Boulder County Parks & Open Space is proud to announce the launch of its new podcast series, Voices of Open Space, a storytelling journey into the heart of public lands and the people who care for them.
Voices of Open Space Podcast Series
Parks & Open Space Podcast
Voices of Open Space invites listeners behind the scenes to explore how conservation, sustainability, and community stewardship shape the loved landscapes. Through authentic conversations with naturalists, volunteers, scientists, land managers, authors, and community members, the series highlights the values, challenges, and triumphs of preserving and protecting Boulder County’s open spaces.
Listeners can expect new podcast episodes featuring diverse voices and topics ranging from prairie restoration and wildlife research to youth engagement and the evolving role of public lands in community life. Whether you’re a lifelong local or new to the area, Voices of Open Space will hopefully inspire you to see the land and your role in it in a new way.
The podcast is available on all major platforms.
In the second part of our three-part series, host Elisabeth Rios-Brooks explores three more of the seven guiding values at Boulder County Parks & Open Space: Stewardship, Sustainability, and Service.
Through heartfelt stories and deep reflections, this episode highlights how these values are not just principles—but lived commitments.
Featured Guests and Topics
- Shane Milne: Forest Planning Supervisor
- Ecological responsibility and long-term restoration
- Limber pine conservation
- Cassandra Schnarr: Agricultural Resource Specialist
- Partnering with leaseholders and integrating resource values on working lands
- Honest collaboration and equity in land use
- Will Towle: Buildings and Historic Preservation Supervisor
- Prioritizing preservation with limited resources
- Visioning a future of more inclusive historical narratives
- David Hirt: Research Program Supervisor
- Restoring damaged ecosystems and fens
- Healing landscapes—and the people who steward them
- Stefan Reinold: Deputy Director of Land Stewardship
- Interdisciplinary collaboration and climate adaptation
- Wildfire mitigation and sustainable planning
- Bevin Carithers: Chief Park Ranger
- The joy and unpredictability of service
- Building trust across diverse communities
- Brian Bartel: Historic Preservation Field Supervisor
- Hands-on service and responsiveness to community needs
- Keeping parks welcoming, functional, and accessible
Themes Explored
- Stewardship as care and accountability
- Sustainability beyond the environment—into systems and relationships
- Service as humility, presence, and showing up for others
Links and Resources Mentioned
From leading nature hikes in the 1970s to restoring flood-damaged landscapes and preserving cultural heritage, volunteers have been at the heart of Boulder County Parks & Open Space since the very beginning. In this inspiring episode, host Sarah Quiroga speaks with longtime former Education & Outreach supervisor Pascale Fried, who dedicated over three decades to building and nurturing a culture of volunteerism.
Together, they explore how a handful of passionate community members helped shape a thriving volunteer program that now spans ecological restoration, history interpretation, wildlife monitoring, and more. You will hear stories of resilience after natural disasters, the joy of community service, and the lasting impact of giving back to the land.
Whether you are a current volunteer, a fan of Boulder County’s open spaces, or simply curious about how thousands of residents were empowered to become stewards of the land — this episode will leave you feeling inspired.
In This Episode
- How Boulder County’s volunteer programs began with just 10 naturalists and a shared passion for nature.
- The story behind the first cultural history programs at Walker Ranch.
- How episodic volunteer projects evolved from Cub Scouts and community members into a department-wide effort.
- The creation of a dedicated volunteer coordinator role and the momentum it sparked.
- Stories of restoration after the 2013 flood and how volunteers made a tangible impact.
- Highlights from decades of volunteer work: trail building, wildlife monitoring, seed collection, historic preservation, and more.
- Reflections on the power of community, collaboration, and learning through service.
- How multi-generational families and lifelong volunteers shaped the department’s culture.
- Why people choose to volunteer and what they gain from it.
Links and Resources Mentioned
Ever wonder why there are miles of open farmland, wildlife corridors, and protected views along your commute through Boulder County? Those scenic stretches may not be an accident—they might be conservation easements.
Join hosts Liz Northrup, Conservation Easement Program Supervisor, and Tim Carden, Conservation Easement Stewardship Specialist, for a deep dive into one of Boulder County’s most powerful land conservation tools: the conservation easement.
This episode reveals the unseen side of open space—40,000 acres of private land protected in perpetuity through voluntary agreements between landowners and Boulder County. With over 850 easements to manage, stewardship is no small task.
In This Episode
- What a conservation easement actually is—and how it works
- The surprising benefits to landowners, from tax benefits to legacy preservation
- Behind-the-scenes stewardship: wildlife encounters, weed control, and trust-building
- Stories from the field—including moose sightings, regenerative farming with pigs, and meaningful landowner collaborations
- A heartfelt interview with Keith Owen, a conservation award-winning landowner, on his 25-year journey of transforming a tree nursery into thriving native grasslands
From the agricultural plains to the forested peaks of Eldora, this episode is a testament to the people and policies that make Boulder County’s landscapes so vibrant and enduring.
Links and Resources Mentioned
- Conservation Easement Program
- What is a Conservation Easement PDF
- Boulder County Comprehensive Plan
- Land Trust Alliance: The Land Trust Alliance is a national organization supporting conservation easements throughout the country.
- Keep It Colorado: Keep It Colorado is another organization that supports conservation easements, specifically in Colorado.
There is an invisible force guiding actions, decisions, and implementation at Boulder County Parks & Open Space. When it is present, we move with more alignment, care, and integrity. These are our values.
In this first of a three-part series, host Elisabeth Rios-Brooks explores two of the seven core values that guide Boulder County Parks & Open Space: Innovation and Engagement.
Wildlife Supervisor Mac Kobza, Historic Preservation Field Supervisor Mike Lohr, and Forestry Specialist Scott Golden share how curiosity, collaboration, and creativity shape their work. Later, Amanda Hatfield and Jim Drew reflect on how meaningful engagement builds trust, community, and connection to the land.
This episode brings together diverse voices and stories that show how our values aren’t just ideals—they’re lived every day.
In This Episode
- What it means to live your values at Boulder County Parks & Open Space
- How Innovation shows up in wildlife management, historic preservation, and forestry
- Collaborating with youth and schools (e.g., St. Vrain Innovation Center)
- Development of the solar-powered tool trailer
- Innovation through cross-boundary wildfire mitigation
- Deep reflections on privilege, allyship, and inclusive community building
- Thinking beyond the moment—toward legacy, sustainability, and belonging
- The role of creativity, adaptation, and resilience in land stewardship
- Using technology and forward-thinking to protect natural and cultural resources
- Why Engagement is more than outreach—it’s relationship-building
- Volunteerism as a form of connection, service, and belonging
- The impact of intentional community involvement across programs
- Personal reflections from staff on how values shape their daily work
Links and Resources Mentioned
- The Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools
- Northern Leopard Frog
- Prairie Dog Management
- Middle Boulder Creek Fuels Reduction Partnership Project
- The Boulder Watershed Collective
- The Watershed Center
- Parks & Open Space Volunteer Opportunities
- Harvest of All First Nations and the Corn Festival
- Agricultural Heritage Center
- 3-D models of historic structures, the LHOC solar trailer, and more
Innovation is at the heart of how Boulder County Parks & Open Space protects and stewards over 107,000 acres of land. In this episode, host Grant Orvis sits down with Heidi Wagner, a long-time planner with Boulder County Parks & Open Space, to explore how innovative thinking, strong partnerships, and ecological knowledge are shaping the future of our landscapes. Topics include wildlife crossings, soil health, stream restoration, and Indigenous partnerships.
Special guests Stefan Reinold and Thomas Roth join the conversation to discuss everything from thriving forest ecosystems to CSU Extension’s Plant Mobile.
This episode is packed with real-world innovations and the people behind the practices that keep Boulder County’s open spaces healthy and resilient.
In This Episode
- What planning means at Boulder County
- Ecological diversity and wildlife stewardship
- Soil health, stream restoration, and native plant programs
- Wildlife crossings and aerial imagery
- Thriving forest ecosystems with Stefan Reinold
- Partnerships with Indigenous communities
- Community connection to land and open space
- CSU Extension’s Plant Mobile with Thomas Roth
- Prairie Run Open Space
- Reflections on the future of our ecosystems
Links and Resources Mentioned
What makes Boulder County Parks & Open Space truly one-of-a-kind? In this episode, Education and Outreach Supervisor Eva Lark sits down with Director Therese Glowacki for a rich conversation about the values, partnerships, and projects that set our department apart.
From sustainable agriculture and native seed collection to forest restoration and community collaboration, discover the behind-the-scenes work that supports wildlife, welcomes recreation, and restores natural systems across 107,000+ acres.
In This Episode
- How Boulder County is celebrating 50 years of open space
- The role of agricultural lands and partnerships with farmers
- Sustainable agriculture and its impact on wildlife habitat
- Restoration efforts:
- Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat (former gravel mine)
- Post-2013 flood recovery
- Forest and grassland restoration
- Native seed collection
- Prairie Run Open Space
- Collaborations with:
- City of Boulder
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- U.S. Forest Service
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- NoCo Places
- Volunteer programs and recreation opportunities:
- Mountain biking and regional trails
- Birding and wildlife viewing
- Water-based recreation
- Therese’s personal takeaway on what makes this work meaningful
Welcome to the debut episode of Voices of Open Space, celebrating 50 years of Boulder County Parks & Open Space. Melissa Arnold and Tina Nielsen, longtime colleagues, take listeners on a journey through the landscapes, legacies, and bold vision that launched one of the most renowned open space programs in the country. From mountain peaks to agricultural plains, discover how leadership, local action, and community values shaped the open spaces cherished today.
In This Episode
- Boulder County’s unique geography and ecological diversity.
- What “open space” means—and why it matters.
- Key moments in open space history, from the 1960s to the 1990s:
- The Blue Line.
- The Comprehensive Plan.
- Founding of the Parks & Open Space department in 1975.
- The pivotal 1993 sales tax vote.
- Reflections from Melissa and Tina’s decades in real estate and planning.
- Acknowledging Indigenous communities and the legacy of colonization.
- Visionary leaders like Ron Stewart and Carolyn Holmberg.
- Early landmark acquisitions: Betasso Preserve, Rock Creek Farm, and Walden Ponds.
- The 50th anniversary theme: Rooted and Reaching.
Parks & Open Space’s 50th Anniversary
Boulder County Parks & Open Space is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Since 1975, Parks & Open Space has worked to conserve natural, cultural, and agricultural resources and provide public uses that reflect sound resource management and community values.
The theme for this milestone year is “Rooted and Reaching: Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation and Community in Boulder County.” It reflects both where the department has been and where it is headed. The new podcast series is part of this celebration, aiming to inspire, educate, and connect listeners through a range of engaging and diverse topics.
Contact Us
Parks & Open Space
Pouria Montazeri
posmultimedia@bouldercounty.gov