Boulder Area Environmental Topics - This page is under construction

This is an experimental Boulder Area Environmental Center. This area will serve as a clearing house for Boulder Area environmental information, including the local environment data, local environmental issues and environmental research and organizations active in the Boulder Area. A related page, Environmental Topics elsewhere on the Web will provide BCN with pointers to environmental issues and resources around the world.

We are actively soliciting comments, critiques, corrections, new ideas, and information sources from the public. There is lots of room for volunteers here. We welcome folks with their own ideas as well as folks who willing to take on many of the tasks already identified. Many of the tasks are non-technical; including writing, information gathering and public relations. If you the idea of this center please come and get involved.

Please send all mail to to waterman@bcn.boulder.us.co; a reply is guaranteed.

Contents

Links to Online and Topical Environmental Data

In this area we will try to maintain topical information on environmental affairs including news and events, schedules for local environmental radio and television programs and hot links to online sources of realtime and historic Boulder County environmental data . If you know of anything online or are involved in the collection or maintenance of any the following information (or something related) please get in touch. As much as possible we want to piggy back on existing WWW sites. Some ideas we are considering:
Environment in the local media
Links or refrences to environmental affairs in the local media including print, radio, and televison. For example:
Environmental Events
Workshops, group hikes, lectures, entertainment, fund raisers etc
Current weather readings and historic weather and climate records.
Real time weather and climate monitoring source available on line, weather maps and forcasts, special weather advisories, highway conditions, ski reports, city snow plowing priorities, snow pac status, historic records, etc. For example:
Air quality status, alerts and historic records.
Reports and restrictions from the Clean Air Campaign, On Line Real time air quality monitoring, air pollution source identification and statics, etc.
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Material sources and disposal procedures in Boulder County
Water supply and demand information.
Stream flow and water quality statics from USGS stream gages, water demand statics and forecasts, ET estimates and watering recommendations, snow pack stat us, reservoir levels, special water supply quality advisories, etc.
Astronomical Events
Events in the heavens, planets visable in the night ski, planetary conjunct ions, meteor showers and eclipses, special events, Fisk planetarium schedules.
Wildlife Reports
Unusual animal sitings, wildlife population statistics, endangered species in the county (?), Monthly Audubon wildlife siting reports, etc >Colorado Rare Bird Alert (or call (303)279-3076)
Planning and Policy issues
Special alerts on City Council and City and County Commission agenda topics related to planning and growth, changes in City and County policy land use policy, zoning and building code topics, Open space land purchase plans and priorities, announcement of new major development plans, etc.
Colorado Land Use issues
Any special alerts on Colorado National Forest timber sales, Colorado EPA Superfund sites, changes in Federal land use policies, topics related to planning and growth, changes in City and County policy,
.. and more ...
please send us ideas, especially (but not only) you have time and interest in helping to bring them to fruition.

A Description of the Boulder County Environment

It would be nice to provide a mini GIS system to fill this need. Unfortunately this calls for a graphics capability that the initial BCN environment is unlikely to provide (most users using lynx). More likely this section will be limited to basic facts about Boulder County and text descriptions of its features. If you think graphics are worth considering let us know. Alternative suggestions are also welcome.

Major Boulder County Environmental Issues

Environmental issues have long been front page news in Boulder and most local issues include some environmental factor. BCN will never advocate a position on these issue but we may try to present the undisputed facts in ongoing issues. Some environmental news topics which come to mind:

Historical Environmental Perspectives in Boulder

Some environmental issues stand out in Boulder history and would be nice to provide some information on these stories for virtual vistors interested in our community. Some of these could be pointers to named locations in other history documents. Some that come to mind: surely there are others, any Boulder Historians out there ?

Environmental Research Activities in Boulder

Environmental Activism in Boulder County

This space is reserved for the numerous private and non-profit environmental organizations active in Boulder County. We'd like to mirror all the environmental groups listed on the Environmental Activism around the World page which are active in the Boulder Area, as well as local groups. If you are involved in one of these groups, your info could be here ! Get in touch.

Boulder County Environmental Policies and Infrastructure

This section is designed to cover the nuts and bolts of the environmental infrastructure in Boulder County including political, legal, and physical structures which monitor the environment and regulate environmental impacts. while meeting the populations needs and develping natural resource in the county.

City and County Environmental Programs

Academic Research Programs

Federal Environmental Research Organizations

The City of Boulder is home to several Federal agencies with environmental mandates, and others maintain branch offices here and at the Denver Federal Center near by. The following is list of federal labs who maintain a major presence in Boulder County. Additional information on Federal Agencies with an environmental mandate can be found through the BCN page National Federal Environmental Rearch.

Privately Funded Research Organizations

Non-Profit Research Organizations in Boulder

BCN Boulder Area Environmental Topics / waterman@earthsci.do.usbr.gov