BCNA ANNUAL MEETING REPORT |
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Thanks to all who joined us!
By acclamation, four people were elected to continue serving on the Board of Directors: Sue Cass, Cathy Cook, Viki Lawrence, and Vicki Braunagel.
Timothy Seastedt, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at the University of Colorado and Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, updated us on “Climate change effects on high elevation ecosystems of the Colorado Front Range.” University scientists, studying different ecosystems on Niwot Ridge since the 1920s, have a long record of data and information. This research continues in partnership with the Long-term Ecological Research Network (LTER) under the National Science Foundation.
Tim shared some of the long-term trends occurring within the significant year-to-year variation he and his fellow scientists observe on Niwot Ridge: earlier snowmelt and runoff, more warming in the subalpine than the alpine, a longer growing season, changes in vegetation in sensitive spots, willows spreading upwards, increasing pika stress, and declining glacier mass balance.
An increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide on Niwot Ridge has also been noted. Dr. John Marr started collecting data in 1968; INSTAAR has continued this sampling, now the longest continuous record of carbon dioxide levels in the continental U.S. Researchers using LTER funding recently erected a tower on Niwot Ridge to measure carbon dioxide levels to determine if high elevation systems, viewed as a single functional unit, are contributing to global warming or not.
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Board member Gerry Kelly noted the strengths of BCNA, including its significant contributions to protecting our open spaces over almost 40 years, its ability to effectively collaborate with other stakeholders based on science and data, and its deep passion for and commitment to our local ecosystems. In 2021, BCNA hopes to tap deeper into BCNA’s potential by engaging more of its members and collaborating with more organizations to make a bigger difference.
- Advocating for up-to-date information on the Gross Reservoir Dam expansion project and holding a webinar to educate people on the proposal
- Assisting with the local 30x30 initiative to protect 30% of our land and water globally by 2030
- Advocating for the passage of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act
- Continuing participation with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Wildlife and Habitat Roundtable
- Supporting the US Forest Service, the State Forest Service, various area watershed coalitions, and other organizations in their collaborative work on forest restoration and wildfire mitigation
- Tracking other local environmental issues and commenting when appropriate
We hope to be able to offer field courses once again this summer. We currently are offering one course, Public Lands: Examining the Past, Building a Resilient and Equitable Future, on Zoom. We also are continuing the species and ecosystem monitoring projects.
The Board and its committees cannot achieve BCNA's potential without you. Please consider getting involved with a committee, leading a class or a field trip, or doing citizen science work monitoring winter raptors and burrowing owls, being an eco-steward monitor, or joining other citizen science projects). Existing committees include Advocacy, Education, Ecosymposium, Communications, Publications, Grants, and Membership.
Please always feel free to contact the Board and share your ideas on activities, engagement, and outreach.
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BCNA INFORMATION AND LINKS |
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A big thank you to all who currently support BCNA! Without your assistance, we would not be able to accomplish all that we do for our community and for the natural world around us. Memberships for the calendar year renew in November and December, but you can renew for next year at any time.
Please consider renewing your membership today if you have not already done so.
New members are always welcome!
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