Imagine a wild place in Boulder County that you visit several times a year, learning the names of the beetles and butterflies; following the blooming cycles of wildflowers and the breeding cycles of songbirds; quietly observing coyotes, foxes, and elk. Imagine this peaceful place being permanently monitored and protected through your efforts and the efforts of those who follow you. This is the vision of the Boulder County Ecosystem Stewardship Initiative, a volunteer project launched by the Boulder County Nature Association and Boulder County Audubon.

The project has three goals:

• Monitor natural processes in Boulder County native ecosystems.

• Use data collected to improve management and influence policy-making.

• Recruit a cadre of naturalists to monitor and protect natural areas in perpetuity.

We invite everyone who cherishes the peace and beauty of natural places to consider becoming a steward. The only qualifications are an interest in nature, a desire to learn more, and a willingness to spend 4-6 mornings a year recording observations in a protected part of Boulder County. You might choose a canyon in the foothills, a prairie wildlife area such as Sawhill Ponds, or a favorite meadow or forest grove in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. As of August 2008, 60 volunteers had adopted 30 wild areas.

White-throated Swift

Volunteers receive training in forest inventory, breeding bird and butterfly survey techniques, and wildflower identification. However, no volunteer is expected to carry out all these tasks; instead, each is asked to track only mammal sightings, breeding bird populations, and recreational use each year. Beyond that, there is a “menu” of other things you can monitor as you become more comfortable with the area you’ve adopted and with the monitoring protocols. Each volunteer keeps all of his or her data in one Excel file, which is updated from year to year.

Become an Ecosteward

We organize a number of field trips and volunteer trainings each spring and summer. Feel free to drop in on any of these trips (always posted on this website), or give the organizer, Steve Jones, a call if you would like more information. Steve Jones, 303-494-2468; curlewsj@comcast.net

You can learn more about the program and recording data on the Boulder County Nature Association webpage.