Sue Burke
Part of the administrative team from the program's early days, Sue Burke provided behind-the-scenes support, interacting daily with staff, board members, and community. A life-long advocate, she spent time at every open space, passing on stories to help others connect more deeply.
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?
When the Help Preserve Open Spaces (HPOS) sales tax passed in 1995, I'd been working in the Administration section of Larimer County Parks Department for four years. The new program would fall under the Parks Department, which was then renamed Larimer County Parks and Open Lands, and later, Larimer County Department of Natural Resources. I was ecstatic! My true north had always been the importance of open spaces and land conservation. In my private life, I talked to every hiker I knew about the upcoming ballot initiative, and in 2014, I volunteered to work on the extension initiative.
Working in the Administrative section meant our small staff would need to get up to speed fast to support whatever was coming when the department added land conservation and open spaces management to its portfolio. To start somewhere, Administrative Manager Deb Wykoff and I met with administrative managers from other county agencies that had been managing open spaces sales taxes and land for years—Boulder County and Jefferson County, for example. We needed to know what we didn't know!
How would this affect the business operations budget? How and where would staffing change? What other department-wide changes could or would happen? Most importantly for our section: how would all these changes trickle down into Administration, behind the scenes?
After these meetings, we started planning to provide effective support.
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?
In my view, one of the most meaningful outcomes the HPOS sales tax has made possible is public access to nearby open spaces and trails while simultaneously maintaining protected areas for wildlife and the wild. It's a good and important balance.
Is there a memory or moment from your time with LCDNR that stands out as especially powerful, either personally or for the community?
As admin support staff, I was fortunate to interact daily with Department and County staff, board members, consultants, and the community. Every day, we heard stories from the field—from maintenance crews to trail builders to land conservation specialists. One of my favorite memories was looking up from my desk to see the trail crew walking in from a hard, hot, and windy day building trails at Red Mountain Open Space. They were red-dirt dirty and exhausted. And they were thrilled: the sustained winds had been so fierce that day that they could spread their arms, lean out over a cliff bank, and the winds would hold them up over the void. "It was crazy!" they said, ecstatic. A good day at work. They loved their work and put their hearts into every trail at every open space. The stories are many.
How have you seen Larimer County residents, families, or visitors benefit from the protection, restoration, and enjoyment of open spaces?
Because I've been a lifelong hiker and outdoor lands advocate, I've spent countless hours in Larimer County's open spaces with friends and family. I've watched them relish the hikes, the trails, the views, the plants, the wildlife, the photography opportunities, and the quiet.
2009
As a Larimer County open spaces behind-the-scenes advocate, I share stories from each space—little details that help people form deeper connections with these lands.
"See the trail markers here at Red Mountain Open Space? The trail crew used to make different patterns with the rocks for each marker."
"See this parking lot? Have you ever heard of a rattlesnake hibernaculum?"
"See that rock over there?"…
What message would you want to share with future generations about why conserving and stewarding lands in Larimer County is important?
It's "The Necessity of Empty Places." As we all watch northern Colorado's ranches, wild lands, and open areas fill with homes, businesses, roads, and people, access to nature becomes increasingly vital to our human condition and our future. Thank goodness for the foresight of Larimer County citizens who passed the Help Preserve Open Spaces (HPOS) sales tax thirty years ago.
We must stay on track for the health of all—human and non-human—who come after us.
All photos by Sue Burke