Archives-Advocacy & public lands

BCHA Bike/Horse Educational Presentations

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Randy Winter, BCHA Trail Advisor On September 28, 2021, Randy and Cheryl Winter, along with their horse, Ellie, met up with a few cyclists from the Boulder High School Mountain Biking Team. Randy, BCHAs Trails Committee Advisor, and his herd mates have provided bike-horse interaction presentations to multi-trail user groups for quite a long time. As Cheryl described, “their horse Ellie had her early in-hand training days at trailheads. Bikers helped us train her to accept bikes by giving her cookies when she did well. So when Ellie saw the onslaught of bikes coming at her she had visions of cookies dancing in her little red head.” The day (pictured here) was the fourth consecutive session covering a total of 130 high school students. These presentations were about 30 minutes, and seemed to be well received. Afterwards, attendees were invited to come meet Ellie and give her a cookie. WEEEELLLLL, Ellie sure charmed them all and she was soon swarmed over by students.  Some were petting and laying over her back because she was “so soft”, others were taking selfies with her. For many it was their first up-close and personal time with a horse. While others who had ridden before said the experience made them want to start riding again. Whichever way you took it, Ellie was there to help. Needless to say she was a star and helped get the bike/horse world off better connected! [divider style=”solid” color=”#cccccc” opacity=”1″ icon_color=”#666666″ icon_size=”15″ placement=”equal”]To arrange a bike/horse educational presentation with your group please contact Randy Winter […]

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City of Boulder OSMP Irrigated Agricultural Lands—An Ecosystem Collapsing

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By Linda P In order to protect those from recent activities reported by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office of over $100,000 of damage to PD mitigation equipment on Boulder County Open Space Lands names and locations have been omitted. Many of us are deeply concerned about the health and future of our OSMP irrigated agricultural lands. Now more than ever it is time to preserve our soils, local food resources, and agricultural history for future generations. We must protect and encourage the purpose for which these lands were purchased. One City-owned Open Space Irrigated Agricultural Property About 30 years ago, our tax dollars funded the acquisition of this property for OSMP agricultural land use and practices. Since 1994, I have kept horses at this property. The pastures were once safe, healthy, and ecologically diverse (see Photo A). The impact of the current unprecedented growth of prairie dogs on these irrigated agricultural parcels is evident in this recent photo (see Photo B). This type of damage to our OSMP’s agricultural lands is unprecedented and unacceptable. This parcel was in poor shape when it came under management of the lease holder. The family worked hard, for several years, to bring it back to a sustainable and profitable operation (see Photo A). Fields were tilled, replanted and irrigated. With great care and respect for the land, the leased parcels became verdant and were able to support cattle, horses, and hay operations. This agricultural operation worked for both parties—it provided income to the family and the City of Boulder. But not only that! It

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Baby it’s Goin, Goin, Gone—a spectacular landscape soon to be was!

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By Linda P “After purchasing the land in the 1980’s, Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) partnered with the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service to stabilize and improve the soil by seeding native grasses. Thirty years later, the grass cover and height create some of the best ground nesting bird habitat in Boulder County.” It’s hard to believe the above description from my current visit to this open space. Here we go again with another public hearing on the Gunbarrel Hill Integrated Site Project on February 13th. Last week I loaded up my horse and met two friends at Gunbarrel Hill. We tacked up and went to take a look at the current conditions. As we rode all our familiar trails (trails ridden for more than 20 years) we found that the four—North, South, East, West prairie dogs (PDs) colonies have exploded and are quickly coming together. The marvel of the 30-year grassland restoration is turning into a wasteland—just another badly managed City of Boulder Open Space property. Like a swarm of locusts, PDs are devouring everything. We silently walked past holes, so many only just recent (within the last few months). Our emotions went from anger, to a deep sense of loss, because we knew it will all be gone soon. My crystal ball says, “without immediate intervention, and yes that means lethal control, this 30-year restoration project will be gone within one to two years.” So I ask, where are all those ground nesting grassland birds going to go? How is our visitor experience

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