A volunteer group promoting quality of life, and the
environment of the Lower Blue River Valley.
The Friends of the Lower Blue River are dedicated to sustaining and protecting the traditional agricultural character, promoting the safety of the residents, livestock and wildlife, and maintaining the environmental integrity of the Lower Blue River Valley through education, collaboration and community involvement.
To sustain and protect the traditional agricultural character, promote the safety of the residents, livestock and wildlife, and maintain the environmental integrity of the Lower Blue River Valley through education, collaboration and community involvement.
Friends of the Lower Blue River is committed to preserving the rich history of the Blue River Valley. Through grant support from the Summit Foundation, we have created this interactive tool that documents and takes you to key points of interest in the Valley. You will see photographs and read about those who came before us. Those who settled this pristine area of Summit and Grand Counties in the 1800’s and the relevance those sites have today. FOLBR invites you to take this journey on our website and discover the treasure, that truly is the Lower Blue River Valley.
Click Here to see History Story Map
Example of a Beaver Dam Analog
Last month, our Wetlands for Wildlife project, funded and sponsored by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, took real steps forward. We began ground operations along with Ecometrics, uplifting previously modest wetlands, implementing beaver dam analogs as a natural climate solutions tool within our Climate Resilience Initiative. This process allows the stream to expand following historical flows, enhancing biodiversity, mitigating drought impacts and promoting healthy wildlife habitat.
The next phase of this project is already underway creating Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping designs. We are also working to develop field verification teams this autumn to examine the natural intricacies of streams. Next spring, we will continue this work throughout more of the Lower Blue River Valley.
The annual Breckenridge Fly Fishing Film Tour is on March 22 at the Riverwalk Center offering a traveling roadshow of the best fly fishing films in the world. This is the 18th Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), offering a top notch selection of short films that are sure to get you fired up for the season ahead. The F3T is the original and largest fly fishing film event of its kind.
While the event is a collection of great cinematography, the BreckF3T aims to create community and kick-off the 2024 fly angling season right by supporting disabled veterans, high school stream ecology education and local conservation efforts.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children and students 3-17 years old. For tickets, click the link below. Doors open at 5:30pm with live music from KelLee Abdella, food, drink, and mapping out the Raffle Corral for when your winning ticket gets drawn. Films start at 7pm.
https://tickets.breckcreate.org/Online/seatSelect.asp?createBO
Emily Gutierrez--Sky Hi News
During the winter months big game wildlife head to their winter ranges as they try to find vegetation and grazing areas not buried by snow. Seasonal closures are often instituted to help protect these animals as they forage for food beneath the snow.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife partnered with outdoor recreation organizations to help protect wildlife when they’re most susceptible. Animals like elk and deer are most vulnerable to human disturbances in the winter season when they come down from high elevations to low lying valleys.
Winter Wildlands Alliance and Colorado Mountain Club will be working with Parks and Wildlife to share new educational resources with Coloradans to help winter recreationists understand and lessen impacts on the state’s wildlife.
On February 26, FOLBR held ..."Colorado Water 101"... As an introductory water education event to local and state water information. Convened at The PAD in Silverthorne, the event covered water development history, water rights basics, water administration, and duties and responsibilities of water commissioners.
Speakers included: Patty Rettig, Head Archivist, Water Resources Archives, CSU Morgan Library; Caleb Foy, Assistant Division Engineer, CDWR Water Division 5; Troy Wineland, CDWR Water Commissioner, Water District 36; Scott Hummer, former Water Commissioner and FOLBR Board Member. Their information focused on both the Blue River and the Colorado River.
The audience of about 50 people had mixed interests, as evidenced through their questions during the presentations. Participants left the event with an improved understanding of Colorado's most precious natural resource, our water.
Governor Jared Polis has released the second version of the state's climate action plan to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution in half by 2030, and make progress toward net-zero GHG pollution in Colorado by 2050. First released in 2021, the original Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap (‘Roadmap’) laid out a set of near-term commitments to reduce emissions across economic sectors. Having completed more than 95% of the near-term actions from the original Roadmap, "Roadmap 2.0" updates Colorado’s emissions forecast and lays out a new set of bold actions to save Coloradans money and continue making progress toward a clean energy future.
According to Governor Polis, “Colorado has been a national model in bold climate action that improves air quality and protects our precious resources and open spaces. This updated, comprehensive Roadmap continues pushing our state forward in ways that will save Coloradans money, protect our air and water, and ensure a more sustainable future for Colorado.”
The slogan “THINK GLOBALLY ACT LOCALLY” is pretty catchy. When it
comes to climate change (or as some say “climate disruption”) I ask myself, what can I do locally as a Summit County resident, and will my actions have any impact?
The answer is yes. We can all have an impact and here are just a few ways:
Less car idling: I have paid more attention to the number of cars in our complex left idling for several minutes. With fuel injection now in most, if not all new cars, idling isn’t necessary. The exhaust from internal combustion engines contains pollutants that negatively impact then air we breathe. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, personal vehicles in the US generate around 30 million tons of CO2 every year just by idling. Approximately 20 billion dollars is spent every year for gas and diesel fuel in vehicles that are idling and not moving. In Colorado, statewide regulations pertain to larger commercial vehicles and prohibit idling more than five minutes. So, if you think you might be idling for longer than 30 seconds, turning off your engine. It is a better choice.
Climate Change is real and so are the risks that range from food security, drought, supply chain issues etc. Are these risks borne by municipalities and businesses appropriately recognized and priced into the marketplace for financial instruments?
In a broad sense climate change represents a systemic risk as it is so interwoven into many global systems, including financial. Many experts believe these risks are pervasive enough to disrupt the entire financial system.
Standard and Poor Global Credit shows if global warming does not stay well below 2 degrees Celsius by 2050, up to 4.4% of the world's GDP could be lost annually. If adaptation isn't adopted, this will disproportionally affect developing economies. We find lower-income countries are 4.4 times more exposed to climate risks than wealthy countries.