Boulder County
Parks & Open Space Foundation

Parks and Open Space offers free education programs to students in the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts. But sometimes the transportation costs for buses to the sites can be prohibitive.

We work closely with Parks and Open Space to provide funding for schools that need assistance covering bus costs. Each year, we make it possible for hundreds of students to attend places like the Walker Ranch homestead, the Agricultural Heritage Center, Walden Ponds, and Heil Valley Ranch. This allows students to experience the hands-on learning and nature immersion at these sites.

The Left Hand Outdoor Challenge is a program that teaches Boulder County teens how to be outdoor leaders, to take action as stewards of Boulder County's open spaces, and to explore careers in natural resource management.

Teens complete monthly challenges designed to teach participants the skills to complete a final challenge highlighting their leadership and resource management knowledge.

In 2015 the program had 35 participants ranging from 14 – 18 years old and 9 adult volunteer program leaders. Participants learned about other natural resource agencies and developed a broader sense of outdoor careers. Participants were invited to Soapstone Prairie Natural Area and were the first non-staff group to monitor re-introduced Black-Footed Ferrets.

We help provide the operating budget needed for this amazing program to run effectively and impact Boulder County area teenagers.

Restoration work at Pella Crossing will being late summer/early fall of 2016.

We will provide funding to recovery work that is not covered by FEMA or other funding sources.

More details will be announced later in 2016.