Broomfield Open Space Action Network Events

Mark your calendars for 2025 BOSAN Events below

Please follow the links to sign up. Anyone from any community can come lend a hand and learn about our native short grass prairies. It’s applicable to everyone and everyone is appreciated.

Please post any questions in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them in a timely manner.

Dig In and Plant

Broomfield Open Space Action Network Event

Keep the Earth Day celebration going with us by restoring habitat by planting at Broomfield Commons Open Space. Join the City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield Open Space Foundation, and Butterfly Pavilion’s Urban Prairie Project Restoration Master Volunteers, and other open space champions from the community on April 26th from 9-12 pm.

This event is FREE and open to all ages.

We will meet at the Broomfield County Commons Park, near the playground. 

Bring gloves, wear sturdy closed-toe shoes, long sleeves and pants, and bring water. We will provide instruction, tools, and plants. 

Register here: https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/dccb6d33-55b7-480c-94d7-74aee3ed812e

Put Your Nature Detective Hat On

Broomfield Open Space Action Network Event

Bio Blitz Events (May 17th, July 19th, September 13th) 7:30-9:30 am

Broomfield’s open spaces are home to a plethora of plants and animals native to Colorado. 

You are invited to join the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield Open Space Foundation, and Butterfly Pavilion’s Urban Prairie Project Restoration Master Volunteers, and other open space champions from the community to investigate all the living things found in the Broomfield Commons Open Space or The Field.

We will be conducting a bio blitz (cataloging all life) using the iNaturalist app (a free app used to identify plants and animals) and some nature guides to identify as many plants and animals as we can find. Stay as long as you like, any amount of time you can contribute is helpful! All skill levels and ages are welcome and children are welcome with an adult. 

This event is FREE and open to all ages. 

Bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, closed-toe shoes, and a curious and observant mind. If you plan to bring your phone to use iNaturalist, please download the app and set up your account before the event. 

For the Broomfield Commons Location: We will meet at the Broomfield County Commons Park, near the playground. 

For The Field: We will meet at the Brunner House.

Register for Commons bio blitzes

May 17th:

https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/34369abc-7d31-4c38-9c65-407723431f71

July 19th:

https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/489d636c-a539-450e-8b92-216caed64f0b

September 13th: 

https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/1af820ab-1ea9-414e-a49e-e201ed0af197

Register for The Field bio blitzes

May 17th:

https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/8d0f7dfb-dfa5-4640-b6d6-2df9b5245ed6

July 19th:

https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/538911fa-8d14-4e9d-94ef-40f66419f0d0

Septmeber 13th: 

https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/2d03422c-e12c-4580-9421-60235fc570e6

Weed Pull Event

Broomfield Open Space Action Network Event

June 14th 8 am to 10 am 

Open spaces are full of life unique to Colorado and in order for that life to thrive, we need to remove troublemakers. Noxious weeds are plants that don’t play nice with other plants by pushing the desirable native plants out of the landscape. This reduces diversity in the spaces that noxious weeds occupy. Noxious weeds produce hundreds of seeds that could last up to 100 years in the soil! Broomfield Commons Open Space has noxious weeds that must be escorted out to let the natives move in. 

We invite you to join us in the battle against Musk Thistle and Common Mullein along the northern- most border of Broomfield Commons Open Space.

This event is FREE and open to all ages, but bear in mind this is hard work. 

We will meet in the North lot of Paul Derda Recreation Center (13201 Lowell Blvd). Broomfield City and County staff will be there, along with Broomfield Open Space Foundation Board Members, some Butterfly Pavilion RMVs, and other open space champions from the community. 

Wear long sleeves, long pants, closed-toe shoes, sun hats, and sunscreen. Bring gloves, water, and feel free to bring loppers, hand clippers, and shovels. We will provide some tools and trash bags as well. 

Your sweat equity will pay off leaving a positive mark on Broomfield Commons Open Space! 

Register here: https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/b2b70a34-6497-4acf-8189-b155f19af366

Seed Harvest Event

Broomfield Open Space Action Network Event

Ridgeview Open Space is host to many native flowering plants and grasses, and we’d like to spread the wealth to Broomfield Commons Open Space, but we must first harvest seeds. On October 25th from 9-12 pm, you’re invited to join the City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield Open Space Foundation, and Butterfly Pavilion’s Urban Prairie Project Restoration Master Volunteers to harvest seeds to be planted at a later date in Broomfield Commons Open Space.  You do not need to be an expert on native plants nor an expert seed harvester, there will be instructions and experts there to guide you.  

This event is FREE and open to all ages.

We will meet at (Nate, please input the address/meetup location for Ridgeview here, thank you).

Bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Wear pants, a long sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes.

Register here: https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/dffa4baf-6d4e-4d98-b87e-741e8e4ddbd8 

Seed Planting Event

Broomfield Open Space Action Network Event

Time to spread the seeds we harvested at Ridgeview! On November 8th from 10-12 pm, you are invited to plant native seeds that were harvested at Ridgeview with the City and County of Broomfield, Broomfield Open Space Foundation, and Butterfly Pavilion’s Urban Prairie Project Restoration Master Volunteers, and other open space champions from the community at the Broomfield Commons Open Space.

This event is FREE and open to all ages.

Bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Wear pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes. 

We will meet at the Broomfield County Commons Open Space South of the Main Shelter and Playground (13200 Sheridan Blvd.). 
Register here: https://broomfield.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/cc4e28d8-4936-41ef-ac0e-6f8daddf1820

GRIT: A Teen Gardening Program

I had the privilege of creating and leading a new teen gardening program here in Broomfield. I collaborated with the City and County of Broomfield Open Space and Trails Department, City of Westminster Open Space Department, Broomfield Open Space Foundation, and Broomfield-Westminster Open Space Foundation to bring this program from vision to fruition. It was a great summer in the garden!

Here’s a link to a more detailed story with photos!

Day 1 Finding Our Way Back to Nature

Setting the stage…

75% of Americans wish they had more time to spend outdoors. On average, Americans spend less than 5 hours each week outside. There are 168 hours in one week with roughly 56 hours spent sleeping. We are spending a lot of awake time inside!

Nature has healing and balancing effects on us when we take time to sit in it. With our daily lives fraught with hustle and loads of incoming stimulation, it is essential we slow down and get a daily dose of vitamin-N (you guessed it, nature).

This week I am posting a series on Instagram with this in mind. Simple daily tasks to find your way back to nature, even if just for 15 minutes. 15 minutes is way more than zero!

Let’s get started!

Buzzing for Bees!

I did this presentation for the City and County of Broomfield back in October 2023, and it was recorded, so why not share it with you all. Grab your favorite beverage and snack and learn a little more about the bees that support our ecosystems through pollination. If you’re interested in having me present, email me at thebeeswaggle@gmail.com.

Bird City Broomfield, CO

Birds, bees, plants, you and me, we are all connected in a complex web of life built on community partnerships. I will be bringing broader stories your way, beyond just bees, because our world is absolutely brilliant and every part holds wonder and value. I hope you enjoy what’s to come!

Bird City!

The City and County of Broomfield is now officially designated as a Bird City, the third city in the state to do so. Other Colorado Bird Cities include Lafayette and Fort Collins. 

The application to become a Bird City is rigorous and includes action items such as habitat improvements, hosting a world migratory day event, community education and engagement, addressing current threats to birds, and making steps toward sustainability, just to list a few. This is where community members can step in to support our new Bird City status!

Bird City Website: birdcity.org

What are birds? 

Not to sound condescending, but birds are unique animals, and very different from us. Birds are Avian species and they are descendants of dinosaurs who sing beautiful songs and dress in gorgeous feathers, no kidding. Luckily, for us, they are tiny dinosaurs. There are many groups of birds carrying out important functions in their ecosystems. 

Birds can be carnivores, omnivores, insectivores, and nectarivores. Physical traits of each group support the birds’ function. Carnivorous raptors have sharp talons and sharp beaks to capture prey, and tear and eat meat. Omnivorous birds host bulky, shell crushing beaks, feeding on insects, seeds, and berries. Insectivorous birds host petite beaks built to catch and eat tiny insects. Nectarivores, such as hummingbirds (truly omnivores that feed on nectar instead of seeds and fruits), feed on nectar in flowers, and in doing so pollinate the flowers they visit, they also feed on insects, and their beaks reflect those functions.

Feathers keep birds warm and dry, and their structures mirror the function of the bird they cover. Birds of prey have feathers that keep quiet as the bird flies for successful hunts. On the other hand, omnivore, insectivore, and nectarivore bird feathers are audible as the birds fly. The colors of feathers can blend into surroundings assisting with camouflage, and on the other can can also be bright and showy for attracting a mate. The wide spectrum of feather color and pattern combinations across all bird species is astonishing. 

Some birds make long journeys, migrating to warmer climates in the winter, seeking food sources, or toward annual mating grounds in the spring. Other birds stay in the same place year round making use of existing resources. 

Birds have their own songs used to communicate with each other as well as other animals, including us. We love bird songs so much we have music playlists that include bird song recordings for relaxation and sleep. 

This sampling of information only touches the surface of the amazing facts about birds to be discovered. The world of birds is fascinating, captivating, and easily becomes a rabbit hole for many people. Birds are very capable of survival, but not without our help, as there are many challenges birds are facing at present, with habitat loss being the most important. 

Become a bird expert! 

Study with The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and/or track birds visiting your feeders

https://www.allaboutbirds.org

https://feederwatch.org

Join the Broomfield Bird Club or your local bird club

https://www.broomfieldbirdclub.com/

How can you help? 

With habitat loss being the most important challenge birds are facing today, we can support them by putting habitat back where it’s been lost, and restoring or uplifting existing habitats in our community. 

1. Providing bird feeders and bird baths offers important resources for birds, and can become a project for you. Project Feeder Watch through The Cornell Universisy’sLab of Ornithology runs an annual citizen science project tracking birds at feeders at feeders across North America. Participating in this project helps scientists and builds your bird literacy. 

2. Planting a native garden that includes native trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and native grasses provides a complete portfolio of support for all birds in our community. If it isn’t feasible to achieve all levels of support, any plot of native plants you can offer will provide important resources for birds. See below for lists of native plants and places to find native plants.

3. Supporting our local open spaces by participating in the Broomfield Open Space Action Network (BOSAN) events will also support or Avian neighbors. Bio blitzes, invasive weed removal, and plantings all serve to support the well-being of our local bird populations. Not everyone has a yard to plant native gardens in so this is a nice alternative activity to become a key feather supporting community member. BOSAN events will be posted on the Broomfield Open Space Foundation website in the coming weeks, keep your eyes peeled!

4. Encouraging others to join in the bird loving actions! We can be powerful when we share our ideas with others and sometimes that’s all someone needs to take action. Spreading the word about ways to support birds is a very valuable action to take. 

Birds bring joy and excitement to our open spaces and yards. We love to see large raptors perched in surprising places along our daily walks, we strive to invite songbirds and hummingbirds into our yards by placing feeders, bird baths, and planting bird friendly native gardens. Spreading the love for birds in Broomfield will make this the most tweet worthy Bird City yet! If you do not live in Broomfield, consider starting a campaign to become a Bird City where you live.

We are part of nature and any contributions aimed at elevating our local ecosystems is felt by our feathery friends.

More ways to help birds

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies: https://www.birdconservancy.org/get-involved/live-bird-friendly/7_simple_ways/

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds

Plant lists and programs for native gardening

Audubon Rockies Habitat Hero Program

https://rockies.audubon.org/habitat-hero

Colorado Native Plant Society

Gardening with Native Plants

Get native plants

Harlequin’s Gardens

https://harlequinsgardens.com/

Echter’s 

http://www.echters.com/

Broomfield Open Space Action Network (BOSAN)

2023 was an incredible year of collaboration and the formation of BOSAN. The details are in the gallery above and 2024 will have more opportunities to get involved, if this strikes your fancy.

I moved two years ago from Highlands Ranch, CO to Broomfield, CO, and although there are things I miss about Highlands Ranch, I have found an amazing community here in Broomfield. I never could have imagined the outcome of forming the relationships I have over the past two years. I set out on a mission to create opportunities for people to reconnect to nature and the journey has been a beautiful one! When we work in nature we learn from nature and begin to really appreciate our native nature. Open spaces are natural platforms of inclusion for all backgrounds. Anyone can take a walk in an open space and benefit from the nature within. Why not take it further from recreating in open spaces to nurturing open spaces together, as a community, thus becoming more ecologically significant in the places we live. BOSAN provides opportunities for all community members to become nature nurturers through the events we host. This can easily be replicated in other communities, and that is the next frontier for 2024.

Stay tuned for announcements regarding 2024 BOSAN events and more!

Get out and find some joy!

I have created a little something I’d like to share with all of you during this time of quarantine. I started this project two years ago, and it took the covid shut down to grant me enough space to complete it, finally. This is dedicated to two very special people I knew for a long time, and lost them both to cancer. They made loving impacts all around them, and one impact was on my daughters one day when we went to visit them.

My children were 5 and 7 when they first met Helen and Richard, and that was not ignored, in fact that was the focal point. Everything we did that day fed my girls’ young minds and spirits. They LOVED every minute of it. What struck me as most touching was the hand sketched wildflower scavenger hunt, created especially for them. They have never forgotten that scavenger hunt, and to this day they talk about it with smiles and fond memories. That one visit reached deep into their little souls, because it was full of love and kindness. That is all I remember of Helen and Rich; their kindness and laughter. So, with no further ado, here is a present for all of you, created with love, and inspired by that day and two brilliant people I will always hold close to my heart.

I know not all of you are in Colorado, but you many have some of these varieties where you are, and maybe you’ll one day visit Colorado, and if you do, bring this along! Get outside and get your Vitamin N!

Jessica

Colorado Wildflower Hunt

Dig in Deeper

I promised I would give you a list of resources to help you become better stewards of soil. So, here it goes!

1. The Soil Will Save Us by Kristin Ohlson                                                                          Awesome for the depth of knowledge offered through entertaining story telling. I have this one as a reference in my office, and it will forever be one.
2. The Garden Jungle by Dave Goulson                                                                              Though not totally focused on soil, it offers loads of interesting information about gardens and all the interesting critters that reside in them. This is another book that will forever rest on my reference shelf.
3. The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben                                                             Focused on trees, but trees depend on an underground teeming with life to thrive, and the surprises are endless and mind-blowing in this read. This book is very easy to chew away at each night before bed, as the chapters are just enough to give you education without beating you to death with facts.
4. Know Soil, Know Life by David L. Lindbo, Deb A. Kozlowski, and Clay Robinson    A simple textbook, and easy to read, but also rich with information to get you started on digging into soil. There are more advanced options, but this is a great start for the layman.
5. One of my favorite YouTube threads is 59 Degrees Academy. These videos are concise, and interesting for all ages.
6. The Biggest Little Farm is the best documentary I have ever seen. The story, the cinematography, and power to inspire is absolutely brilliant. I recommend it to everyone I know, whether I know them well, or have just met! I think you’ll understand why I’ve expanded my scope of study when you see this film.

These are just a few resources, and merely the beginning of my soil education library. I hope you’ll pick up or watch at least one of these, and begin digging in with me! I know it may seem a little off topic from bees, but the fact is all things that live on this planet are connected to each other in a complex web of life, offering impacts on the world around them. 70% of bees live and nest underground, and what we do to soil will undoubtedly impact their success. 

Don’t Spoil the Soil

I haven’t written in quite some time, because I’ve been digging into additional topics, soil being one. I have been venturing down a broader path of interest, which still relates back to bees, as healthy soil enhances their resources above ground. Soil is a universe that many of us never contemplate, as it is unseen, beneath our feet, not where our eyes are generally focused. It carries a web of life that, when untouched by our ideas of land management, brilliantly supports the health and longevity of plants that our eyes do connect with, which supports the wildlife we also admire.

Under one step taken in the forest, there is up to 300 miles of fungal strands!

What is soil? Isn’t it synonymous with dirt? Soil is teeming with life! Dirt is dead, and is what results in overgrazing, over farming, over tilling, over spraying with unnecessary chemicals, and does not adequately support any plant life on its own. Dirt requires chemical inputs to support plant life; healthy soil does not.

The soil food web begins with a healthy supply of roots. Plants photosynthesize to build stems, roots, leaves, and blooms. In the process of photosynthesis, sugars and oxygen are produced. Some sugars are released from the roots, as well as delivered to nectaries (sugar water producing organs) of the plant. The sugars released by root systems are called exudates. Exudates are food for many players in the soil food web. We will begin with microbes; the bottom of the food chain. Microbes (bacteria and fungus) feed on the exudates and organic matter from decaying debris. In exchange for the exudates, they unlock inaccessible (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) nutrients for plants to use in building new cells and growing.

In one teaspoon of healthy soil there can be over 1 billion bacteria!

Bacteria form a wall along the outside of roots, awaiting their foods (exudates) like pigs at a feeding trough. This wall serves as a barrier, protecting the roots from threats that could be lurking in the surrounding soil. The diversity of bacteria surrounding root systems is very important, as not all bacterial species are active under the same conditions and soil conditions are very dynamic. Oxygen reliant bacteria, the aerobic variety, need oxygen. They inhale the oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, which means they need a place to do this. Bacteria build small chambers around themselves to capture oxygen, thus aerating the soil, and creating soil structure. This not only creates pockets for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, but also places for water to infiltrate, thus increasing water retention around the roots. Another variety of bacteria (nitrogen fixing) will live inside nodules formed along the roots of legumes, fixing nitrogen, which makes it accessible to plants. The world of soil bacteria is large and complex, and my blog post could never do it justice. This is a very simple explanation of the complex partnerships between soil bacteria and plants, but an intriguing start, don’t you agree?

Fungus, of the mycorrhizal variety, stretches across root systems, forming a web of interconnections between plants. This facilitates communication between plants via roots and fungal highways (mycelium) composed of thousands of individual fungal cells called hyphae. This fungal network comes at a price of 1/3 of the plant’s exudates! This is expensive, but worth it. Fungus also plays a significant role in decomposing dead plant and animal debris, thus unlocking nutrients for the plant’s use. Mycelium networks transport messages of distress, nutrients to be shared with other plants, and can offer defense against threats to the plant, including undesirable species of nematodes, by choking them with built in lassos. Not all fungi are in the soil, working in symbiosis with plants. Some work to digest living and dead plant material, if given the right conditions, which is not always beneficial to the plant. This isn’t to say that these fungi should be eliminated, they just serve a different purpose, which is undoubtedly irreplaceable to other pieces in the overall ecosystem web.

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies (reproductive organ) of fungus.

A food web isn’t complete without predators. Predators, nematodes (unsegmented worms) and protozoa (ciliates, flagellates, amoebas), assist in unlocking nutrients for plants by ingesting microbes (bacteria and fungus).

Look closely and you’ll see protozoa working away at breaking up plant debris, which has loads of microbes clinging to it. When you see movement, those are protozoa. Toward the end, you’ll see a nematode too! This is footage of a sample of the forest floor. Unfortunately, my microscope isn’t powerful enough to see individual fungal strands and bacteria.

The soil food web is a passing of the baton from one food group to the next, unlocking different foods for plants to use through their root systems. Nutrients are found in their waste, and unlocked when they die. As we progress up in the food chain, there are arthropods, otherwise known as shredders, who grind up dead plant debris along the surface of soil; they too may partake in ingesting microbes. Earth worms are another contributor to soil health. They ingest dead plant and animal debris as they tunnel through soil (aerating along the way), pooping their black gold adjacent to root systems (fertilizing), offering a wealth of nutrients for plants. Some worms tunnel vertically, grabbing dead plant debris from the surface and dragging it down, deep into the soil. In a sense they are kneading the soil’s ingredients by turning in fresh foods from up top. Other worms will tunnel horizontally, eating and pooping along the way. Of course, all of these predators have predators, mammals and birds. If the soil food web is teeming with life, mammals and birds will show up for the buffet. Their waste becomes more nutrients for the soil food web, and a spinning wheel of life is in place. It’s a thing of beauty!

Mama wren found some good grub in the yard!

This is a lot of info condensed into a very short summary, but what does it mean to you and your yard? The application of this information is simple; it reduces work from you over time. When all the elements of soil are in place, and working together to pass nutrients back and forth to each other, there is no need for our inputs. No need to spend money on synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, or any other manmade fix for acute problems. In fact, using such things can reinforce your dependence on them. Recent studies have demonstrated that addition of nitrogen will impact the diversity and population count of soil bacteria (LINK). If soil bacteria populations decrease in diversity, nutrients those populations provide will need to be added back to the system. If we leave it alone, and allow the natural balance to be restored, our yards will become spinning wheels of life. It will be time to pull out the lawn chair, sit back, relax, and enjoy the bounty of getting out of nature’s way.

Healthy soil consists of billions of important players, and each one is important. The system is astonishing in its’ perfect interconnected balancing act. Is the system absent of all problems? No, but it will be independently functional, and fully capable of maintaining a reasonable level of those imperfections, meaning nothing will overtake the system, and move it out of balance, so long as all pieces are allowed to thrive.

So, how do we foster a healthy soil food web in our own yards? 

1. Stop using synthetic fertilizers. Consider mixing in cover crops and dynamic accumulators (plants that bring nutrients into the top soil) such as clover, buckwheat, oats, millet, and many others. The resources for choosing which ones to use are readily available when you search the topic. HERE is a wonderful article on the topic of using cover crops to improve soil health. Compost is another way to increase the health of your yard’s soil. You could even add animal waste, which can make people a little squeamish, but chicken poop is some of the best soil feeders!
2. Refrain from using any pesticides whatsoever. Pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. None of them do any service to our yards and small gardens. In fact, they reduce the amount of garden helpers, the ones that predate on pests, pollinate flowers and food producing plants, and it is terrible for songbirds too. We do not need them! Why waste the money on them? Instead, allow the system to fix the imbalances over time.
3. Plant with diversity as the top priority in your annual planning, whether you are planting perennials or food crops. When selecting perennials, consider native as the top priority, with plants that are tolerant of your climate second, and never to include exotics to your region. This approach targets native wildlife to your yard, conserves water usage, and fuels the soil more efficiently. With your food crops, rotate what you are growing in each plot to reduce pest load. Diversity in general invites diversity, meaning, diverse plants attracts diverse animals. This leads to a balanced population of predators and pests, and keeps the problems at a minimum over time.
4. Don’t till the soil in your annual beds, or yard, and never leave ground bare of any roots. Tilling disrupts the soil food web network! If you are done growing food, consider filling that bed with clover (or a mix of cover crops) heading into the winter. When that clover lays down on the soil, it will release nitrogen into that soil, preparing it for the next growing season. The roots of that cover crop will also continue feeding the soil food web, thus maintaining that vibrant plant support for the next growing season.

The more I learn about the world around me, the more I am blown away by how interconnected everything really is. This motivates me to continue learning and sharing the lessons along the way. Bees got me started, and nature continues to inspire me to learn. I am not finished studying my favorite buzzing muses, but expanding my understanding of the greater jigsaw puzzle they toil within. After all, the way we treat the soil beneath our feet must have some amount of impact on the bees who nest and develop there.

Melissodes bimaculatus-digger bee. She’s loaded with white pollen to bring back to her underground nesting tunnel. 

Thank you for joining the movement with me. I will be posting a list of resources for those of you who are reading to dig deeper with me on the topic of soil! Keep your eyes peeled. Until then, get outside and look at what miracles are taking place in your yard. Please LIKE, and SHARE this post, if you found it useful. This expands our reach;)

Jessica