Nancy Wallace
In 1995, Nancy Wallace joined the newly formed Open Lands Advisory Board and served for nearly two decades. Because of her dedication, the framework protecting Larimer County's open spaces was built to last.
Written by Nancy Wallace
When I think about those first months after the passage of the HPOS tax in 1995, my favorite memories are the bus trips to see possible open space acquisitions and how excited we were to think those places could really be protected. My first tenure on the Open Lands Advisory Board (OLAB) started sometime relatively quickly after passage of the tax and lasted through June 2004. Later I served on OLAB as the liaison from the Larimer County Planning Commission from August 2007 until July 2022.
Open Lands Advisory Board & Larimer County Staff @ Red Mountain Open Space, 2004
(Pictured L to R) Jerry White, Charlie Gindler, Tom Keith*, Traci Ferguson, Staff Intern, Meegan Flenniken, Nancy Wallace*, Ann Montoya, Charlie Johnson
*OLAB Members
I have a particularly vivid memory of riding the bus with Larry Kendall (a realtor, also on the OLAB) sometime during that first year. We were driving south on College between Fort Collins and Loveland when he pointed out a real estate sign (his) on what is now Long View Farm Open Space. We probably also drove by Fossil Creek and the Devil’s Backbone properties to see what was there and possible additions to Horsetooth Mountain. Long View Farm Open Space became a reality in 1997, then Devil’s Backbone Open Space in 1998 and Fossil Creek Reservoir Open Space in 2000. The excitement on the bus was palpable.
The first few years on the board entailed a lot of administrative decisions, such as developing bylaws and legal framework, developing a mission statement, and developing protocols for deciding when and how to acquire properties among many other priority decisions. We met monthly and the meetings were probably not different from others except that the board members agreed to bring food for the board on an alternating basis. Some brought homemade dinner and some brought pizza or Kentucky Fried Chicken. I can’t remember how long that lasted and I’m not sure if board members got tired of bringing or eating (I think it was the bringing), but we switched to catered dinners.
Tom Keith, K-Lynn Cameron, Nancy Wallace, 2004
I don’t think any accomplishment could outshine the acquisition of the Larimer County Open Spaces that have public access. However, I do think that the other accomplishments such as community outreach through the Small Grants Program, conservation easements which are too many to enumerate, partnerships with other entities such as Colorado Open Lands, and the other cities along the Front Range (Fort Collins, Wellington, Loveland, Berthoud and Greeley), are also too many to enumerate.
As a citizen who lives in northern Larimer County, I think we can be most proud of Larimer County’s Red Mountain Open Space and Fort Collins’ Soapstone Prairie Natural Area projects (along with many partners). A long time ago we started talking about the importance of the Laramie Foothills Mountains to Plains project, a conservation initiative focused on the Laramie Foothills Region. This now over 100,000 acre project benefits not only the northern Front Range but the whole state and beyond. For me, to have accomplished many of the Mountains to Plains goals is a crowning jewel for Larimer County’s Department of Natural Resources. I remember hiking on the west boundary of Red Mountain in the early 2000s and contemplating what a glorious Open Space for the county it could be. I send special thanks to the citizens of Larimer County, City of Fort Collins and GOCO for making it possible.
With development along the Front Range projected to continue at unprecedented rates and Larimer County continuing to grow in population, we are grateful for the land conserved and managed by LCDNR.
This is no time to stop. There never seems to be enough land for our hungry public for access, and conserving land has a hard time keeping up.
I encourage LCDNR to forge ahead on this 30th anniversary of the passage of the first HPOS tax.
Recognition for long-standing service to Larimer County on the Planning Commission and Open Lands Advisory Board, 2022
(Pictured L to R) Commissioner John Kefalas, Zac Wiebe, Meegan Flenniken, Don Threewitt, Matt Lafferty, Lesli Ellis, George Wallace, Nancy Wallace, Daylan Figgs, Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally, K-Lynn Cameron