Parks & Open Space Acquires 340-Acre Conservation Easement Near Lyons — April 2026

Parks & Open Space Acquires 340-Acre Conservation Easement Near Lyons — April 2026

Boulder County Parks & Open Space has acquired a 340-acre conservation easement on a working ranch near the town of Lyons. The easement permanently protects critical wildlife habitat along the St. Vrain Creek corridor and preserves agricultural land from future development while keeping the property in private ownership.

The Resource Conservation processed over 7,090 applications last year, with an average processing time of 20 business days. Staff are available at the Gunbarrel office Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Eligible participants include Boulder County residents with household incomes at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI). For a family of four, this is approximately $114,000 per year. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Gunbarrel Senior Center offers related programming including free legal consultations, tax preparation assistance, health screenings, and social activities. Over 2,135 seniors participated in center programs last year.

Climate considerations are central to this effort. Boulder County’s 2025 Climate Action Plan sets targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 27% below 2005 levels by 2030. This project contributes to those goals through energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy integration, and reduced vehicle miles traveled.

How to Participate

A community information session will be held at the Gunbarrel library on Thursday, May 7 at 6:00 PM. Translation services in Spanish and Nepali will be available. The session will also be livestreamed on the Boulder County YouTube channel.