SNOWMASS VILLAGE – The collaborative effort that led to the conservation of more than 450 acres of contiguous, prime farmland in the mid-Roaring Fork Valley was recognized Tuesday with the presentation of a 2015 Blue Grama Award for Outstanding Achievement to Pitkin and Eagle counties.
The award, one of several presented during the annual Colorado Open Space Alliance conference, held this year in Snowmass Village, was accepted by Dale Will and Toby Sprunk, directors of the open space programs in Pitkin and Eagle counties, respectively.
The acquisitions that make up Glassier Open Space and this year’s expansion of the adjacent Emma Farms conservation easement were honored with an award that takes its name from a native prairie grass that is Colorado’s official state grass. Various pieces of the conserved agricultural lands involved investment by the two counties, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Town of Basalt and the Mid Valley Trails Committee. Aspen Valley Land Trust co-holds the conservation easement at Emma Farms.
This year’s COSA conference drew some 200 participants from parks, open space and trails programs, and land trusts across the state for two-and-a-half days of sessions that concluded Wednesday. Presentation topics ranged from public outreach to hunting on open space, nighttime open space programs, agriculture on public lands and inspiring conservation through art programs, among many others. In addition, an afternoon of local field trips included hiking and mountain bike outings, a tour of the water diversion system at Grizzly Reservoir, a bike tour through area open spaces that are leased for agriculture, a look at the city of Aspen’s wetlands/stormwater project at Rio Grande Park and others.
Contact: Dale Will, executive director
Pitkin County Open Space and Trails
dale.will@pitkincounty.com or 970-920-5203
Toby Sprunk, director
Eagle County Open Space
toby.sprunk@eaglecounty.us or 970 328-8698