Western Meadowlark photo by Gerhard Assenmacher.
Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Multimodal Assessment Project: Ongoing Through Q1 2027
OSMP staff are working on a project to improve access to the City's Open Space trails. There have been two public engagement windows, in April and August, and ongoing opportunities to email the Boulder Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) and/or speak at their monthly meetings. Thank you to everyone who has participated! Learn about the background for this project, submit comments, and sign up for updates here.
The Fairview High Mountain Bike team, Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, and others are asking the City for a direct trail connection through Open Space from Shanahan to Doudy Draw, which would mean adding bikes to existing trails and/or possibly constructing new trails. The existing trails in that area were designated bike-free during the 2011 West Trail Study Area Process, and the area has been designated as Colorado Tallgrass Prairie State Natural Area because of the high-quality habitat - it represents the largest and highest quality block of tallgrass habitat in Colorado! Adding bikes to this area would go against determinations made in the 2011 West Trail Study Area Plan and increase impacts to the State Natural Area, which provides habitat to a number of grassland specialists - including the Western Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Lark Sparrow.
Public Engagement Window 3 is expected to start in early to mid November. Staff will present the findings from this engagement window and a refined solutions package at an upcoming OSBT meeting, followed by final solutions to be presented to OSBT in early 2027. If the final solutions include adding bikes between Shanahan and Doudy Draw, contrary to the West TSA Plan, Boulder City Council approval may be needed.
Stay tuned for BCAS alerts about Engagement Window 3 and other public involvement opportunities.
Lark Sparrow photo by Kevin Smith.
Ongoing and upcoming projects:
North Foothills Bikeway
Boulder County is planning for a bikeway on the east side of Colorado Highway 36 between Boulder and Lyons. There have been public open houses and an online questionnaire. Thanks to all who have participated, and stay tuned for upcoming public involvement opportunities. Find out more and sign up for project updates here.
Highway 36 Wildlife Crossings
Boulder County Parks and Open Space is planning for wildlife crossings along Highway 36 south of Lyons, to address motorist safety and wildlife connectivity. This project overlaps with the North Foothills Bikeway and the two projects are being coordinated.
Find out more, view videos of presentations including one for BCAS in October 2024, and sign up for project updates here.
CU Boulder graduate students have been collecting data for this project for their capstone project in the Masters of the Environment Program. You can watch their presentation at the BCAS October program here - the start time is listed in the description below the video.
Boulder County Parks and Open Space District Level Planning
BCPOS has divided the County into six Districts, to plan on a larger scale instead of creating management plans for each individual property. The District they will start with is the Peak to Peak in the southwest part of Boulder County. For more info, you can view the video of the Boulder County Commissioners July 21 meeting here or the Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee meeting here. Stay tuned for updates and public involvement opportunities as the project gets underway.
Boulder to Erie Regional Trail
BCAS continues to follow this project as it progresses through the preliminary design phase, expected to continue through most of 2027. We will alert our members of project schedule updates and public comment opportunities, including the land use review process which is expected to begin in mid to late 2027. See the project website for the latest schedule, reports and background information, and you can send comments and questions to the project team at any time here.
The Boulder County Audubon Society leadership thanks the members of the BCAS Conservation Committee for their time and efforts in helping educate and advocate for Boulder County’s birds, wildlife, and their habitats. If you are interested in joining this effort, or any other BCAS committees, please contact us.