2020 trends | executive summary | Download the Report
As the newly appointed Interim Director of the Center for Sustainable Landscapes and Communities, I am pleased to present the 2020 Ecosystems Trends Report.
Boulder’s immense environmental resources and commitment to stewardship are among the defining features of our community. Indeed, Boulder’s leadership and innovation in this arena have inspired the efforts of communities around the nation. Yet we are acutely aware that the ecosystems around us are under threat from myriad pressures at local to global scales. It is this recognition that inspired this unique collaboration between the Center for Sustainable Landscapes and Communities at CU-Boulder, The City of Boulder, Boulder County, and the Community Foundation to bring you this critical and timely report.
The Ecosystem Trends Report represents several months of hard work and dedication on behalf of the project team, and the ongoing commitment of local researchers and community members who have for years been monitoring the health of our surrounding ecosystems. The report synthesizes diverse streams of evidence to reveal the current status of six categories of ecosystem health, including climate, soil health, watershed health, air quality, biodiversity, and urban land cover. Importantly, the contents of this report reflect conditions within our local community, and the data and categories were selected with the great input and guidance of local leaders and residents. As a result, this report offers new perspectives on the past, present, and future of our local ecosystems and empowers us with the tools to conserve and protect the landscapes that we hold so dear.
I want to thank the many talented professionals and community members who have made this report a reality—I am both humbled and inspired by your efforts. I look forward to the productive discussions that emerge from this report. Armed with this critical information, I am confident that the community of Boulder is ready and willing to meet the challenges that lie ahead in this time of unprecedented environmental change and that we will continue to lead in these efforts.
Amanda Carrico
Interim Director of the CSLC
University of Colorado, Boulder
Major takeaways from the report
Climate
Boulder’s climate is noticeably changing, with distinct increases in the number of hot days, as well as “wetter” late winter and spring wet periods, and “drier” summer and early fall dry periods over the past thirty years. The frequency and intensity of hail storms has increased over the past three decades as well.
Soil health
Land and farm management practices, such as low-to-no soil tillage and maintenance of high plant diversity on our open space grasslands, enhance the ability of our soils to store carbon and reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Providing greater access to water systems on small to medium-sized farms could increase the possibilities for reducing tillage.
Watershed health
Winter snowpack in our local watersheds provides Boulder’s water supply, and benthic macroinvertebrates show that our creeks maintain high water quality. Urban growth and associated land cover change introduces pollutants to our water, so minimizing runoff from impervious surfaces helps to improve water quality.
Air quality
Boulder’s air quality is influenced seasonally by emissions from multiple sources, including transportation and industrial natural gas production and processing. Winter air pollution is particularly noticeable. Local monitoring of air pollutant concentration allows for fine-grained measurements of air quality that can inform policy and regulatory measures.
Biodiversity
Boulder County supports an amazing variety of pollinator species, and local efforts to enhance pollinator habitat are growing. Black bears are common visitors to the city of Boulder and appear to be expanding eastward. Several species of birds of prey have declined significantly over the past 30 years, despite robust open space acquisition and management efforts.
Urban land cover
Boulder’s urban tree canopy is at risk due to infestation of ash trees by the Emerald Ash Borer. Targeted tree planting efforts can help to replace these lost trees and their benefits. Tree canopy across the city of Boulder is equitably distributed, with rental housing locations having similar tree cover to owner-occupied locations.
▶︎ for residents
Boulder is rich with opportunities for action that can make a noticeable difference for our ecosystems, including cycling instead of driving, planting a pollinator garden, supporting efforts to monitor air quality, and getting engaged in community science projects to measure watershed health.
▶︎ for businesses
Boulder’s business community attracts employees, clients, and customers based on our high quality of life, which relates directly to air and water quality, urban green spaces, and a hospitable climate. Private sector innovations for environmental sustainability are critical to ensure Boulder remains a great place to do business.
▶︎ for students
The ecosystem trends described in this report offer many opportunities for new research and collaborative learning. Read and imagine how you can contribute to building knowledge about Boulder’s ecosystems.
▶︎ for elected officials
One of the core activities of the CSLC is to facilitate active and engaged public discourse on environmental issues relevant to our community. The topics included in this report were selected via public gatherings in 2019-2020 and thus offer a guide for environmental priorities in Boulder County.
2020 Ecosystem Trends
