And now, from our friends at Open Boulder (of which BATCO is a member) — please make your views known about the future of Open Space and Mountain Parks by taking a brief survey:

The Opportunity

Open Boulder members (you!) can weigh in on how they would like the City of Boulder’s Open Space & Mountain Parks to prioritize your tax dollars over the next 10 years! What strategies should OSMP focus on first? Share your personal preferences by midnight, Sunday, April 7, through this online questionnaire: http://bit.ly/OSMP-Input5.

Last year, OSMP used community input to create focus areas and values to define big, broad management themes for OSMP’s next 10 years. Then in the fall, OSMP used your ideas and feedback to develop draft outcomes and strategies for advancing those focus areas and values. Please help prioritizing draft outcomes and strategies for the OSMP Master Plan. Your input from this online questionnaire will inform future spending and refinements to OSMP management strategies, and will contribute to the development of a draft OSMP Master Plan that will be released to the public in May.

Important Areas to Comment On

• Dog Off Leash Restrictions
• Nighttime Use Restrictions
• Reclaiming/Closing Undesignated (social) Trails
• Additional Biking Opportunities
• Horse Trailer Parking at Trailheads
• Increasing Recreation Opportunities

Help create a vision for conserving natural grasslands and enhancing recreation on Gunbarrel Hill
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) is seeking community participation as we create a vision for restoring healthy grasslands while improving the visitor experience on the open space at Gunbarrel Hill northeast of Boulder. OSMP is initiating a community discussion and engagement process to gather input to better understand community interests and values for this area and to hear preliminary ideas for this effort. Learn more about the Gunbarrel Integrated Site Project here and at: http://bit.ly/GH-ISP6

The first of several community input opportunities will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 23, at Heatherwood Elementary School in the Library. In partnership with our community, OSMP will gather information to help:

• Improve the quality of the habitat for native ground-nesting birds experiencing national population declines, such as the Grasshopper Sparrow, and other wildlife.
• Provide an enhanced and informed visitor experience to promote enjoyment of the area while being responsive to the conservation of native birds and wildlife.

No implementation efforts will occur until we hear ideas and interests from the community. Conservation efforts for the area will be refined through additional community input. The meeting schedule is:

• 5 p.m.: Gunbarrel Ecosystem Exploration Gunbarrel Ecosystem Exploration – An introduction to the natural and cultural treasures of Gunbarrel Hill, setting the stage and background for this community engagement process.
• 6 p.m.:  Introduction to Gunbarrel Open Space and Community Engagement Process – OSMP presentation on Gunbarrel Hill open space and background on the community engagement process.
• 6:30 p.m: Open House to Learn More and Share Thoughts – Opportunity to share initial thoughts, along with questions and answers with OSMP staff.

We look forward working together with our community! Have questions? Please send an email to Maki Boyle at boylem@bouldercolorado.gov.

If you’re interested in this new “bike trail,”  here you go.
Next opportunity for public comment is at POSAC, Thursday Jan 24 at 6 pm, Commissioners Hearing Room, County Courthouse, Pearl St, Boulder.

Eldorado Canyon to Walker Ranch Connection Feasibility Study

The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks is seeking YOUR input regarding your use of and desires for OSMP into the next decade and beyond.  Please let them know that you support better trails and access for passive recreation by filling out and returning the survey below.  Thanks!

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4669180/b26f7389918e

In case you’ve been wondering about recreation opportunities at Gross Reservoir during construction of the expanded dam, here’s a brochure that Denver Water wants to share with you.  For more information, please contact:

Not since Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” (about the Appalachian Trail) has a book about trails been on the New York Times Bestseller List — but this new one is.  It’s a great read — here you go!