Help us create the proposed Boulder Meadowlark Open Space - a remarkable ecosystem that is home to nesting song birds and raptors like the red-tailed hawk.  

The Meadowlark Open Space provides important wetlands and meadow habitat. Deer, black bear, elk and moose have all been sighted using the area.  

However, will City of Boulder bulldozers roar into the adjacent South Boulder Creek State Natural Area and crush highly protected critical wildlife habitat for the rare Preble’s Jumping Mouse and exquisite Ute’s Ladies Tresses Orchid?

You might ask how can this happen when this habitat is protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act?  Here in Boulder?

You can stop the City of Boulder bulldozers from violating the State Natural Area by signing this petition.

Council is planning to construct a massive concrete dam with a road on top of it that will allow the University of Colorado to construct parking lots, sporting fields and buildings in a flood plain. Their final approval vote could happen on June 16, 2020 - two months from now.

The proposed Meadowlark Open Space will provide ongoing recreational opportunities like hiking, cycling and bird watching are very special to the community.

Please sign this petition to help ensure the Meadowlarks and wetlands will still be thriving next spring.

After you have signed this petition, see a 2 minute slideshow of the remarkable wildlife, birds and flowers that live at proposed Meadowlark Open Space at CU South - immediately south of Boulder.  

Visit www.MeadowlarkOpenSpace.org

--- Background Information --

By working together to protect this special wetlands and meadow area near the base of the Flatirons, we can help the University of Colorado to not bulldoze this critically important proposed open space to make way for more than 1,100 town homes and apartments.

We will work in partnership with CU to help them build the CU Eco Village on existing CU parking lots with underground parking to host the new facilities.  With your help we will have new facilities and create the Meadowlark Open Space :)

A rich diversity of songbirds and many rare and endangered species call this open space home including the Ute Ladies’ Tresses orchid, the Northern leopard tree frog and the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, federally listed as an endangered species.

This 308 acre wonderful natural and recreational area is located in front of Eldorado Canyon State Park and runs past Table Mesa and US 36 to South Boulder Road.

Neither CU or the City has conducted federally required environmental assessment and wildlife study - instead they are hiding development plans from the public and attempting to rush development approvals ahead.  You can help!

Sign this petition to call for the Creation of the Meadowlark Open Space - a beautiful and wild area for the people of Boulder and for CU Students who will be able to conduct wetland, song bird, moose and black bear studies into the future.

Why the CU Open Space Makes Sense?

1.  Annexation and development of the Flatirons-CU South property would violate the mission and charter of Open Space and Mountain Parks (City of Boulder), which is charged with protecting the ecological, passive recreational, and other values of Open Space.

2.  The site currently provides habitat for endangered, threatened, and rare species and ecosystems, which would be destroyed by development, including:

Wet Mesic Tallgrass Prairie
This type of prairie is mainly found along the eastern edge of the Great Plains. It is very special and rare to have in the Boulder area.
Less than 4 percent of the tallgrass prairie remains worldwide.
The biggest threat to this ecosystem is “incompatible surround land uses.”

• Ute Ladies’ Tresses orchid, federally listed as endangered
• Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, federally listed as endangered
• Colorado butterfly plant, threatened
• Northern leopard tree frog, Colorado species of special concern
• Three rare species of butterfly
• Wetlands and the many species of wildlife that wetlands support.

3. The Biohabitats rapid assessment does NOT meet qualifications for U.S. Fish and Wildlife clearance to destroy, damage, or alter habitat for listed species.  

4.  Members of the Boulder County Nature Association toured the site and cautioned against ANY decision to annex or develop the site until thorough surveys of fish, wildlife, and other ecological values have been completed.

5.  NO meaningful assessment of groundwater and aquifer resources on the site has been done. A groundwater and aquifer study MUST be done BEFORE decisions regarding annexation and development are made.

 Read the Biohabitats report here: https://www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/Final_Report_11-22-16FINAL-1-201701121704.pdf?_ga=1.21629624.204707040.1398121183

Visit our website: https://www.meetup.com/preview/MeadowLarkOpenSpace/events

Thanks so much for being part of this community effort and bring a friend!

Best - Ken

Ken Beitel
Chair of Wilderness Conversation
Proposed Meadowlark Open Space
email: meadowlarkopenspace@gmail.com

For more information or to volunteer with the Meadowlark Open Space campaign please email our team at:  meadowlarkopenspace@gmail.com  Thank you!