Jeffrey Boring
Hired in 2007, Jeffrey Boring built partnerships for trails like the Poudre River Trail, conducted restoration research, and updated management plans—work remembered for the friendships formed. Now Executive Director of Estes Valley Land Trust, he continues advancing conservation.
When and how did you first become involved with the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources, and what role did you play in advancing our open space efforts?
Jeffrey Boring, 2007
I was hired as a Resource Specialist in 2007 and focused on updating the existing management plan since 1999 for Devil's Backbone Open Space, a popular and fragile iconic public area west of Loveland. In order to complete the Poudre River Trail that connects LaPorte to Greeley and other regional trails across Larimer County, I focused on building partnerships and dedicated funding to secure trail easements and conserved land. Restoring land was also a priority and I conducted research to better understand the plants that inhabit some of the County's parks and open spaces and implemented restoration plans to improve biodiversity and ecosystem health.
From your perspective, what is one of the most meaningful outcomes or accomplishments that the Help Preserve Open Spaces (HPOS) sales tax has made possible?
It's impossible to pick an outcome that stands above them all, there's so many to choose from. Red Mountain, Hermit Park and Devil's Backbone open spaces come to mind but so do the Poudre River and Long View trails. The Help Preserve Open Spaces sales tax did more than preserve land and provide outdoor recreation opportunities, it created a culture of land conservation and respect for the outdoors that will live forever. That culture brings people together, creates community and improves everyone's quality of life.
Is there a memory or moment from your time with LCDNR that stands out as especially powerful, either personally or for the community?
Again, it's so hard to choose. The experiences that are most memorable are those that I shared with fellow staff. Whether it was hiking across a conserved property for the first time or meeting with landowners to discuss trails or counting native grasses to measure plant community health, those experiences were all shared with staff members that became friends. Oh, and the Halloween parties were unforgettable; the staff had a lot of fun together.
How have you seen Larimer County residents, families, or visitors benefit from the protection, restoration, and enjoyment of open spaces?
Conserving land in Larimer County matters to so many people and that's evident in the number of people that use the parks and open spaces throughout the County. It's important to get an early start or check a webcam to make sure parking is available at key times at some of the most popular trailheads. Avid participation on the volunteer advisory boards, or with service projects that improve habitat and trails, or as a volunteer naturalist or park steward are all great examples of how conserving land has become an integral part of the lives of so many Larimer County residents.
What message would you want to share with future generations about why conserving and stewarding lands in Larimer County is important?
"I'm going to be 100 with you, chillin at the backbone is bussin."
Well, I'd try to say something cool like that to a teenager and make a fool of myself. I'd probably follow up with a message that we're very fortunate to live in a place that cares about the natural environment and has conserved lands that you will always be able to explore.
2008, Devil’s Backbone Open Space