Become an Ecosystem Steward

Over the years Boulder County Audubon and the Boulder County Nature Association have collaborated on research projects that have added tremendously to our knowledge of Boulder County's natural heritage. More than 200 volunteers have participated in owl studies and monthly wildlife inventories; more than 100 volunteers continue to monitor cliff-nesting raptors, wintering raptors, and high mountain bird populations.

Now we are ready to initiate long-term monitoring of plants, wildlife, and ecosystem processes in Boulder County natural areas. This new Ecosystem Stewardship Initiative will document the effects of such forces as global warming, urbanization, recreation, and habitat fragmentation on local plants and wildlife. As a side benefit, we expect all the naturalists we place in the field to become long-term advocates for native habitat protection.

The goals of the initiative are threefold:

1. Monitor natural processes in Boulder County native ecosystems.
2. Use data collected to improve management and influence policy-making.
3. Recruit a cadre of naturalists to monitor and protect natural areas in perpetuity.

If you cherish the peace and beauty of natural places, please consider becoming a steward. The only prerequisites are an interest in nature, a desire to learn more, and a willingness to spend four to six mornings a year recording observations in a protected part of Boulder County. You might choose a secluded canyon in the foothills, a prairie wildlife area such as Sawhill Ponds, or a favorite meadow or forest grove in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.

Volunteers will receive training in forest inventory, breeding bird and butterfly survey techniques, and wildflower identification. However, no volunteer will be expected to carry out all these tasks; instead, each of us will work from a "menu" of things to monitor. As much as possible, experienced naturalists will be paired with beginners so that we can all learn and share our knowledge on site.

The first organizational meeting for the initiative will be held Sunday, March 6, from 3-4:30 PM, at the George Reynolds Branch Library, 3595 Table Mesa Drive, in Boulder. A series of optional volunteer trainings will begin in April.

If you already have an idea of an area you would like to adopt, please let me know right away. Areas should be protected (parks, open space, forest service lands, and private lands under conservation easement all qualify), with actual study sites limited to approximately 1 km 2 (1000 m by 1000 m).

If you would like to join the project but can't come to the first meeting, please call or e-mail before March 6.

Steve Jones

303-494-2468; stephen.jones@earthlink.net

B.C.N.A.
P.O. Box 493
Boulder, CO 80306