Ever wonder why there are miles of open farmland, wildlife corridors, and protected views along your commute through Boulder County? Those scenic stretches may not be an accident—they might be conservation easements.

Join hosts Liz Northrup, Conservation Easement Program Supervisor, and Tim Carden, Conservation Easement Stewardship Specialist, for a deep dive into one of Boulder County’s most powerful land conservation tools: the conservation easement.

This episode reveals the unseen side of open space—40,000 acres of private land protected in perpetuity through voluntary agreements between landowners and Boulder County. With over 850 easements to manage, stewardship is no small task.

Highlights Include:

• What a conservation easement actually is, and how it works
• The surprising benefits to landowners, from tax benefits to legacy preservation
• Behind-the-scenes stewardship: wildlife encounters, weed control, and trust-building
• Stories from the field, including moose sightings, regenerative farming with pigs, and meaningful landowner collaborations
• A heartfelt interview with Keith Owen, a conservation award-winning landowner, on his 25-year journey of transforming a tree nursery into thriving native grasslands

From the agricultural plains to the forested peaks of Eldora, this episode is a testament to the people and policies that make Boulder County’s landscapes so vibrant and enduring.

• The Conservation Easement Program website
• Our handout, "What is a conservation easement?"
• The Boulder County Comprehensive Plan
• The Land Trust Alliance website. The Land Trust Alliance is a national organization supporting conservation easements throughout the country, and they list other conservation easement holders if a listener is joining us from outside of Colorado and wants to find their local land trust.
• The Keep It Colorado website. Keep It Colorado is another organization that supports conservation easements, specifically in Colorado. They also list conservation easement holders in Colorado, in case a listener joining us from outside Boulder County, but within Colorado, wants to find their local land trust.

🎧 Subscribe to Voices of Open Space on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen and join us in protecting what makes Boulder County wild, rooted, and resilient.

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

Boulder CountyThere's an invisible force guiding actions, decisions, and implementation at Boulder County Parks and Open Space. When it's present, we move with more alignment, care, and integrity. These are our values.

In this first of a three-part series, host Elisabeth Rios-Brooks explores two of the seven core values that guide Boulder County Parks & Open Space: Innovation and Engagement.

Wildlife Supervisor Mac Kobza, Historic Preservation Field Supervisor Mike Lohr, and Forestry Specialist Scott Golden share how curiosity, collaboration, and creativity shape their work. Later, Amanda Hatfield and Jim Drew reflect on how meaningful engagement builds trust, community, and connection to the land.

This episode brings together diverse voices and stories that show how our values aren’t just ideals—they’re lived every day.

In This Episode

• What it means to live your values at Boulder County Parks & Open Space
• How Innovation shows up in wildlife management, historic preservation, and forestry
• Collaborating with youth and schools (e.g., St. Vrain Innovation Center)
• Development of the solar-powered tool trailer
• Innovation through cross-boundary wildfire mitigation
• Deep reflections on privilege, allyship, and inclusive community building
• Why Engagement is more than outreach—it’s relationship-building
• Volunteerism as a form of connection, service, and belonging
• The impact of intentional community involvement across programs
• Personal reflections from staff on how values shape their daily work

Links and Resources Mentioned:

• The Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools (https://innovation.svvsd.org)
• Northern Leopard Frog (https://innovation.svvsd.org/programs/student-project-teams/data-science-team/northern-leopard-frog)
• Prairie Dog Management  (boco.org/PrairieDogManagement)
• Middle Boulder Creek Fuels Reduction Partnership Project (boco.org/MiddleBoulderCreek)
• The Boulder Watershed Collective (https://www.boulderwatershedcollective.com)
• The Watershed Center (https://watershed.center)
• BCPOS Volunteer Opportunities (boco.org/POSVolunteerOpportunities)
• Harvest of All First Nations and the Corn Festival at (https://hafnco.org)
• Agricultural Heritage Center (boco.org/AHC)
• 3-D model of the LHOC solar trailer (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/lhoc-solar-trailer-concept-31e27786fe9d4ec3a4446e5a240bb0de)
• library of historic structures within Boulder County (https://sketchfab.com/Michael.Lohr/collections/boulder-county-8d23290bb35c40e28f45839e29362537)

🎧 Subscribe to Voices of Open Space on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

Innovation is at the heart of how Boulder County Parks & Open Space protects and stewards over 107,000 acres of land. In this episode, host Grant Orvis sits down with Heidi Wagner, a long-time planner with Boulder County Parks & Open Space, to explore how innovative thinking, strong partnerships, and ecological knowledge are shaping the future of our landscapes. Topics include wildlife crossings, soil health, stream restoration, and Indigenous partnerships. Special guests Stefan Reinold and Thomas Roth join the conversation to discuss everything from thriving forest ecosystems to CSU Extension’s Plant Mobile . This episode is packed with real-world innovations and the people behind the practices that keep Boulder County’s open spaces healthy and resilient.

📌 Topics in this episode include:

* What planning means at Boulder County

* Ecological diversity and wildlife stewardship

* Soil health, stream restoration, and native plant programs

* Wildlife crossings and aerial imagery

* Thriving forest ecosystems with Stefan Reinold

* Partnerships with Indigenous communities

* Community connection to land and open space

* CSU Extension’s Plant Mobile with Thomas Roth

* Prairie Run Open Space

* Reflections on the future of our ecosystems

Open Space Flood Recovery Projects (boco.org/OpenSpaceFloodRecoveryProjects)

Master Gardener Contact ([email protected])

How Wolves Change Rivers (https://youtu.be/ysa5OBhXz-Q?si=0vvRJrWBaq_KDpPp)

Colorado - Aerial Photos and Satellite Imagery (https://libguides.colorado.edu/c.php?g=484941&p=3317173)

Coming up in future episodes:

• Volunteer Programs: The Heart of Our Mission
• The Values That Shape Our Work
• Conservation Easements

🎧 Subscribe to Voices of Open Space on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

What makes Boulder County Parks & Open Space truly one-of-a-kind? In this episode, Education & Outreach Supervisor Eva Lark sits down with Director Therese Glowacki for a rich conversation about the values, partnerships, and projects that set our department apart.

From sustainable agriculture and native seed collection to forest restoration and community collaboration, discover the behind-the-scenes work that supports wildlife, welcomes recreation, and restores natural systems across 107,000+ acres.

📌 In this episode:

• How Boulder County is celebrating 50 years of open space
• The role of agricultural lands and partnerships with farmers
• Sustainable agriculture and its impact on wildlife habitat
• Restoration efforts:
• Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat (former gravel mine)
• Post-2013 flood recovery
• Forest and grassland restoration
• Native seed collection
• Prairie Run Open Space
• Collaborations with:
• City of Boulder
• Colorado Parks & Wildlife
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• U.S. Forest Service
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• NoCo Places
• Volunteer programs and recreation opportunities:
• Mountain biking and regional trails
• Birding and wildlife viewing
• Water-based recreation
• Therese’s personal takeaway on what makes this work meaningful

BCPOS Volunteer Opportunities: https://bouldercounty.gov/volunteer/parks-and-open-space/

Find a trail/park near you: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/parks-and-trails/

Prairie Run Open Space: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/parks-and-trails/prairie-run/

Learn more about Agriculture: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/management/agriculture/

Learn more about Wildlife Management: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/management/wildlife/

Learn more about Forestry: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/management/forestry/

Stay connected with us: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/get-involved/email-updates/

NOCO Places 2050 website:  https://www.nocoplaces.com/

Coming up in future episodes:

• Innovations in Open Space
• Volunteer Programs: The Heart of Our Mission
• The Values That Shape Our Work
• Conservation Easements

🎧 Subscribe to Voices of Open Space on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

🎙️ Episode Title: The Origin Story

Episode Description: Welcome to the debut episode of Voices of Open Space, celebrating 50 years of Boulder County Parks & Open Space. Melissa and Tina, longtime colleagues, take listeners on a journey through the landscapes, legacies, and bold vision that launched one of the most renowned open space programs in the country. From mountain peaks to agricultural plains, discover how leadership, local action, and community values shaped the open spaces we cherish today.

📌 Show Notes:

In this episode:

• Boulder County’s unique geography and ecological diversity
• What “open space” means—and why it matters
• Key moments in open space history, from the 1960s to the 1990s:
• The Blue Line
• The Comprehensive Plan
• Founding of the Parks & Open Space Department (1975)
• The pivotal 1993 sales tax vote
• Reflections from Melissa and Tina’s decades in real estate and planning
• Acknowledging Indigenous communities and the legacy of colonization
• Visionary leaders like Ron Stewart and Carolyn Holmberg
• Early landmark acquisitions: Betasso Preserve, Rock Creek Farm, Walden Ponds
• The 50th anniversary theme: Rooted and Reaching

Mentioned in this episode: ⁠

Boulder County Open Space 50th Anniversary⁠⁠

Boulder County Comprehensive Plan

Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee

Boulder County Parks & Open Space, Parks and Trails webpage

Coming up in future episodes:

• What Makes Us Unique
• Innovations in Open Space
• Volunteer Programs: The Heart of Our Mission
• The Values That Shape Our Work
• Conservation Easements
• What it takes to manage 107,000+ acres of public land

🎧 Subscribe to Voices of Open Space on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.