1999: The
Resource Stewardship Section of State Parks was created to perform biological
and GIS work on Park lands with Rob Billerbeck hired to staff this new
section.
1999-2005: Baseline inventories performed of
natural resources at state parks and the implementation of a statewide GIS
infrastructure was a main objective of this program.
The Stewardship Process
was implemented for each park resulting in a park specific Stewardship Plan
based on field inventories and historical data.
GIS surveys of natural
resources (weeds, rare plants, raptor nests) and man-made features (trails,
facilities, picnic sites) were mapped and continue to be updated at each Park.
2002: The Fuels
Mitigation Project launched to reduce the risk of large wildfires. In
cooperation with the State Forest Service, over 900 acres have been treated and
over 8,000 acres are planned for future projects.
2004: The Colorado
Natural Areas Program (CNAP) was moved under the leadership of Rob Billerbeck,
along with the Stewardship and Fuels Programs. Also added to the
responsibilities of the Stewardship Program is the Threatened and Endangered
Species development review process.
2005: Elizabeth
Brown hired as Resource Stewardship Coordinator and Brian Kurzel hired as
Natural Areas Coordinator.
2005 - Present:
Stewardship Plans and GIS mapping remain a high priority for the section. The
final two Stewardship Plans will be written in the 2007-08 season and go to an
editing phase beginning in 2008-09.
Noxious weed management and restoration activities continue to
be a top priority for Stewardship and Parks.
A Statewide Aquatic Nuisance Species coordination effort
is added to the suite of program activities with new invaders such as Eurasian
watermilfoil and New Zealand Mud Snail entering Colorado borders. Zebra
mussels first appeared in Colorado in January 2008 and Parks is rapidly
responding to this new threat.
State Parks Volunteer Raptor Monitoring Program is active
at eight parks and is expanding to new parks. The program results in nest
mapping, detailed bi-weekly nest monitoring and migration monitoring within
parks.
CNAP continues to grow and provide leadership for plant
conservation.
