Job Announcements for Early October

Sampling for macroinvertebrates

The University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Studies program invites applicants for a junior-level tenure-track position of Assistant Professor in Natural Resources Policy and Governance, beginning August 21, 2017. They are soliciting applicants with expertise in natural resources policy and management, with an emphasis on water, energy, land use or another natural resource focal area. More information is available at https://cu.taleo.net.

The Laramie Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland will be advertising for a District Recreation Staff. This is a permanent position, located in the Supervisor’s Office. This position serves as the District Recreation Staff Officer with primary responsibility for the management of the recreation, lands and minerals program. This includes oversight of District recreation budget, fulfilling reporting requirements to the Supervisors Office (SO) as requested, coordination of all NEPA documents related to the recreation lands and minerals program, and supervision. Find more information on this position www.collaborativeconservation.org.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Resource Stewardship Program is seeking applicants for our Winter Program Technician position. The Resource Stewardship Winter Program Technician position job listing link and a link to the CPW jobs page are HERE.

Funding Opportunities for Late September

Old Fall River Road

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) has announced a Habitat Restoration Grant opportunity. GOCO funding for habitat restoration aims to improve and restore Colorado's rivers, streams, wetlands, and critical habitat. The program offers $500,000 in available funding. Previous habitat restoration grants targeted river habitat, but the current program includes all types of ecosystem restoration and enhancement, from forests and grasslands to rivers and wetlands. Applications are available upon request. For more information about this grant visit the GOCO website. Applications are due on September 23, 2016.

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) Program provides direct technical assistance and financial assistance in the form of cooperative agreements to private landowners to restore and conserve fish and wildlife habitat for the benefit of federal trust resources. The PFW Program is delivered through more than 250 full-time staff, active in all 50 States and territories. Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program staff coordinate with project partners, stakeholders and other Service programs to identify geographic focus areas and develop habitat conservation priorities within these focus areas. Geographic focus areas are where the PFW Program directs resources to conserve habitat for federal trust species. Project work plans are developed strategically, in coordination with partners, and with substantial involvement from Service field staff. Projects must advance their mission, promote biological diversity, and be based upon sound scientific biological principles. Program strategic plans inform the types of projects funded under this opportunity. Applicants seeking funding under this program should review the program strategic plan and also contact the regional PFW Program office prior to submitting an application for funding. Current Closing Date for applications is Sep 30, 2016. For more information go to www.grants.gov.

EPA has announced the Fifth Annual Campus RainWorks Challenge Prize Competition. This competition encourages students to design green infrastructure for their campus. This year, the student teams will incorporate climate resiliency and consider community engagement in their stormwater management designs. Teams will be able to submit in either the master plan or demonstration project categories. Registration for this year’s competition will be open from September 1-30, 2016.  For more information go to epa.gov/green-infrastructure.

The Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program, sponsored by the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Western Mining Action Network, provides support to community-based organizations and tribes or tribal programs in the U.S. and Canada. The goal of the program is to support the capacity building efforts of mining-impacted communities to assure that mining projects do not adversely affect the human, cultural, and ecological health of communities. Requests must be project-specific for an immediate need such as legal assistance, organizing and outreach, development of campaign materials, etc. Grants of up to $3,000 are provided. Requests are reviewed three times per year; the next application deadline is October 1, 2016. Visit the Western Mining Action Network website to download the application form.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is accepting proposals for its SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships grant program. SFI works to foster partnerships between organizations working to improve forest management in the United States and Canada and responsible procurement globally. The program addresses issues such as improving wildlife habitat management and conservation of biodiversity, avoiding controversial sources of fiber such as those resulting from illegal logging, and assisting local communities through forest education programs and green-building projects for low-income families. Qualified organizations may apply for Conversation grants or Community grants. Conservation grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded in support of projects that measure, demonstrate, or establish methodologies to demonstrate the conservation-related values of SFI-certified forestlands, or such values as result from application of the SFI Fiber Sourcing standard. A secondary priority will be given to projects related to the application of the SFI Forest Management or Fiber Sourcing standards, particularly in the areas of forest health, wildlife, fish, biodiversity, or which support the growth of SFI certification within the aboriginal/tribal community or enhance the capacity of this community to assess and manage natural and cultural resources. Community grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded for projects focused on educating youth, promoting respect for traditional indigenous values, helping provide sustainable housing for low-income families, and funding other projects to build understanding of the importance of responsible forestry. For complete eligibility and application guidelines as well as summaries of previously funded projects, see the SFI website. Deadline October 10th, 2016.

National Science Foundation’s Environmental Sustainability Program Grants for research that affect more than one chemical or manufacturing process or that takes a systems or holistic approach to green engineering for infrastructure or green buildings. Improvements in distribution and collection systems that will advance smart growth strategies and ameliorate effects of growth are research areas that are supported by Environmental Sustainability. Innovations in management of storm water, recycling and reuse of drinking water, and other green engineering techniques to support sustainability may also be fruitful areas for research. Application deadline is October 20th, 2016. For details visit grants.gov.

Applications are being accepted for the Colorado Corn FFA Grant program. The National FFA Organization was founded in 1928, and, with its focus on middle school and high school classes that promote and support ag education, is the largest of the career and technical student organizations in U.S. schools. For a fourth year, the Colorado Corn Administrative Committee is accepting applications from FFA chapters around the state as part of its Colorado Corn FFA Grant Program. The Colorado Corn FFA Grant Program assists FFA chapters in Colorado on projects that lack funding within their school district's budget. The deadline to apply is November 15th, 2016. Click HERE for more information.

Conservation Alliance Invites Nominations for Conservation Projects. The Conservation Alliance is a group of outdoor businesses that seeks to protect threatened wild places throughout North America for their habitat and recreational values. As a group of outdoor industry companies, alliance recognizes its responsibility to help protect the wild lands and waterways on which our customers recreate and wildlife thrives. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded for projects that seek to secure permanent and quantifiable protection of a specific wild land or waterway. Priority will be given to landscape-scale projects that have a clear benefit for habitat. In addition, campaigns should engage grassroots citizen action in support of the conservation effort and must have a clear recreational benefit. Nominations must be received no later than November 1, 2016. Upon review, selected nominees will be invited to submit full proposals by December 1, 2016. Visit the Conservation Alliance website for program guidelines, information about how to be nominated by an alliance member, and application procedures.

Conferences & Events for Late September

Campsite by Grizzly Creek, Glenwood Canyon, Colorado

SEPTEMBER 17th, 2016: 8th Annual Clear Creek Watershed Festival with the Clear Creek Watershed Foundation and Colorado State University Extension | Clear Creek County. Discover what's in your watershed! This is a hands-on learning experience. Start at the Festival Passport Check-in and begin your journey visiting with 25+ environmental stations. This festival features live music, climbing tower, snowmaking, goldpanning, fishing, fly-tying and a celebrity appearance with Woodsy Owl of the U.S. Forest Service. After visiting all of the passport stations you receive a free lunch. For more information visit www.clearcreekwater.org.

SEPTEMBER 18th, 2016: 6th Annual Headwaters Hoedown from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm at a NEW LOCATION, La Garita Creek Ranch, Saguache County. Join the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust for the conservation event of the year! The Hoedown will feature music by Don Richmond & the Rifters, locally sourced food by Pepita's Catering, a fabulous silent auction (including unique experiences and gear for fishermen!), archaeology tours, and so much more. For more information about the Headwaters Hoedown, including an event schedule, visit their website at www.riograndelandtrust.org.

SEPTEMBER 22nd, 2016: Careers in Natural Resources Summit. Your organization will learn how to develop training modules tailored for your participants to build pathways to careers in natural resources. Attending organizations will receive a toolkit including hard copies of the career manual, “A How-To Guide for Pursuing a Career in Natural Resources” and digital resources including training activities, presentations, and more! This event is FREE and lunch will be provided due to support from Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, and US Forest Service. Registration will open this summer. For more information go to the Colorado Youth Corps Association.

SEPTEMBER 23rd - 25th, 2016: Colorado Annual Student Water Field Conference hosted by Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, Colo. Itinerary includes dinner at Fruita State Park, a tour of river restoration and diversions along Colorado River’s Riverfront Trail in Grand Junction, followed by a farm tour and a farm dinner in the lower Grand Valley. Students work in groups to develop plans for sharing what they have learned when they return home. For additional information, contact Gigi Richard at: 970.248.1689, grichard@coloradomesa.edu.

SEPTEMBER 24th, 2016: National Public Lands Day at Barr Lake State Park from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. There will be a Shoreline Cleanup at the park and a Dog Days Celebration from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.  After you’ve gotten some instant gratification from picking up trash along the shore, let your canine friend enjoy a bone bar, a pool party and Paw Print Art.  Giveaways and free park entrance for participants. It should be a really fun day. Preregistration requested – call 303-659-6005 to RSVP. Meet at the Nature Center.

SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2016: Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) Riversweep Project on the South Platte River from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. ELK youth will be participating in a river sweep project along the South Platte River with participants from partner organizations, Spree and cityWILD. Throughout the program, youth will learn about common pollutants, the science behind water quality testing and the importance of their roles in preserving the environment for generations to come. Must RSVP to Amy Wright if you would like to attend this event: awright@elkkids.org. 

SEPTEMBER 24th, 2016: Colorado Tree Coalition 2016 TOUR DE POUDRE BIKE RIDE from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm. The Tour de Poudre is a one-day bike ride offering 35 and 60 mile routes, you choose! The bike ride starts and finishes at Swingle Lawn, Tree and Landscape Care’s office in Fort Collins, Colorado. This ride will raise money for tree planting and tree research. Costs (non-refundable): $60 per person or $110 per couple, $50 per person for a team of 3 or more people. Fee includes commemorative event tee shirt for the first 50 participants, as well as lunch and drinks for all. Ride start/finish: 1805 E Lincoln Ave., Fort Collins, CO. Registrations must be submitted by September 10, 2016. Click HERE for more information and to register online. 

GREENWAY FOUNDATION SPREE Fall Family Events. Looking for free family-friendly fun this fall? Join SPREE for:

Family Fall RiverSweep: September 24th, 2016
Family Fishing Day: October 8th, 2016
Pioneering on the Platte: November 5th, 2016

Events are free, but registration is required. Sign up HERE!

SEPTEMBER 25th – 28th, 2016: Geological Society of America (GSA) 2016 meeting to be held in Denver.GSA’s mission includes: Scientific Research, Scientific Communication, Geologic Time, Technological Innovation, Geologic Hazards, Sustainability, and Natural Resources. Registration, technical programs, poster sessions, and exhibits will be held at the Colorado Convention Center. GSA Field Trips will also depart from the Colorado Convention Center. The Hyatt Regency Denver at CCC is the headquarter hotel where the majority of non-technical events will be held. Meeting abstracts are due July 12. For more information click HERE.

SEPTEMBER 26th, 2016: Climate Change and Disaster Law - Book Release starting at 5:30 pm, at the University of Colorado School of Law, Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom. Featuring Rosemary Lyster, University of Sydney Law School, Professor of Climate and Environmental Law, Director, Australian Center for Climate and Environmental Law. This is free and open to the public. You must be registered to attend. More information and registration available HERE.

SEPTEMBER 27th, 2016:  Joint Forum of the Animas Watershed Partnership and the San Juan Watershed Group from 7:00 PM – 9:00 pm at Riverside Park under Pavilion 1 in Aztec, NM. Join them for an evening outdoors by the Animas River! Their speaker Michaelene Kyrala from NMED will present: The Gold King Mine Citizens’ Advisory Committee Update: the committee, the purpose and members, and highlights from previous meetings. Following this presentation, they will show the National Geographic “Chasing Rivers” Film. Popcorn and lemonade provided! There are picnic tables for seating, but feel free to bring your own chair and snacks. For more information, please contact Rachel Hoffman, AWP Outreach Coordinator, healthyanimas.awp@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER 28th – 30th, 2016: Heart of Colorado Rural Philanthropy Days. Summit County will host the 2016 Heart of Colorado RPD Conference for Chaffee, Clear Creek, Custer, Fremont, Gilpin, Lake, Park, Summit, and Teller Counties. Take advantage of capacity building opportunities, collaborative dialogue and the signature funder roundtables. Check out which capacity building sessions will be offered during the conference and start planning how to make the most of your time at RPD. For more information and to  register click HERE.

SEPTEMBER 29th, 2016: 6th Annual Carver Colloquium, Water for Sale: Prior Appropriation or Free Market Trade?  This event takes place from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm followed by a reception at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. The Colloquium features a debate about whether water should continue to be allocated using prior appropriation or if a free market system would be better. Colorado’s water law is based on the beneficial use of “first in time, first in right” water allocations. But because of increasing demand and limited availability, water is also a hot commodity economically. This event will examine the legal basis and legitimacy of both systems for Colorado’s water future. Join in person at the Sturm College of Law or watch the live feed online. Admission is free, but you must registerHERE to attend.

SEPTEMBER 29th, 2016: The Institute for Environmental Solutions (IES) will host the quarterly Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants (CREEC) meeting in Denver. The meeting will focus on behavior change methods and strategies to prevent water contamination from contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). At this meeting, IES will provide an introduction to community-oriented preventive strategies for confronting chemical contaminants at their sources, and the natural and social science foundations on which these strategies are built. They will present IES’s proposed 2016 Save Our Water Initiative project. For more information go to creec.net.

OCTOBER 6TH, 2016: 10th Annual Brews, Boots and Bucks, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm, Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver, Colorado. Join the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts (CCLT) in celebrating land conservation in Colorado! This year's program features Luis Benitez, the first director of Colorado’s new Outdoor Recreation Industry Office for a conversation with CCLT Executive Director Amanda Barker on how private land conservation and the outdoor recreation industry are working together. For more information visit their website, www.cclt.org. 

OCTOBER 7th, 2016: 2016 West Slope Environmental Education Conference - Bringing Colorado's EE Plan to Life. This conference will be held from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Ridgway State Park Group Event Facility, located in Pa-Co-Chu-Puk area of the park. Join environmental education (EE) providers and supporters from agencies, nonprofits, schools, and environmental, nature, conservation fields for an engaging summit. Learn more about the Colorado Environmental Education Plan, network and share ideas, and find inspiration from innovative EE leaders. For more information and registration go to www.caee.org.

October 8th, 2016: The Friends of Barr Lake’s 4th Annual Harvest Fest at Barr Lake State Park from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.  There will be lots of fun activities for the kiddos including a petting zoo, face painting, hay rides and a pumpkin market. For more information, contact barr.lake.nature.center@state.us.co or call 303-659-6005.

OCTOBER 11th - 13th, 2016: Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference: A River Runs Out of It: Building Strong Upstream Communities. The Colorado Watershed Assembly in partnership with the Colorado Foundation for Water Education and the Colorado Riparian Association hosts this conference focused on cooperation and collaboration throughout Colorado in natural resource conservation, protection, and enhancement. Registration Opens July 2016! Visit our Conference Page for more information.

OCTOBER 11th, 2016: ThinkWater Workshop in Avon Colorado with the Water Educator Network at the Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference. We are fortunate to have Jeremy Solin coming in from the University of Wisconsin to lead us in a ThinkWater workshop. You, your colleagues, networks, members, and your students are invited as well as anyone else who may be interested. This workshop will teach us skills to teaching thinking skills so that our program participants and students are better able to understand the content being delivered. Our participants need skills and structure to understand and apply the water content delivered in education programs.  Systems thinking provides those skills and structure. Systems thinking can help us better design and deliver education programs. Register HERE.

NOVEMBER 2nd & 3rd, 2016: The Sixth Annual Upper Colorado River Basin Forum will be held at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. The theme is"Complex Systems in Flux: Changing Relationships between Water, People and the Environment." They have a CALL FOR ABSTRACTS on presentation proposals from water managers, policy makers, scholars and other stakeholders. The call for abstracts is available here.

NOVEMBER 14th, 2016: Sustainable Denver Summit, Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, Downtown Denver Sheraton from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The Sustainable Denver Summit is about working together to create long-term strategies and specific commitments to achieve our 2020 Sustainability Goals. Breakout Tracks include: Energy Solutions, Affordable Housing, Density and Mobility, Water Systems, Materials and Waste Management, and Food and Health Systems. For more information click HERE.

DECEMBER 2nd, 2016: Save the date, The 8th Annual Colorado WaterWise Water Conservation Summit is coming on at St Cajetans, Auraria Campus. Visit ColoradoWaterWise.org to register and be a part of this great event.

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Trainings for Late September

Kayaker

SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2016: Water Festival Coordinator Workshop, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Pueblo. The morning will be spent learning from experienced water festival coordinators some of the best practices and innovative methods for planning, logistics, executing, and evaluating the effectiveness of a water festival. Plenty of time will be structured for networking and sharing. Bring your innovative water festival activity or tool to share in the afternoon. Also, learn a few new stormwater activities from Earth Force and Denver Public Works' KIC-NET program and how to implement the Colorado Geographic Alliance's new 16'x20' Colorado state map into your water festival. Continuing education credit certificates available for educators. For more information and to register go to, www.yourwatercolorado.org.

SEPTEMBER 27th, 2016: Connecting Environmental Education to Standards Back to School Webinar with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) at 3:00 pm. As students head back to school are you looking to strengthen and align your programming to state educational standards? Join CAEE online to discuss how environmental and outdoor education programs can support and enhance standards based curriculum and activities being taught both in and outside the classroom. Register Today.

OCTOBER 24th, 2016: Train-the-Trainer Workshop: Integrating Water into Land Use Planning, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. This free workshop is targeted to local government planners and water providers who want to be trained to provide educational workshops in their community and/or region to explore issues of water and land use planning and how to develop effective plans and implementation strategies for water conservation. Participants will be guided in three training modules and learn how to conduct educational workshops for local government leaders in their region. The modules will help trainers enhance communication and provide specific land use techniques regarding water efficiency and land use. The Colorado Water Conservation Board with support from the Department of Local Affairs are coordinating this educational effort. This Train-the-Trainer workshop is being offered in conjunction with the American Planning Association, Colorado State Conference in Colorado Springs at the Antlers Hotel.
The training workshop is free, but space is limited. Click HERE to register.

OCTOBER 25TH, 2016: River Network webinar, Water Scarcity as a Catalyst for Integrated Water Management – Creating Multiple Benefits for Your Community and River, 2:00 pm Eastern - 3:30 pm Eastern. At scales ranging from the neighborhood and city to the watershed and basin, some communities are doing the work of breaking down the silos in water management to increase sustainability and equitably maximize benefits across the community and watershed. So, what does “Integrated Water Management” mean for your watershed and your community? Where has it been used and what are the benefits and challenges? Can it help your community achieve “triple bottom line” (environmental, social and economic) benefits? Join them to learn how communities in Washington and San Francisco – driven by limited water resources – are seeking ways to integrate water management with other sectors and at varying scales, from the Basin to the building level. Click HERE for more information.

Announcements for Late September

Hanging Lake taken during the height of spring runoff season.

A status report on the Cucharas Collaborative Storage Study will be the topic at the next public meeting set for September 22nd, 2016 at 6:00 pm at the Walsenburg, Colorado library. This public meeting is a venue for discussion regarding the study approach, findings, and information considered as part of the study. If you want to be included on the general distribution list for information related to this study, please forward that request to Carol Dunn at cdunn@cad-1.com.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION HEARING BEFORE THE COLORADO WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION

On Tuesday, October 11, 2016, the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) will hold a public Administrative Action Hearing beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the CDPHE Florence Sabin Conference Room at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246-1530. This hearing is to consider approval of the Water Quality Control Division’s proposed FY 2017 Intended Use Plans for the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (WPCRF) and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF). The proposed intended use plans for FY 2017 funding are available on the commission’s website at: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wqcc-administrative-action-hearings. Questions regarding the Intended Use Plans and/or the Project Eligibility lists should be directed to Erick Worker by email at erick.worker@state.co.us or by phone at (303) 692-3594; or Brad Monson by email at bradley.monson@state.co.us or by phone at (303) 692-2286.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board, Department of Natural Resources next Water Availability Task Force meeting will be held on Friday, September 16, 2016 from 9:00 am - 11:00 am at the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Headquarters, 6060 Broadway, Denver in the Red Fox Room. An agenda will be posted at the CWCB website. 

Mark your calendar for the 2017 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. The conference is designed to allow both in-person discussion at multiple locations and online attendance.  Participants can learn about local and national stormwater and watershed issues while networking at their preferred attendance location. Major conference topics include: IDDE, Public Education, National Certification, Monitoring, and Stream Restoration. Learn about exciting research, case studies, innovative technology, and special regional considerations from experts around the country. Registration will open soon. Stay tuned for more information on registration and sponsorship! For more information visit cwp.org.

The Colorado Wildland Fire Conference is accepting presentation proposals. The conference will be held April 19 – 21, 2017 at the Pueblo Convention Center in Pueblo, CO. This conference will provide an atmosphere for professionals and landowners to have solutions-oriented discussions about creating communities in Colorado that are adapted to wildfire. This year’s conference will expand on the Fire Adapted Communities concept, providing the framework for moving from awareness to action, messaging to mitigation, and words to work. This is a great opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise about reducing communities’ vulnerability to wildfire. The conference planning committee is looking for presentations that focus on innovative research influencing policy changes; case studies of overcoming barriers to planning and implementation; and success stories of on the ground actions to create Fire Adapted Communities. Submit your presentation proposals online HERE. Presentation proposals are due Friday, November 18, 2016 by 11:59 p.m.

National, farmer-led movement for soil health receives $4 million boost. A revolutionary effort to support on-farm conservation has added a new partner representing major agricultural companies, food companies and environmental groups. The new collaboration will accelerate the Soil Health Partnership's leadership in helping farmers adopt practices that protect natural resources while potentially increasing profits. At the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, industry-leading companies and environmental organizations announced the launch of the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative. Its goal is to support, enhance and accelerate the use of environmentally preferable agricultural practices. Read more HERE.