Boulder City Council: Protect Wildlife Corridors in Boulder

Boulder City Council

Boulder is a special place to live.  We're privileged to have over 100,000 acres of open space that was preemptively set aside for all of us to enjoy.  However, even in Boulder, we are not exempt from the decline of species that is being seen worldwide.  Locals such as the American badger, white-tailed jackrabbit, leopard frog, Hudsonian emerald (a beautiful dragonfly), and others are on the decline here. With the dramatic expansion of development happening on the Front Range, Boulder is in a unique position to be a leader for people and wildlife.  We're already doing great work to protect our environment. But by doing a little more, we can protect our wildlife neighbors by designating wildlife corridors and recognizing the importance of habitat connectivity.

Additionally, our lives have changed drastically in the past couple months. But now, more than ever, is not the time to sit back. Right now, we’re in a short-term crisis. But by addressing our long-term relationship with biodiversity and the environment, we can prevent things like this from happening again in the future. Healthy ecosystems mitigate disease and keep us resilient to changing environments.

Habitat connectivity is the ability of wildlife (plants, mammals, birds, fish) to move from one habitat to another in order to fulfill their roles in the natural world.  Wildlife use corridors to move from one area of core habitat to another. Core habitats are large areas with intact ecological functions that are persistence enough to maintain wildlife populations over time.

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the biggest drivers of species decline and extinction worldwide. Without the ability to move in the wild, species can’t migrate, find mates, disperse (establish new territories), or even sometimes find food and water. Fragmentation also limits wildlife’s ability to adapt to climate change. As the climate changes, wildlife are finding it harder to move to more suitable places.

You can help your wild neighbors by signing this petition asking the Boulder City Council to recognize the importance of wildlife corridors in our own backyard!

Photo credit: City of Boulder

Petition by
Hailey Hawkins
Hailey Hawkins
Boulder, Colorado
Sponsored by
Esc_logo_
Endangered Species Coalition

To: Boulder City Council
From: [Your Name]

In Boulder, we're already doing a great job protecting the environment. We have you to thank for that as a member of the City Council.

However, in Boulder, we are not exempt from the decline of species that is being seen worldwide. Locals such as the American badger, white-tailed jackrabbit, leopard frog, Hudsonian emerald (a beautiful dragonfly), and others are on the decline here. With the dramatic expansion of development happening on the Front Range, Boulder is in a unique position to be a leader for people and wildlife.

It's important to recognize that our lives have changed drastically in the past couple months. Right now, we’re in a short-term crisis. But by addressing our long-term relationship with biodiversity and the environment, we can prevent things like this from happening again in the future. Healthy ecosystems mitigate disease and keep us resilient to changing environments.

Protecting Boulder’s native wildlife and their ecosystems is also an important legacy to pass on to future generations, and key to maintaining the city’s unique natural beauty. With habitat loss and fragmentation being one of the most serious threats to the diversity of our wild lands, we ask that the City advance efforts to establish and maintain habitat connectivity by identify corridors and educating the public.

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the biggest drivers of species decline and extinction worldwide. Without the ability to move in the wild, species can’t migrate, find mates, disperse (establish new territories), or even sometimes find food and water. Fragmentation also limits wildlife’s ability to adapt to climate change. As the climate warms, wildlife are finding it harder to move to more suitable places.​ Mountain ranges, like those in our backyard, could serve as climate refuge for our native wildlife species.

We have 100,000 acres of open space surrounding Boulder thanks to the foresight and strong environmental ethic of past and present leaders in our community. Let's do a little more and protect our wildlife neighbors by advancing efforts to establish and maintain habitat connectivity by identify corridors and educating the public.

Thank you for your time,