. To our delight, the Board was joined by seven Academy participants. More to follow in another post…

As of this writing, the Conservation Stewardship Academy is an event that PLAN Jeffco will repeat annually, updating with as much current information as we can fit into a single day. Understanding the foundations of Jeffco Open Space – why and how it came to be, the basics of the ecosystems – geophysical and biological – that underlie the Open Space Parks, and the challenges faced when visitors literally love the parks to death…these are topics that every dedicated Open Space visitor should know about.

Want to stay in the know? Want to be informed when the 2024 Conservation Stewardship Academy will be held? Sign up now!

Many thanks to all those who participated in the 2023 Conservation Stewardship Academy – presenters and participants. Let’s do it again next year!