North Star Management Plan Update

Project Overview

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is updating the North Star Nature Preserve Management Plan to guide the short-and long-term stewardship of this important open space property. The update builds on decades of conservation, monitoring, and community involvement to ensure North Star continues to protect ecological values while accommodating appropriate public use.

Since the last management plan update, new ecological and visitor-use data, as well as best practices, have become available. Beginning in 2024, Open Space and Trails brought together this research, community input, and new adaptive management strategies to inform our ongoing management of North Star.

Changing yellow leaves across a mountain hillside with a deer in the foreground

Plan Update Goals

  • Protect and enhance ecological integrity by prioritizing habitat conservation, wildlife connectivity, and natural ecosystem processes.
  • Maintain a high-quality visitor experience while minimizing impacts on wildlife and the environment.
  • Continue to respond to evolving recreational patterns, including increased river use and pressure at access points, through proactive and data-informed management.
  • Apply adaptive management best practices by using monitoring data, indicators, and thresholds.
  • Reflect community values and priorities gathered through public outreach, questionnaires, open houses, and working group discussions.

Key Dates

  • 2024 - 2025 | Community Engagement: Open house, public questionnaires, outreach at community events, and working group meetings were held to share information and gather input on future management.
  • 2025 | Draft Plan Development: A draft of the updated North Star Nature Preserve Management Plan was prepared and presented to the Open Space and Trails Board and the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners for feedback.
  • January - February 2026 | Final Public Review: The draft plan was available for public review and final input. Community members were invited to complete a questionnaire.
  • March - April 2026 | Plan Adoption: The final 2025 North Star Nature Preserve Management Plan was presented to the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Board of Trustees and the City of Aspen’s Open Space and Trails Boards for approval, and the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Aspen City Council for adoption. The final 2025 North Star Nature Preserve Management Plan was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on March 25, 2026. Agendas and more information can be found here.

Background

North Star Nature Preserve was acquired by Pitkin County in 1978. The first management plan, created in 1989, established the foundation for managing the landscape for both the intrinsic values of wild nature and a peaceful, easily accessible natural setting. In 2001, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails and the City of Aspen jointly acquired the James H. Smith North Star Open Space, linking multiple parcels to form what is now the North Star Nature Preserve. The first management plan and each of the four subsequent updates focused on preserving a mosaic of high-quality native ecological communities that support biological diversity while allowing public access.

Since late 2024, Open Space and Trails, City of Aspen, and Aspen Valley Land Trust have jointly been working with the community and data and visitor-use experts to update the plan and ensure that North Star continues to be managed responsibly amid changing conditions.

black and white photo of a moose crossing the Roaring Fork River

More Resources

Additional reports can be found on the North Star Nature Preserve webpage.

Stay Informed

To receive email updates about the North Star Management Plan Update, email us with the subject line “Request North Star Updates” and include your name and email address.

For more information, visit our webpages about floating at North Star and on North Star in general.

Contact:

Jessie Young, Planning and Outreach Manager, Open Space and Trails

Email | Phone: 970-429-6169