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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo, Questions from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Related to the Consistency of the Open SpTo as ~'ST . ,4ic~ ~, ~no v Pazks and Recreation Department July 31, 2000 MEMORANDUM TO: Open Space Boazd of Trustees FROM: Chris Dropinski, Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: QuesUOns from the Pazks and Recreation Advisory Board Related to the Consistency of the Open Space Charter with Current Activity on Park Lands Proposed for Transfer In order to move confidently forwazd with the land transfer proposal, the Pazks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) would like to confirm that the Open Space Boazd of Trustees (OSBT) interprets the Open Space Charter to be consistent with current uses and management in the Boulder Mountain Pazks. The attachments listed below are provided to illustrate uses, programs and management issues so that the OSBT may answer this question. PRAB would also like to know if the OSBT envisions the incorporation of the current mission statements of both the Mountain Pazks and the Open Space program into a new mission statement for the new Department of Open Space and Mountain Pazks. It seems the staff of both depar[ments aze anxious to work on this and provide a combined statement for your adoption. The land transfer proposal being considered by the PRAB and the OSBT includes aspects oF the land transfer from Pazks and Recreation to the new Departznent of Open Space and Mountain Parks that aze very important to the City's ongoing relationship and credibility with the public and its abiliry to continue to provide service to its natural lands in both departments. Both departments have strong management programs to deal with the varying types and intensity of uses, however, [he Mountain Pazks system also has types and intensities of uses which would be atypical for the current open space system. Experience and hazd lessons learned over time have resulted in excellent land management pracdces and strategies, developed with the public, which should be sustained for these azeas and uses. This includes such things as the intensive management systems for lugh use azeas, and the pazking pernut and reservations systems on Flagstaff Mountain. The Pazks and Recreation :Advisory Boazd is not expecting that, as a result of this land transfer, there will be any significant changes in management of the land in the foreseeable fumre. It is the hope of the Pazks and Recreation Advisory Boazd that existing plans will be adopted and will guide the management of the land until such time as plans aze updated through an appropriate public process. PRAB is requesting that the OSBT consider the passage of a motion or resolution to address the issues of consistency with the Open Space Charter, the mission statement for the new department of Open Space and Mountain Pazks and your thoughts about adopting existing plans. This will allow PRAB to represent to the public what change they anticipate will or will not occur as a result of the land transfer decision, building confidence in the public as we bring together these two grea[ systems. The City Attomey's Office has also been asked to address these questions for any legal interpretation or implications. I understand Joe de Raismes will be in attendance at your August 9 meeting to do so. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. PRAB has scheduled action on the land transfer issue for August 31 st. Attachment A: Information about Selected Properties Currently Managed by Mountain Pazks Staff (Includes property data as well as management and land uansfer considerations related to each property) Dated 7-25-2000 Attachment B: Mountain Pazks Commitments for Core Services and Implementation of the Resource Protection and Visitor Use Plan (Provides summary of key core services and implementation strategies as contained in the Resource Protection and Visitor Use Plan) Dated 6-6-2000 Attachment C: Additional Listing of Uses and Historic Programs. Dated 7-25-2000 Attachment A INFO ABOUT SELECTED PROPERTIES CURRENTLY MANAGED BY MOiJNTAIN PARKS 7/25/00 MOUNTAIN PARKS MANAGEMENT CONTEXT: • Boulder Mountain Parks (BMP) is an incredible natural azea, with many unique, diverse, sensitive, and threatened plant and animal species / communities, and it is recognized by the State Natural Areas Program and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program for its rich ecological resources. At the same time, Mountain Parks is a heavily-used local and regional recreational destination, offering a diverse park setting for a wide variety of recreational activities. It is these dual chazacteristics that make it so challenging to simultaneously protect the natural and culWral resources and provide recreational opportunities compatible with resource protection. • Mountain Parks draws visitors from the Denver region and beyond; growth in use has been exponential over the ]ast 15-20 yeazs. • BMP is relatively small compazed to the number of visitors (1.7 million visitors in 6,000 acres in the mountain backdrop), which results in very concentrated use azeas with associated impacts (loss of natural qualities, significant impacts related to degradation of resource values and the quality of recreationa] experience). • Four major roads dissect the core mountain backdrop azeas in Mountain Parks (Flagstaff Road, Boulder Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Lefthand Canyon), which creates habitat fragmentation and difficulties for managing visitor use. • There are literally hundreds of access points into Mountain Pazks from adjacent public and private lands, which creates many difficulties for pazk management. • The location of Mountain Pazks in close proximity to high-density urban neighborhoods creates many constraints and complexities for managing the Pazks' natural resources and visitors. • Close proximity to the University of Colorado campus and lazge numbers of student users, with a"revolving door"of incoming and outgoing students, magnifies the challenge of educating them as conscientious users. DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES: ~ g~ ~'~+ fiVdiYe"~`p' .~ ." uy~ 1 yq ~y ~. w. . ~~ ~ . , ~' _ ~II~ , ~b. 6~~. 9~~3 , ar ~{ y ~~~ m~~' ~~. .. . Sawhill Ponds 230 acres; west of 75`" St., north of Valmont. Owned by the CDOW and leased by BMP for 25 years (except -10 acres which are owned by COB). Includes an ADA accessible fishing pier, trails, and outhouse. Primary uses: bird watching, fishing, hiking, dog walking, and hunting retrieval dog training. • A valuable wedands habitat, created by gravel mining of the Boulder Creek floodplaia Designated as a bird habitat of statewide interest, with exceptional educational opportunities. • Heavy use as an environmental education / nature viewing site. • Many native wedand plants, but also extensive weed infestation. • Moderate to high visitor use area • Walden Ponds, a similar wetlands natural azea owned by Boulder County, is adjacent to Sawhill. Lots of cross-over use between the two. Historically users have faced inconsistent use regulations between Walden and Sawhill. • A new BMP-CDOW Sawhill draft management plan is wrrently being considered; it includes new on-leash restrictions and new perimeter fencing (has been installed). • Fishing regulation compliance and trash are problems; fishing management is shazed with CDOW. • Strong need for law enforcement of both City of Boulder legal codes and state wildlife regulations. • Chronic water shortage; adequacy of water rights is uncertain; need for a comprehensive hydrology study. • Reduction of the steepness of the pond banks may improve the habitat values, and this will require extensive restoration efforts. n, ~~ x;' a ~~~ ~ ~~~~~~, ~,~ . . ' . • County has an important presence with its Walden Field station; County has invested heavily in it environmental education / interpretive signs / boazdwalks. • CDOW has expressed interest in selling Sawhill (rather than continuing a long-term lease). Discussions about purchase between CDOW and Mountain Parks aze ongoing. Separate negotiations would be needed on the P&R property at Sawhill if this was contemplated for sale. • Management requires strong law enforcement and environmental education presence. • Management requires ongoing cooperation with CDOW and County Parks and Open Space. ""s[~ '§k .....: tk3- ~~q~ ~~~'.~ ~ - ~~r~t, ^!~~`~ar~¢§~. ~~~ ^ .~+-.;~iv~,K'~~~uv35~~~ ~ k\,. ~ ~ ~3 d~r~~ht,~' s .4; r ,a3~, ,. , M ~n FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN AREA Note: max. attendance is 150 people in any one 3-hour time block for all Summit facilities combined (8-11 a.m., 11-3 p.m., 4-7 p.m., 8-10 p.mJ; 3 hour time limit for facilities with a one- hour space between reservations. Pazks and Recreation runs the reservation system. ADA accessible vault outhouse and contracted water service (~berglass cistem). Limited ADA access is provided at the Flagstaff shelters, amphitheater, & restrooms at the Flagstaff Summit and also at an overlook at Lost Gulch. The Flagstaff Summit azea gets a"resP' from high visitor use during the six months that the Flagstaff Summit Road is closed (Nov. 1-April 30). Stone Shelter (150 people ma~c.); located on Flagstaff Summit; primary use: group gatherings. Wood Shelter (150 people maxJ; located on Flagstaff Summit; primary use: group gatherings. Sunrise Amphitheater (150 people mac.); located on Flagstaff Summit; primary uses: weddings, gatherings, environmental ed. programs (- 6100 participants in 1999). Halfway House (75 people max); located 1.2 miles up Flagstaff Road on the east side; primary use: group gatherings. Because of its wonderful scenic views and its high accessibility via Flagstaff Road, the Halfway House gets a moderate amount of use. • The Flagstaff Road corridor and Summit are a very high use area; Flagstaff Road, scenic viewpoints, and Flagstaff Summit facilities, as a collective destination, draw a lazge number of visitors. Opportunities for visitor education abound here. • All of the visitor use facilities aze historic strucmres and uses, many built by the CCC. Currently, historic designation and restoration funding are being sought. • Heavy use by CU (Conference Services) for large picnics - 2000 participants in 1999. • Flagstaff Road and Summit pazking permit program is designed to increase revenues and provide a mechanism for positive and/or corrective visitor contacts. It may also help reduce parking congestion problems and encourage caz-pooling. The new license plate system, which does not identify the county of residence, will require some adjustment of the parking permit program. Options to restructure it aze being considered. • In close proximity to developed areas on the Flagstaff Summit, there are many significant ecological areas, rare and wlnerable plant communities, and important habitat areas. • Flagstaff Summit Nature center provides an important role in intercepting visitors and motivating them to use the pazk in environmentally benign ways. • Problems of illegal uses, high crime incidence (often nighttime activities), and vandalism. COB Police Dept. and the Boulder County Sheriff provide some late-night patrol (contract) services. • Management efforts have been refined over many years to successfully achieve balance between intensive use and natural resource protection. • High levels of refuse and outhouse sewage aze generated by the large numbers of visitors and require removal. • Social trails, due to high use, aze an ongoing problem. • High incidence of vehicle accidents and search / reswe. • Adjacent areas were registered by BMP in 1993 as State Natural Area; these include critical plant and wildlife habitat. ' SJ/K~/~~+yJY _ _'~^ }Y~i CII~_ Y ,~ ~ • ~{~.~Y37~_"~.x ~~~,_ , . ~~- • High levels of use require high levels of services, patrol, enforcement, education, and intensive visitor use management. • Historic structures and uses must be maintained. Maintenance of these uses requires a rental / reservation system. • Continuation of the parking permit system will require ongoing management. • The management approach has been to reduce impacts through "hardening" of key high-use areas, channel visitors away from ecologically important areas, and educate visitors on namral resource values. • Management requires close cooperation with the County Sheriff & Transportation Depts., City Fire Department, & Rocky Mtn. Rescue. • A close working relationships with Flagstaff azea residents must be maintained. • Picnic and high use facilities require increased erosion control and continual replacement of amenities. • Protection of rare and threatened plant communities and important wildlife habitat in proximity to the high-use azeas will continue to be a challenge. • Expansion of ADA access is needed. • The Sunrise Amphitheater cunently needs refurbishment and enhanced ADA accessibility is being explored. • Tight integration between visitor use management and resource protection activities is critical. 4~ . .- t _ :~ .' ~ , , ] .~~ ~,~., . Y • ~ . ; . ~~~ _ _I. _ _ Flagstaff Summit Nature Center (FSNC), built in 1980, and enlazged in 1996 (cooperative effort of BMP, GOCO, and Scholl Foundation) to 1200 square feet, open May 1- Oct. 31; approx. 2500 visitors per year, not counting some school group environmental education use and poor-weather back-up use for Fireside environmental education programs; includes professional interpretive exhibits and displays. Major point for dissemination of park brochures and infortnation about the park and natural resource management. Park. • One of the key places for visitors to obtain a pazking permit. • Some illegal uses and nighttime activities here need significant law enforcement presence. • FSNC's primary role is to intercept visitors and educate to increase their appreciation of the Pazk's fragile resources and knowledge of low-impact use methods. It is not managed to generate destination use to it. • Volunteer naturalists staff the Center on week-ends during the open season. There is an unmet need to expand week-day coverage and longer day coverage during the high-use months. • FSNC dces not have any electricity and, consequently, dces not have any kind of electronic security system. It has been broken into twice, with theft of mounts. However, it now has more sec~re physical security devices, and a solaz-powered alarm and lighting system is being researched. • Opportunity for continued role as a center for visitor contact, environmental education, information, and fee system administration. • Need for continuing strong law enforcement presence. In its role in intercepting and educating visitors, the FSNC outreach program is tightly integrated with the resource management and visitor use management programs. Opportunities to integrate with the Sombrero Marsh Nature Center-the two could complement each other to provide diverse educational views of Boulder's ecosystems. • A major viewpoint destination with very high visitor use. • An excellent oppoRunity for intercepUng visitors, providing them with info, and educating them about taking care of the ~Z~~wr3, ~ ~r~`~ z ~~` ~~i-~" -w ~ ,. . - ' . I~ ^ .~< t ~I~ s~ ~ " ~ R~~~' ~ <~`~ =; I i ~ , _ ~s '`~.~,~ ~.~ Red Rocks, Settler's Park, Anemone Hill, Boulder Canyon The mouth of Boulder Canyon is an important historic location, as it is the first settlement azea for the future City of Boulder. Visitors are drawn to the Red Rocks azea, and this area is an important migration corridor for wildlife. • Significant social trail problems have been mitigated recently by major restoration and trail improvements in the azea of Settler's Pazk and Red Rocks. • Heavy climbing use and social trails in area of the Dome climbing azea, which require extensive restoration. • Important natural resource values, including native plants, of Anemone Hill aze threatened by high use and pressure for more trails. I/~•~N~~c1 TR~1~SI±'~R e„..~. ~~~}±l1~,~~i,~~~A7~ • Strong law enforcement, seazch and rescue, and environmental education presence is needed here. • Need for close cooperation with COB police, pazks, transportation, Public Works, Sheriff, Silver Lake Ditch. • Upper bikepath currenfly maintained by Boulder County, and this has been suggested as trade for Boulder Falls. • Continued restoration and trail improvements are needed to mitigate erosion problems. • Historic plaques and a historic interpretive trail along Boulder Creek have been created in this azea. • This is an extremely high use area, and it has significant crime issues, including camping, fires, assaults, alcohol, and transients. x ,~ ~ti,~.~ :~ ,., ~; ~.,_ .., - _~ CHAUTAUQUA AREA Chautauqua Meadow Includes a major trailhead and many designated and social trails; a native grassland ecosystem and Boulder scenic destination with the Flatirons as a backdrop. Chautauqua Meadow is a gateway to high-use azeas like the Flatiron climbing azeas, Mesa Trail, McClintock Trail, Gregory Canyon and Enchanted Mesa. Several active recreation uses have historically occurred such as ski jumps, sledding, golf course, and the CCC camp. None of these active uses are cunently permitted. • Chautauqua Meadow is a gateway to many of the most accessible and popular visitor use azeas and trails within Mountain Parks. With its scenic qualities and high accessibility, it receives very high use and is a place that almost all Mountain Pazks users visit throughout the yeaz. Management efforts have been refined over many yeazs to successfully achieve balance between intensive use and namral resource protection. • Chautauqua Meadow is a grassland habitat for various grazers, rodents, birds, and predators like coyotes, foxes, bears, and occasional mountain lions and bobcats. It is also a very important habitat for butterflies, some of which are identified by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program as rare or threatened. This is a very important location for environmental education, and is a portal for environmental education in the whole pazk. • In spite of many diverse uses throughout it history, Chautauqua Meadow still contains some very valuable, diverse, and rare native plant communities (incl. remnant tall grasses and several Iisted species of statewide concern). The restoration potential of these natural plant communities is very good. A pilot grassland restoration project, in conjunction with the Colorado chapter of the Sociery for Ecological Restoration, is currently underway, with a focus on removing smooth brome. • Invasion of non-native plants that can outcompete natives is a very serious problem. Some of the worst plants are escapees from adjacent residential gazdens. Sweet Pea is a partiwlar problem, because some adjacent residents do not want this pretty plant eradicated. (Continued on the next page) Chautauqua Meadow is an incredible and highly-loved natural area, but it is a very complicated place to manage. It requires very intensive management, including strong law enforcement presence, search and rescue operations, trash hauling, environmental education, restoration, etc. Additional management efforts aze needed in Chautauqua Meadow to reduce social trails, get higher dog regulation compliance, channel people to appropriate areas and trails, restore native habitats, and take advantage of educational opportunities. As one of the major portals into Mountain Parks, Chautauqua Meadow must be managed by the land management agency responsible for its upland natural areas or effods to tightly integrate separately managed azeas must be implemented. Management requires very close cooperation with the Chautauqua Association, the Pazks and Recreation Dept., and the City Fire and Police departments. .,z~,.;4 ~ ~W r~~,~~W~, '~ _'~~u,~ir~ . g , ;,; ~, _.. _ ._ . . _ ~_~~ . _ , , t~t Y~X+~'~~ q ~ ~ `~ pn'~~"fi~ ~ / ~'; ~ _ ~ -a > #~ _,. i'~ I ' i'k?s~~. t4,~;~;r~~~~` "a.. ~ ~ W~ ~ ' ~ . Chautauqua Meadow (ContinuaGon) • To help restore native plant communities, recycle nutrients, and reduce wildfire hazazds, prescribed burning in relatively small patches has been conducted on a rotation basis. • Chautauqua Meadow has historically had a severe social trail problem, although it has been substantially reduced in recent yeazs. This season's trail work program will implement several trail relocations and other improvements to further reduce the social trail network and associated habitat fragmentation. • Dog management is a significant issue. While dog regulation compliance is relatively good, the large number of visitors with dogs results in a significant problems of dog waste, dogs loose off trail, and conflict with pedestrians. • Potential problems with human-beaz conflicts are high, due to high concentrations of beazs in the Fall, and attractants to the Chautauqua neighbofiood of gazbage and fmit trees. • High level of trash pick-up is necessazy. • The Chautauqua Green pazk, which is managed by the Parks Division (not the Mountain Parks Division), is on the east side of the Meadow. Some lazge events that happen there spill over into the Meadow and require law enforcement presence (4'" of July, annual Bluegrass concert, other lazge events, etc.). • Given the proximity of the Chautauqua Cottages, a very complex and close relationship with the Chautauqua Association is maintained. • Chautauqua pazking lot much of the yeaz is overflowing, which causes some spillover pazking into the neighborhood and Baseline Road. Ranger Cottage (1200 s.f.); built in 1986, used • A key point for visitor contact, the Ranger Cottage is as a visitor information / outreach center, understaffed on busy weekday nights and some week-end hours. ranger outpost and emergency response center, • Pazking at the Ranger Cottage parking lot is highly congested and staff offices for 9 staff; in proximity to at certain times of the year, which causes parking spillover to Chautauqua Meadow and several major the neighborhood. trailheads; includes parking lot with 51 spaces. • The majority of formal and informal environmental education programs are initiated from the Ranger Cottage. • This area is the major point of climbing, history of the pazk, raptor management, and dog management contacts. • The Ranger Cottage is within the Chautauqua Park Historic District. • The Ranger Cottage functions as a major "ambassador" for the city and the Mountain Pazks and Open Space programs. Bluebell Shelter (50 people ma~cJ; located • Because it requires a half-mile walk to it, the Bluebell Shelter one-half mile from the Ranger Cottage up only gets a small amount of use as a destination. Bluebell Road; primary use is group picnics but • Historic structure meriting protection. this is a low level of use. • Bluebell fire road / trail needs periodic and ongoing repair and Restricted vehicle access for ADA placarded maintenance work. vehicles is pernvtted. • Bluebell shelter is a staging area for search and reswe operations on a regulaz basis. • Fairly high incidence of illegal fires, camping, and parties here. '~~~t G~+-.. .~.~,~ ~~~v~'.~ ~,~ ~ ~, , . ,r ~~ ~': ~ `~'~z~^'.' ~ "~ . "~ . ~ ~ . ..~'~ ~ • Excellent opportunities exist for continuing and expanding the Ranger Cottage's function as a visitor services / outreach / environmental education center. • There must be significant staff presence at the Ranger Cottage to help manage the high use Chautauqua azea. Multiple staff / ranger presence is important to be able to respond to citizen contacts, problems, and emergencies, as well as to provide ongoing, daily environmental education, including weekends. • Historic structure and use must be maintained. If use is maintained, then a rental / reservation system is necessary. OUTLYING SATELLITE PROPERTIES Boulder Falls • A high use area during Spring, Summer, and Fall. 5 acres, located about 6 miles up Boulder • A relatively remote site, with its location posing problems for Canyon; primary use is a sightseeing stopover regular patrol and maintenance activities. to see the falls. • High frequency of violation of the climbing prohibition, which results in severe injuries or fatalities every yeaz through falls and drownings. • Relatively high incidence of drugs, alcohol, and private property trespass. • Safety issues related to mineshaft access. • Handrails and signage need repair. • Dangerous pedestrian crossing from the pazking area to the use area. Buckingham (Fourth-of-July) Campground • During July and August, this is a high use azea, with the 36+ acres, several picnic areas and seven campground full. The surrounding Forest Service land, with its formal camp sites; very remote location next to portal to the Indian Peaks Wilderness, provides a very high the Arapaho glacier USFS trailhead. draw of visitors that sometime use Buckingham. Mountain Parks replaced the outhouse restroom • The campground gets overflow parking from the USFS in 1997. trailhead, which can create congestion and parking encroachment onto an adjacent wetland azea. • Because of its remote location, regulaz patrol, monitoring, and maintenance activities are difficult. • Illegal activities of hunting, off-site camping, and fires make law enforcement presence important. • Because of its remote location, it is difficult to provide an adequate level of service for trash pickup and restroom maintenance. • Noteworthy native plant species must be protected here, and recent informatioa indicates listed plants of state concern. Given the remoteness of the site, visitor hazards present, and illegal uses, this high- use park requires intensive management efforts, esp. law enforcement presence. Mountain Parks, in the past, developed a cooperative agreement in which the County managed this property. The County is not interested at this time in managing this property, although there have been recent County purchases in Boulder Canyon. Services, law enforcement, and search and rescue are difficult for the City to provide here. Mountain Parks has encouraged the Forest Service to take over management of this property. The USFS land and some private in-holdings sunound the Buckingham Campground. The USFS could provide the required patrol and other services much more efficiently, but staffing and funding constraints on the part of the USFS are a problem. Impediments to the land transfer include the extensive bureaucratic process for land transfer offederallands and possible legal constraints in the gifr dedication to the City. tsslic.~wls.~.,+ • Perennial golden eagle nest on the Pallisades and important riparian / weUand habitat are present. • Recent information indicates the presence of listed plant species of state concern on the propeRy. • Relatively high use azea, which because of its location, is not easy to patrol. Nighttime activities aze sometimes a problem. • Proximity to USFS land makes it a high-use portal azea for off- road vehicle use and shooting azeas. • Law enforcement problems include: deposits of trash and human wastes, garbage dumping, illegal camping, and assorted criminal activities. • Tables and pazking azeas are deteriorated. Could use extensive redesign, hardening, delineation of areas, and restoration of native plant communities. ~ . .~ a*.~ ~ .3t u -:ws ~ : 3~~~ d J ~~ • In close proximity to both County lands and Open Space C/E lands. • Management requires signi5cant law enforcement presence. • Transfer could separate the valley from the high use azea. • Mountain Parks did develop a cooperative agreement with the County to manage this azea, but the County is not interested at this time. 10 Attachment B MOUNTAIN PARKS COMMITMENTS FOR CORE SERVICES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESOURCE PROTECTION AND VISITOR USE PLAN 6/6/00 PROVISION OF KEY CORE SERVICES These core visitor services resource management activities include but are not limited to: Visitor Services and Operations • Public and school environmental education programs • Provision of physical presence and visitor contacts on education, safety, regulations, public relations, stewazdship issues at the Ranger Cottage and throughout the Pazk • Media contacts and public outreach services • Coordinadon and management of volunteer and junior ranger programs • Enforcement of safety and resource protection laws and regulations • Public safety, emergency medical, and seazch and rescue services • Enforcement of safety, resource protection, laws and regulations • Management of facilities and shelters for visitor use • Snow removal • Trash pickup and hauling • Servicing of outhouses, including disposal of human wastes • Facility and trails maintenance and improvements • Vandalism control and repair • Administration of revenue, parking permit, and incident log systems Resource Management • Wildfire suppression and prescribed burns • Protection of wildlife habi[at and sensitive species • Lazge- and small-scale vegetation and habitat restoration projects • Integrated weed management • Project management and technical assistance for wildlife, vegetation, and natural resource issues (e.g., forest ecosystem and prairie dog management) • Administration of raptor closure system IMPLEMF,NTATION OF THE RESOURCE PROTECTION AND VISITOR USE PLAN Public Outreach / Cooperative Management • Formation and implementation of a Mountain Pazks Citizens Committee • Development of a neighborhood outreach program, including cooperative management agreements and projects • Formalization of the management agreement and designation with the Colorado Natural Areas Program Education And Outreach • Additional upgrades to interpretive facilities, signs, and brochures • New user-friendly trail signs • Expansion of education / outreach to college and lugh-school aged youth • Re-institution of the semi-annual Woodswise newsletter • Expansion of the "stay-on-the-trails" program • Continued evaluation of potential for private and non-profit support for specific pazk projects Resource Management • Completion of the Mountain Pazks backside land acquisition program • Continued pursuit of disposition of satellite areas • Completion of the Forest Ecosystem Management Plan landscape assessment and overall planning document for Mountain Pazks • Completion of specific forest stand treatment prescriptions • Formation of a Mountain Pazks lustoric district • Enhanced protection of critical wildlife areas and rare and sensitive plant communities • Expansion of the scope of prescribed bums, thinning, and weed control Recreation • Investigate the feasibility for cooperative development of a frontside-to-backside biking trail near Eldorado Springs • Investigate the feasibility for a program to retire certain fixed-hazdwaze climbing routes in exchange for new routes • Retrofit[ing of facilities for ADA access Research and Monitoring Program • On-going resource inventory, research, and monitoring functions • Expansion of reseazch activities and development of resource and visitor use monitoring systems • Development of a citizens "hands-on" program for involvement in reseazch and monitoring Trails • Development of a comprehensive trails management plan • Continuation of major refurbishment / hazdening / relocation projects to improve the antiquated Mountain Parks trail system • Development of a more aggressive social trails elimination program • Development of a new adopt-a-trail program • Work with Colorado Mountain Club, Access Fund, and Flatirons Climbing Council on improving climbing access Facilities • Development of a new proactive facility maintenance program • Development of a transportauon management program, including better multi-modal options • Expansion of the Ranger Cottage • Expanded retrofitting of facilities for people with disabilities • Major new facility refurbishment and hardening projects Public Safety / Resource Protection • Increased frontcountry and backcountry patrol and visitor contacts • Decision and implementation for revising the pazking fee system • Implementation of new group use / commercial use regulations Area Management • Development of azea management implementation plans and mechanisms for each management azea • Enhancement of protections for special protection azeas • Completion of planning work and public process for deciding how management evaluation azeas should be managed Attachment C Additional Listing of Uses and Historic Programs ^ Historic environmental education programs like Ecology Hikes and Fireside Talks at the Flagstaff Summit and individualized public and school environmental education programs on request. ^ The Flagstaff Summit Nature Center. An overall increase in environmental education is encouraged. ^ Provisions for visitor contact and information, coordination of public safety, and environmental education at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage. ^ Historic Junior Ranger Program involving youth in park stewazdship, trail maintenance and restoration projects, environmental education and first job experience. ^ Historic outreach programs like the Park Ranger Intem Program, the Ranger Horse Patrol Program, and the Ranger Service Dog Program. ^ Thoughtful management of visitor use impacts, continued use, maintenance, and protection of Flagstaff Mountain and Chautauqua facilities for public programs, group picnics, weddings, and other events and Flagstaff Road scenic overlooks. Parks and Recreation Mission Statement The City of Boulder Pazks and Recreation Department provides caze for public pazk lands and opportuni[ies for personal growth. We work with the citizens of Boulder to provide a broad spectrum of opportunities to renew, restore, refresh, and recreate, balancing often stressful life-styles. We encourage the participation of individuals and families [o develop the highest possible level of physical and mental well-being. We believe that well-balanced, healthy people contribute to a productive and healthy community. MISCUNISSION.WPD