Cool Boulder Partner Hub
Happy 2025! We’re so excited to have such wonderful partners present each month in our partner meetings.
Cool Boulder Partner Meetings occur monthly every third Thursday from 11am-12pm: Please see the meeting reminders and calendar invite for the link
Partner Meeting Archives
2025:
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Happy New Year! 2025 is going to be a great year for biodiversity and there are lots of exciting events and workshops our partners are leading! During this meeting we took a temperature check of how partners are feeling about Cool Boulder’s support to them and looked back on 2024.
Speakers:
Jasi Sikora - City of Boulder NbCS Team. Jasi gave an overview of the new volunteer management system the city is using, GivePulse, and invited partners to join as affiliates.
Heather Bearnes-Loza - City of Boulder NbCS Team. Heather gave an overview of Cool Boulder, our team, and our responsibility to partners. She discussed some comms metrics from 2024.
Brett KenCairn - City of Boulder NbCS Team. Brett gave an overview presentation regarding what inspired Cool Boulder’s inception and our original intention. He also discussed where Cool Boulder is headed in the future using hard climate data.
Meeting Recording
Passcode: Mn4^Ff07
Resources:
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Planning for the coming year involves planning for community as well as our ecosystems. We took a moment to recognize that supporting our communities and each other will continue to be one of the most important things we can do.
As we plan for our ecosystems, we focused on soil and gained some insights from a long-standing habitat transformation program, Garden In A Box.
Speakers:
PLAY Boulder Foundation Tree Trust announcement. Recruitment is open for the 2025 Community Forestry Corps! Please help spread the word! The program is bilingual and a safe space.
Rutger Meyers - Director of Compost and Carbon Farming, Eco-Cycle . Rutger called on his background to share information on simple soil tests and outcomes.
Melanie Stolp - Sr. Water Program Manager, Resource Central. Melanie shared upcoming opportunities through Resource Central and the impact of the Garden in a Box program. Melanie’s contact is on the 2nd page of her presentation, linked below!
Meeting Recording
Passcode: R=i43JDY
Resources:
Melanie’s Presentation Pt. 2: Community Survey
Garden In A Box Resources
Garden In A Box Impact Analysis Story Map
You can also find these on Cool Boulder’s Calendar!
Info about the lawn replacement program
Waterwiseyards.org - Resource Central’s resource and inspiration hub for real projects that community members have completed
Garden In A Box Spring 2025 interest list - the spring sale starts March 4th, and the Late Summer sale starts June 17th!
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Seeds are little packets of life! Given the proper care and conditions, they can bloom into plants that are essential to survival for all of us. What a beautiful thing!
Speakers:
Kayley - Boulder Public Library (North Boulder Branch). Kayley discussed the library's seed library program and its plans for the future, including more community involvement and programming.
Kristine Johnson - Wild Ones Front Range. Kristine shared that Wild Ones Front Range focuses on promoting native plant gardening and landscaping to support biodiversity. With 92 chapters and 36 new seedlings nationwide, it provides an extensive toolkit of resources and hosts educational events such as seed swaps, winter sowing workshops, and plant swaps. Wild Ones emphasizes proper seed collection, germination techniques, and sustainable practices, offering guidelines for each step. Boulder events include seasonal seed swaps and opportunities to divide and share native plants, tailored to local needs and environmental conditions.
Dave Sutherland - Environment for the Americas. Dave Sutherland, a former educator naturalist, now leads nature hikes and works with various groups, including Environment for the Americas, a nonprofit focused on protecting migratory bird habitats. He discussed the importance of migratory birds, their journeys, and the need for rest stops along the way. He also highlighted the role of native plants in supporting these birds and the theme of International Migratory Bird Day, which is "Creating Shared Spaces." Dave encouraged the audience to grow native plants to create shared spaces that provide habitat for migratory birds. He also shared his upcoming free nature hikes related to this topic.
Meeting Recording
Pass: ^s4By!92
Resources:
Wild Ones Front Range - Native Seed Collection and Germination Guide
Coloradoscaping with Native Plants Toolkit
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Harvest means many different things. This meeting we focused on several aspects of harvest, including how we give children a place in nature-based work and solutions.
Speakers
Treehouse Learning: Amy May joined us to share about the many amazing programs they run at Treehouse Learning, as well as the work they do with their landscapes.
MASA Seed Foundation: Laura Allard joined us from the Seedhouse to share about MASA’s work and efforts. They are excited to collaborate and partner!
OSMP Agricultural Leases: Lauren Kolb, Sr. Agricultural Program Manager at the city provided information on how city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks works with agricultural leases. Of OSMP’s approximately 47,000 acres, approximately 16,000 are leased for ag practices. Most of this is native to semi-native ranch land. Notices of land available for lease are posted in December each year, and requests for proposals go out in the first quarter of the following year.
Meeting Recording
Pass: 2wYvd%x$
Resources
OSMP Ag Resources Management Plan
This document goes into the detail around decision-making in the program and how OSMP hopes to evolve and transition over time.
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It's Boulder Pollinator Appreciation Month!
Speakers
Partner Intro: Mark Biondi from Carbon C.R.E.W.
Carbon C.R.E.W. represents a tangible and hopeful way for folks to make plans to reduce their impact and support each other in the effort!
Continued Work as a Pollinator Advocate: Emily KenCairn tuned in to share her current work (and opportunities to join!) at BCSIS. She is also working for PPAN and excited to connect if you would like to partner.
BoCo Wild Writers: Erin Robertson joined to share about her work with students through BoCo Wild Writers. She also shared Thank You, Pollinators written by Bee+ Boulder Festival 2023 attendees! It is included in the meeting resources.
Leveraging Community Interest to drive policy and practice around pollinators: Hear from Adrian Carper and Steve Armstead on how we follow up the Native Pollinating Insects Health Study
Meeting Recording
Pass: @xk8&&+e
Resources
Written by 2023 Bee+ Boulder attendees, coordinated by Erin Robertson
Pollinators and Community Action
DNR Native Pollinating Insects Health Study page (full study linked on page)
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Speakers
Informal Panel on Community, Fire, and Fire Resilient Landscaping
We changed our normal pattern and had a less formal conversation centered on the importance of community in disaster response, general fire resources in our area, and the nuance of landscaping with fire risk as a priority.
Guests
Adopt-A-Neighbor: A group of realtors who have been responding to the need of Marshall Fire victims since the fire. They have also collaborated with Cool Boulder and the PLAY Boulder Foundation/Tree Trust to give away trees!
Boulder Watershed Collective
City of Boulder Forestry
City of Boulder Community Risk Reduction and Wildfire Partners were unable to attend, but they sent resources and are excited to collaborate and be resources for our community!
Resources
City of Boulder Wildfire Home Assessments
City of Boulder Wildland Fire Preparedness Guide
Great resource for hardening your home and preparing structures for fire risk
City of Boulder Community Wildfire Protection Plan (in development)
There is a great Story Map on the website!
Note that different cities have their own plans! If not in Boulder, check in on your city's plan for most up-to-date information.
Meeting Recording
Pass: C2rTqKs=
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Speakers
Current Heat Trends in Boulder: Brett KenCairn (City of Boulder Sr. Policy Advisor, Climate Initiatives)
A Day in the Life of the Community Forestry Corps: Daniel Hansen (Tree Trust CFC Manager) tuned in from the field with the crew!
Introduction to Programs at the Watershed Center: Deborah Hummel (River Program Director at the Watershed Center)
Meeting Recording
Pass: tK!cy0a2
Resources
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Speakers
Why Biodiversity Matters: Adrian Carper (City of Boulder Senior Ecologist)
Food and Pollinator Plants - An example and tips from a Pollinator Advocate!: Devin Edgely (Pollinator Advocate)
Research Results - Arthropod Biodiversity, Impervious Surfaces, and Ecosystem Services: Asia Kaiser (PhD Candidate in Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU)
Meeting Recording
Pass: 0c?Xn^Kc
Resources
Why Biodiversity Matters, Adrian Carper
Research Results - Arthropod Biodiversity, Impervious Surfaces, and Ecosystem Services, Asia Kaiser
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Speakers:
City of Boulder Outdoor Water Conservation: Krystle Morey
Lawns and Lawn Replacement: Heather Bearnes-Loza (City of Boulder)
Capturing Precipitation in Colorado: Heather Bearnes-Loza (City of Boulder)
Meeting Recording
Pass: n&9L=?WQ
Outdoor Water Conservation Presentation
Lawn and Precipitation Presentations
Lawn Care Resources
Xerces: Tips for Organic Site Preparation
Xerces: Organic Site Preparation Methods: A Comparative Overview
CSU: Operating and Maintaining a Home Irrigation System
Resource Central: Slow the Flow (check out home sprinkler system audits)
Lawn Conversion Resources
Resource Central/Garden In A Box
Wild Ones: Don’t Just Xeriscape - Coloradoscape with Native Plants
CSU: Colorado’s New Landscape Legislation Explained (March 2024 Webinar)
**Tips on Trees: Don’t forget that
your tree will still need water after you convert your lawn! Please see the presentation on lawns for more tips.
Precipitation Collection Resources
CSU: Rainwater Collection in Colorado
CO Stormwater Center: Rain Barrels
CO DNR: Rainwater, Storm Water & Graywater
Understanding Graywater Resources
CO DNR: Rainwater, Storm Water & Graywater
CO DNR: Administrative Position for Graywater Reuse
CDPHE: Reg 86 - Graywater Control
CPR News: Greywater Could Help Solve Colorado’s Water Problems. Why Aren’t We All Using It? (2019)
Current Graywater Bill: Measures to Incentivize Graywater Use
Helpful CO Water Law Resources
Water Education Colorado: Citizen’s Guide to Colorado Water Law, 5th Edition
CO DNR: The Colorado Water Plan
Resources on Boulder’s Water Sources
Water Education Colorado: Citizen’s Guide to Where Your Water Comes From
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Speakers
Pollinator Advocates: Andrea Montoya
Community Fruit Rescue Programs: Alexandra Justesen
Community Forestry Corp: Brett Kencairn (City of Boulder) and Angie Jeffords (PLAY Boulder-Tree Trust)
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Speakers:
Christine Gust (Soil Transformations)
Kristine Johnson (Wild Ones)
Shelby Kaminski (Edaphic Solutions),
Dan Matsch (Eco-Cycle).
Important Links:
Meeting Recording (Passcode: =q6qt#3e)
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Speakers: Steve Armstead (Xerces Society), Adrian Carper (CU Boulder), and Jonathan Koehn (Director of City of Boulder Climate Initiatives).
Important Links: Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study.
2023:
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Speakers: Wild Ones Front Range, MASA Seed Foundation, and Elizabeth Black.
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Speakers: Classrooms for Climate Action
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