Monday notes and questions

Class Notes 06/07/2010

Climate Review

· Earth and the Sun

o Earths tilt on its axis stays the same, which causes Northern and Southern hemisphere weather differences.

o Leads to changes in day length and temperature seasonality.

o Jet Stream has cold air above (north) and warm air below (south)

§ Polar front is the intersection of the different temperature air.

o Boulder is very seasonal

§ Jet stream crosses over frequently driving Boulders climate, changing it from week to week.

§ Frontal precip. In winter, thunderstorm precip in summer

o Jet Stream is fairly far north in summer

o As air temperature decreases relative humidity increases, and when it gets high enough precipitation forms.

o As air temp increases relative humidity decreases causing hot dry air, which leads to evaporation increasing.

§ As westerly winds hit the mountains and descends the leeward side the temperature increases bringing hot dry air and lots of evaporation.

§ Boulder is in a rain shadow

o If winds switch then you get up slopes that bring precipitation.

o As you go up in elevation you get cooler and wetter weather.

o Lyons has Rabbit Mountain, which acts as a double rain shadow.

o Within each elevation there are microclimates

§ North face of a hill gets less sun than South face.

· Vegetation Zones

o Grasslands 5,500 ft

§ Mainly short grass prairie

§ Riparian forest (willow, cottonwood)

§ Disturbances – Fire, Flooding

· Fire adapted with cones to protect and high root amounts.

· Trees want flooding to clear banks for seeds.

o Lower Foothills Ecotone (grass/lower montane)

§ Looks generally like grassland with patches of Ponderosa Pines

§ Disturbances – Fire, Bison, Elk

· (Now fuel is build up fire could be worse than in past)

o Lower Montane Forest – 5,900 – 8,000 ft

§ South facing slope is sunnier and dryer (ponderosa pines)

· They compete for water, which makes the plants shorter and more bush like. (5 – 40 trees per acre)

§ North facing slope has more moisture but must compete for sun.

· Tall trees with thick bark and narrow.

o High frequency, low severity fires 5-30 per year.

o Trees self prune their lower branches and have thick bark to protect.

· Disturbances – Fire, Bugs, Beetles, Mistletoe, humans

o Upper Montane 7.500 – 9,000 ft

§ Lodge pole Pine, dug fir, aspen.

§ Some open meadows, wetter with elevation.

§ Denser structure

§ Disturbances – Fire, Beetles, Avalanche

· Fire history – mixed frequency, mixed severity

o Aspen need fire, pop up frequently after fires.

· Hard hit by Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak

o Now starting to hit more of a range of trees, different sizes, ages, and health.

o Subalpine 9,000 – 11,500 ft.

§ Lodge pole, aspen, subalpine fir, englemen spruce

· Spruce has spiky hard needles, fir has flat soft needles

· Tends to be very patch sections of different age stands and species compositions.

· Disturbances – fire

o Intense fires, kill everything every 150 -200 years

§ Hard to reproduce

§ Wild land Urban Interface

· Some houses (urban) mixed in with the wildlife, makes it difficult to allow fires.

o Alpine Tundra 11,500 up

o Historic Range of Variability – Objectives – return ecosystem processes such as fire variability to original (pre-European) range.

§ Study tree rings and ecosystem to find out what original conditions were like before European interaction.

· Aldo Leopold

o Aesthetic Conservation

§ Should be environmentally conscious when using nature.

· High intrinsic values

· We are taking value down by letting people in so easily

o Impacts such as roads and erosion

· Inaccessibility makes it valuable

· Trophy – brought population increase, with this made fewer trophies possible and more desired.

· Auto Camping – very against this trend of driving to an area and camping, usually leaves trash and destroys site.

o Wildlife in American Culture

§ Indians needed wildlife for everything; they used it in every aspect of their lives.

· Now things have shifted and we do not necessarily need wildlife.

§ 3 Values

· Remind us of origin

· Food chain

· Sportsman ship

§ Gadget – sporting goods dealer – used to be self-reliance, now we don’t need and hunt only for sport.

§ Need to find a middle ground between 1 shot 1 kill and gadget hunting.

o Wilderness

§ Need to preserve wilderness, defend it.

§ Must be educated

§ Little remains of older wilderness, no virgin wilderness left.

· Need to learn how nature works and not use so many chemicals and pesticides.

§ National Parks are not enough

§ Need to educate people on how to defend the wilderness.

o Ethics

§ Need Co-operation

§ Land ethics – include soil, water, plants, animals and the land in the community

§ Role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of land to member and citizen of it.

§ Land has changed over time with settling, the landscape is wrecked.

§ Need to step up education, but not just for what is profitable for you and your land, but all land.

· Not only self interests.

· Education needs to precede rules

§ Land and nature needs to be thought of not only as economic values but more philosophically.

Questions:

1. As air temperature relative humidity .

a. Decreases, increases

b. Falls, raises

c. Increase, decreases

d. Increases, increases.

2. Rabbit Mountain acts as what for Lyons?

3. Why are the trees on the North face taller than the trees on the South face of a hill?

3. Why is it necessary for fires to occur?

4. Why does Leopold not favor auto camping?

5. What are the main differences between hunting and gathering, and gadget hunting?

6. What are Leopold’s 4 questions?

7. Name the different Vegetation Zones.

8. Explain “Historic Range of Variability”. Why is this concept useful to land managers?

Friday Field Trip Notes and Study Questions

Tall Grass Prairie
• 98% of all tall grass prairie is gone – threatened ecosystem
• aesthetics not appreciated by white settlers
• designated Colorado state natural area – very rare
4 Major Grasses
1. Big Blue Stem Grass
2. Switch Grass
3. Yellow Indian Grass
4. Prairie Cord Grass

Climate
• 12000 years ago – climate much cooler and wetter
• Eastern deciduous forest and tall grass Prairie
• 10,000 years ago global warm occurs
o as a result there was high water volume
o helped carve boulder valley
o removed most of tall grass prairie as a result of warming
o this is a relict population of Xeric Tallgrass Prairie
o many past inhabitants are now gone: grizzlies, bison, wolves, Cheyenne-Arapahoe
o people have been part of this ecosystem for a very long time
o Wilderness is a white man’s concept
Trees in the city of Boulder are a new phenomenon--planted by settlers within the last 100 years

Plant Adaptations
o Grazing keeps grasses under control – Boulder Open Space trying to compensate for the Bison that used to graze the prairies—concentrated, intensive grazing
o Fire! Prairie is a fire-adapted ecosystem
o Ecosystem is adapted to a variety of disturbances (fire, drought, grazing)
o Area has seen 6-700 generations of use by people

Plants
o Ute Ladies’ Tresses orchid – endangered native species – choked out by un-grazed grasses
o Orchard Grass and Smooth Brome – invasive European grasses that out compete natural prairie grasses
o Indian Blanket flower- native, pollinated by the gaillardia moth adapted especially to this plant
o Yucca- exclusively pollinated by the Yucca moth

Dog Tags
o Voice and Sight control tags- watch a video and lays out expectations for dog etiquette
o Complicated dog regulations in different areas
o dogs fertilize along trails and encourage growth of invasive weeds

Human recreational use and impacts
o building trails into sensitive habitat is controversial ex: Goshawk Ridge, where remote wildlife cameras have seen Goshawks
o both monitoring of behavior (spies in the woods) and surveys (people lie)
o monitoring wildlife by counting poop in permanent plots
o compliance with regs overall good. mtb=best, dog walkers=worst
o everyone has a different perception and all are valid at some level
o most people want to do the right thing—10% are jerks
o recreation stops being passive when it starts interfering with wildlife

South Mesa Trailhead
o well-developed TH facility with outhouse, picnic tables, multiple trails
o quite busy on a Friday morning
o users in a wide variety of age ranges, plus dogs and horses
o old homestead building and stone walls = cultural “BSO”
o South Boulder Creek and dense riparian vegetation

Doudy Draw Trailhead
o newer parking lot
o trailhead map and handouts
o bottom part of trail has been reworked to remove asphalt, now a highly engineered trail on roadbase with “crusher fines” on surface


1. Name the 4 Major Prairie Grasses.

2. Name 3 other plants that we observed.

3. What is a “code black”?

4. T/F explain – Orchard grass and smooth brome are widespread and native to Colorado.

5. How do OSMP staff monitor user compliance with trail regulations?

6. Why are there cows grazing on remnant tall grass prairie?

7. What are the two elements behind green tags and what do they mean?

8. How much of the tall grass prairie is left?
a. 10% b. 2% c. 15% d. 36%

9. T/F Global warming after the Pleistocene reduced the tall grass prairie’s ability to survive on the front range.
10. Which BSOs did we observe near the South Mesa Trailhead?

Wednesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 3 Summaries

Annie Pepper
3 June 2010
Main points:

-During the 1960-70’s Boulder was buying land to protect urban sprawl. When then looked at a map that was made in 1999 and there was no more land to buy.
-Boulder felt that “growth is coming” and the city needed to buy as much land as possible to stop growth.
-The main people in charge of what land to buy was real estate people. The downside is that these people did not have the environmental knowledge
-Then the citizens wanted to know when they could use the land, for which the Visitor Master plan (VMP) starts. (this plan includes bikes as passive recreation). VMP adopted in 2005.

PROCESS: A staff makes a plan, then they show it to the citizens, and the citizens citizens/put their input to the plan, then the staff revises and tries to meet everyone’s needs.
-However, sometimes the revised plan does not make everyone happy, the staff tries to find a medium.

-In 1983 bikes are band in mt parks because of their impact.
-Bikers want same experiences as hikers.

Dogs
-there is some user conflict
-debate between preservation and reservation
-dogs peeing in environment add Nitrogen to soil and changes ecosystems

TSA PROCESS: offshoot of VMP. A staff builds a solution to a trail, the community comments, then revision—process can be extremely controversial. Staff is in the middle and everyone ends up angry.

Trying a new approach:
The cities approach to different plans: Get a representative from the different interest groups, have these representatives make a draft plan. These different groups make up the CCG.
-These representatives are voted upon the interest people through a caucus.
-The CCG: tries to find a balance between the competing groups, and also helps the staff from being pulled/yelled from the different competing groups.

The debate on how to manage trail usage. (Bikes, hikers, horses) Have biker’s bike on odd days and hiker’s hike on even days. There can be a separate tail for bike users and a separate trail for hikers.

CULTURE debate: There are also some archeological sites in the areas where the trail is. Should we allow these sites to be investigated or preserved? (the finding of the arrowhead)
-There is a CCG representative for this.

How trails where made:
Social trails- trails people made by walking
Some trails where made by wild game and people started to use these trails.
Designated trails- trails that are official trails and are on the map.

Things discussed at the meeting:
-Making south boulder for mountain biking.
-The owners who lived near or had boarder property to the OMSP complained about all the visitors
-there was some uproar about the alternated speaker and whether he was stating everything the representative wanted to say.
-update the web site to make it more user friendly
-North Boulder trails should have a leash, because the dogs are scaring the birds away to re-habitat the area
-more easier ways to contact the representative
-ways to find trails to re habitat an area and does not run through other people’s property
-Discussion of where trails should be put: they do not want to put them in the middle because it splits the habitat, but they do not want to put trails by property, because these edges are transition zones (ishness)
-Some trails are barriers for animals (but not mountain lions)
-the issue of trashcans along the trails (Funding issue and practical issue)
-Finding ways to show maps that people can tangablity understand (Google earth)
-having an email list that is sent out to the community so they are all on the same page.


******************************************************************
1)What are some alternative ways to accommodate all trail users?
A:Have odd days be used for bikers and even days be used for only hikers. Or build a separate single track for bikers so they are not in the hikers way.

2)What are some of the people’s concerns at the meeting?
A: Mt biking, dogs and the leash debate, trash cans, the website usability, ways to contact representative, closing trails to re-habitat area, where trails should be put

3)How many visitors does Boulder OMPS receive a year?
A:2
B:500
C: 2 Million people
D: 100,000

4)What do the mt bike people want in Boulder parks?
A:jumps
B:access to trails
C:picnic tables
D:water

5)How does Visitor Master Plan make a solution to a problem?
A: Makes a plan, has the community comment, then revises and acts

6)What are some factors/issues that are up for debate in the parks?
Dogs and whether they should have a leash or even be allowed in
Trash cans, parking, bikes, horses access. Where the trails should be made, what areas should be closed for re vegetating

7) What does the CCG do?
A: tries to find a balance between competing groups
B:helps the VMP staff from being pulled/yelled at by competing groups
C: both A and B

8)Majority of the trails in Boulder are for:
A:Hiking
B: Mountain Biking

9)What are some problems in the forest ecosystems? (Choose 3)
A: too much under growth, and growth of trees
B: fire danger
C:non native plans not re vegetating, and protecting species
D: Getting too much solar radiation because of the altitude

10) After hearing the debates and research, do you believe OSMP should make more trails or fix the trails that are in operation to make them more suitable for bikers?
A: opened ended question…

Tuesday, June 1 Summary

GEOG 4742

Gabriel Nielsen

6/1 Notes

1. Boulder Open Space

a. Mainly administrative

b. Diverse land (topography and species)

c. Diverse designations and uses of land

d. Owned by City (Open Space and Mountain Parks) and County (Parks and Open Space)

e. Previously private land therefore it often has high economic value (investments)

f. History

i. Population boom in 1950’s

ii. New subdivisions and urban development’s became a threat to “nature”

iii. The public initiated the open space program in the 60’s

iv. It was started in the late 60’s and early 70’s

g. Currently

i. Most of the land is acquired

ii. How do we manage our open space land?

2. How do people think about nature? How people think about nature determines how they will treat it. (4 questions)

a. What does nature represent (values) to people?

i. Historically for Americans, the European settlers believed it was their right to “Tame the Land.”

ii. Pinchote and others believe that nature is our possession, but it must be treated well.

iii. Leopold and others believe that we are part of nature and we must be good members

b. Are humans a part of nature? Yes or no?

c. How should humans interact with nature?

d. Who should decide how nature is to be treated?

3. Discuss “What does nature represent to people (1^st question)?

a. Scale issue – often rural communities versus federal government or big organizations

b. Land use issues – peaceful nature for quite reflections versus many activities and often activities are not compatible

c. Preservation

i. Ecological (i.e. Wetlands, native species)

ii. Scenery and visual aesthetics

iii. Agricultural (cultural heritage)

iv. Urban growth boundary

4. City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks

a. Mission Statement

i. To preserve and protect the national environment and land resources that characterizes Boulder.

ii. To foster appreciation and use that sustains the natural values of the land for current and future generations.

b. History

i. First purchase was alfalfa fields and apple orchards in what is now Chautauqua Park.

ii. Second purchase was 1600 acres of land on Flagstaff Mountain.

iii. 5 years later Boulder citizens bought another 1200 acres on Flagstaff Mountain.

iv. A large community of volunteers including members of the Lions Club, the Civilian Conservation Core, and the Jaycees was established to build, maintain, and patrol these lands.

v. In 1967 Boulder became the first U.S. city to vote for taxing themselves in order to protect land.

vi. In 1970 the city of Boulder hired its’ first park ranger and has since switched to mostly hired workers to maintain the land.

vii. In 1973 Boulder citizens called for the creation of an open space department to protect land.

viii. In 2001 Mountain Parks Division and the Open Space/Real Estate Department merged to form OSMP

ix. Today 45,000 acres of open space

c. Administration

i. Acquisitions are approved by the Open Space Board of Trustees and City Council, with extensive opportunity for public input.

d. Funding

i. Funding is provided through sales tax revenues, bond issues, private donations and development dedications.

5. Boulder County Parks and Open Space

a. Mission

i. To conserve natural, cultural, and agricultural resources

ii. To provide public uses that reflect sound resource management and community values

b. History

i. In mid-1960’s citizens interested in protecting land from rapid development initiated the POS

ii. In 1975 the Betasso Ranch became the first open space acquisition

c. Administration

i. Open Space properties are governed by the Parks and Open Space Advisory Board

ii. Consists of nine members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners

iii. Recommend to the county commissioners what land to acquire and how to use the land

iv. Meet once a month and encourage public participation

d. Funding

i. Property tax revenues

1. $3.8 Million annually

ii. Proceeds from the Colorado State Lottery

1. $5 Million from the Conservation Trust Fund since 1992

2. $5.9 Million from the Great Outdoors Colorado Grants

iii. County Open Space Sales Tax of 0.45%

iv. Grants from various organizations

e. How is land acquired

i. Direct Purchases

ii. Joint City and County Purchases

iii. Conservation Easements

iv. Privately owned land with restricted use

v. Donations

vi. Other various land transactions

vii. Involves development rights and intergovernmental transfers

f. Protected Wildlife and Plants

i. Prairie Dogs

ii. Bluebird

iii. Raptors

iv. Native vegetation

g. Recreational opportunities

i. Hiking, fishing, mountain biking, horse riding, snowshoeing, etc.

ii. Some activities are restricted in certain areas

6. Heil Valley Ranch

a. Located outside of Lyons

b. History

i. Heil Valley Ranch has remained relatively undeveloped from prehistoric times through present day, making it premier wildlife habitat.

ii. Evidence shows there were at least four Native American camps here prior to Anglo settlement. The first Anglo populations were most likely beaver trappers exploring nearby creeks around 1800. Later, the discovery of gold coaxed adventurous fortune-seekers to try their luck. In 1888, Solomon Geer became the first settler to patent land here, followed by Joel Plumlee and Charles Ingersoll in 1893. During this period, building materials needed for the growing Front Range towns changed from wood to brick and stone. In fact, Lyons sandstone was quarried on this property.

iii. In 1949, the Heil family purchased the land and grazed Hereford cattle here. In the 1970s, the family ventured into tourism and recreation, providing horseback rides, hayrides, and hunting. In 1996, Boulder County completed the purchase of Heil Valley Ranch and Hall Ranch, as well as adjacent conservation easements.

c. Demographics

i. Hiking: Five trails are available for hiking.

ii. 1.3-mile Lichen Loop trail is for pedestrians only and has a series of interpretive signs.

iii. The 2.5-mile Wapiti, 2.6-mile Ponderosa Loop, 2.9-mile Wild Turkey and 5.2-mile Picture Rock trails are multiple-use.

iv. Heil Valley Ranch, comprising 5,020 acres, is part of the North Foothills Open Space which also includes Hall Ranch and additional conservation easements adjacent to the two ranches.

v. The relatively undeveloped nature of Heil Valley has been maintained by prehistoric people through homesteading and its modern day use by ranchers and farmers.

d. Ecological Features

i. The western part of this property is closed to visitors, allowing wildlife that need large ranges to move naturally within them. This area is home to over 50 species of mammals — that represents 70 percent of all the mammals found in Boulder County. Among these animals are Abert’s squirrels, cottontail rabbits, prairie dogs, marmots, red and gray foxes, mule deer, bobcats, black bears and mountain lions. Close to 100 birds were observed during a one-season survey. Mountain chickadee, chipping sparrow and yellow-rumped warbler are common in the ponderosa pine forests. Shrublands are dominated by rufous-sided and green-tailed towhees and you can see vesper and lark sparrows in the meadows.

e. Flora and Fauna

i. The cliffs and canyons on Heil Valley Ranch are good places for golden eagles and prairie falcons to nest.

ii. Colonies of white-throated swifts, cliff swallows, violet-green swallows and rock doves also call these cliffs home. Rising above the shrublands, woodlands cover much of the western part of the property.

iii. Abert’s squirrels depend on the ponderosa pine for survival. Northern goshawk and Cooper’s hawk hunt prey here, sometimes catching it in mid-air. Many cavity nesting birds such as woodpeckers and nuthatches are here.

iv. There is a good chance you’ll see wild turkey during your visit—they are well established here. At the turn of the 20th century, elk were eliminated from Boulder County, but reintroduced between 1913 and 1917. Today, Heil Valley Ranch is an important winter range for elk.

v. Elk feed on grasses, aspen bark, sedges, conifer needles and some aquatic plants. You can see dark marks on tree trunks showing you how far up the elk can reach.

f. Restrictions

i. No dogs are permitted at Heil Valley Ranch.

ii. Mountain biking is permitted on officially designated trails only.

iii. Collecting, removing, destroying or defacing any natural or man-made objects is not permitted.

iv. Installing rock bolts and constructing trails or structures is unlawful.

v. Feeding, disturbing, trapping, hunting or killing wildlife is not permitted.

vi. Building ground fires is not permitted (fine $300).

vii. Discharging or carrying firearms, crossbows, fireworks or projectile weapons of any kind is not permitted (fine $300).

viii. No unauthorized motorized vehicles permitted beyond parking lot.

ix. It is unlawful to carry or possess any glass bottle or container outside an enclosed vehicle.

x. State law prohibits the possession or consumption of any beverage having an alcohol content greater than 3.2% in any public place.

xi. Group reservations are required for any groups larger than 25 people.

xii. No public access in any closed area.

xiii. No posting of advertisements in park or on vehicles is permitted.

xiv. Property is open from sunrise to sunset—no camping.

xv. Vehicles in parks after sunset will be ticketed or towed.

7. West TSA planning area

a. Key areas

i. Flatirons, Bat Caves, Chautauqua, Gregory Canyon

b. Connecting areas

i. Eldorado Mountain, South Mesa Trail, Walker Ranch

c. Who is included in CCG?

i. Representatives from communities of interest

ii. Selected through an open caucus-style meeting

iii. Neighborhoods select one a person who will represent their particular interests.

iv. Educated in open space and the field they are representing.

v. (15-20 hrs per month)

d. Projects

i. Think tank for city to make ideas equal between people in the community and recreation enthusiasts.

ii. New Property Planning

iii. Grassland Ecosystem Management

iv. Forest Ecosystem Management plan

v. Visitor Master plan

e. Controversial aspects

i. Recreation and environmental concerns

Questions:

1. What is the primary concern of Open Space?

2. How does Boulder county and Boulder City open space mission statement’s differ?

3. Why is it significant that Boulder city’s open space department is separate from their parks department.

4. What is the advantage for Boulder County’s open space and parks departments being combined?

5. What are some challenges with managing open space?

6. What are some differing views about nature?

7. Which types of activities are pursued on open space land, and how do they differ/contrast from eachother?

8. How is open space land acquired?