Just north of Boulder, CO, on the west side of U.S. 36 lies a large 1,000-acre parcel known as the North Foothills Habitat Conservation Area (HCA). For at least 20 years, this area is identified as having exceptional ecological value. A few critical examples are: very high biodiversity of native plants and animal species; the last eight foothills riparian drainages (wetland areas) not impacted by trails that provide for the movement of wide-ranging mammals (like elk, bobcats, fox), foraging areas for birds of prey, special habitats for rock wrens (a species of concern); five imperiled butterfly species; highly suitable shrubland habitat for nesting Lazuli Buntings, a bird as beautiful as its name implies; eight rare native plant species, including Bells Twinpod which grows only in the shale barrens of Boulder and Larimer Counties and nowhere else on earth; highly suitable grassland habitat for many easily disturbed ground nesting birds; and the best opportunity for conservation of significant xeric tallgrass prairie in Boulder.

There is a proposal to be voted on by the City Council on June 7, 2016, to bisect this HCA with a north-south multi-use trail for hikers, trail runners, dogs, mountain bikers, and equestrians, known as the west-side connector trail in the North Trail Study Area (NTSA).

There is already a trail, popular with cyclists, equestrians, hikers, and runners, that connects the Foothills Trail to Boulder Valley Ranch, north to Lefthand Reservoir and onward, just across the street from Joder Ranch. This east-side connector, the alternative trail in the NTSA, is nearly equal in distance traveled to the proposed west-side connector trail and provides great mountain views; twists, turns and changes in elevation; bridges already in place across streams; and no road noise. Trail improvements will make it less prone to muddy trail closures, A new underpass north of Lefthand Reservoir and Neva Rd. will enable safe crossing of Highway 36 to the new trails on the Joder property, providing access to Joder from both the South and from the East/Gunbarrel & Boulder Reservoir. Adequate parking is already available on the east side and is not easy to provide on the west side. With all of these improvements it will still cost half as much as the estimated cost of the West side connector trail.

There are four types of City open space — Agriculture (25 percent), Passive Recreation and Natural Areas (50 percent), where we all hike, enjoy nature, run, bike and ride horses, and Habitat Conservation Areas (25 percent), a crucial refuge and safety net for Boulder's native plants and animals. That's 75 percent of the land for human uses and 25 percent for wildlife. This complies with the Boulder County Charter, policies, and plans emphasize preservation AND recreation.

Do we really need to bisect a Habitat Conservation Area with a trail that requires major cuts into unstable slopes, several bridges across drainages, and lots of money, when there's a huge backlog of trail restoration still needed to recover from the 2013 flood, when the West Trail Study Area improvements have not been finished, and when Boulder wildlife is risked at the expense of recreation?

Sign this petition to let City Council know you oppose the West Side Trail Connector along with the Boulder County Audubon Society; Boulder County Nature Association; Colorado Native Plant Society, Boulder Chapter; Sierra Club, Indian Peaks Group; PLAN-Boulder County; and Friends of Boulder Open Space.