Welcome to the Boulder County Nature Association
For more than 50 years, the Boulder County Nature Association has been dedicated to understanding, preserving, and celebrating the rich natural heritage of Boulder County. We are an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization committed to fostering a deeper connection between people and the landscapes, wildlife, and ecosystems that make this region extraordinary.
Through scientific studies using volunteers, a grants program for relevant research, educational programs, field trips, and conservation advocacy, BCNA brings together nature enthusiasts of all ages who share a passion for learning and stewardship. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or simply curious about the world just outside your door, we invite you to explore, discover, and help protect the natural wonders of Boulder County.
BCNA and Boulder Audubon jointly administer an email list serve, Nature-Net, to keep everyone updated about items of interest to both organizations.
To discover more about BCNA’s programs, please follow the links above the photo or in the hamburger drop-down menu.
BCNA’s Educational Hike Series
Fun Naturalist Scavenger Hunt for Kids Age 8+
Children are born with a deep, biologically rooted attraction to the natural world — a phenomenon known as biophilia, first described by Edward O. Wilson. This innate connection means they are naturally drawn to living things, sensory experiences, and the rhythms of nature. From infancy, they explore through touch, smell, sound, and sight, engaging in active play like digging in dirt, chasing bugs, or splashing in puddles.
Do you have a child/grandchild 8+ who loves nature? Or needs an introduction to nature? Kids have an innate interest in nature that we can nurture for their future and for nature’s future.
Join us for a fun kid’s outing using the Seek phone app (required, download in advance). The child and parent will be a team, but the child must find ten plants or animals from our list using the Seek app. The app is very simple and does not export any data so your privacy is protected. Karl will show how to use the app. Parents and children must stay within sight of the trip leader. Prizes will be awarded to those who get the most badges and species from our list.
Bring sturdy shoes, a light jacket, sun protection, snacks, and water. Afterward, you have the option to visit the nearby Flagstaff Nature Center atop Flagstaff Mountain. There are picnic tables if you want to bring a lunch.
Date: Friday, June 19
Time: 8:30 to 10:30
Location: Realization Point on Flagstaff Mountain. Parking is limited – get there early if possible. More parking is available west on the Flagstaff Rd. There is $5 parking fee if your car is not licensed in Boulder County.
Register with Karl: earthford@aol.com. Please include how many adults and children will be in your group. Limit for the activity: 16 people.
Please note: We will cancel if it is raining or there are predicted unsafe weather conditions.
KGNU Monthly Nature Almanac
Giving a Hoot about Great Horned Owls
For the May Nature Almanac, Naturalists Steve Jones and Ruth Carol Cushman head to a Louisville Park on a cool, misty evening, seeking a family of Great Horned Owls, beloved by the neighborhood, whose three baby owls have recently fledged. Owls are so good at hiding among large willow and cottonwood trees, the odds are that neither mom nor dad, nor the babies, will be seen. But Steve and Ruth Carol remain undaunted, and they give a hoot about explaining owl lore and the differences between male and female Great Horned Owls. Will any real owls speak up? Which will they find? What about a small hawk, and an angry crow, also on the lookout for Great Horned owls?
Photo courtesy of Glenn Cushman
Calendars of Upcoming Local Environmental Events
Boulder.Earth Climate Action Portal
People and pollinators action network: Upcoming events
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers
Gifts for the Naturalist in Your Life
Look for the BCNA books Butterflies of the Colorado Front Range by Janet Chu and Stephen Jones and Dragonflies of the Colorado Front Range by Ann Cooper books as well as CDs published by BCNA at any of these places:
- Special events hosted by BCNA
- Locally at the Front Range Birding Company: 5360 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, and 10146 W. San Juan Way, Littleton
- Wild Birds Unlimited: 2720 S. Wadsworth, Denver; 7370 W. 88th Ave., Arvada; and 1520 S. Hover St., Suite D, Longmont 80501
- Wild Bear Nature Center Gift Shop in Caribou Village Shopping Center, 20 Lakeview Drive, Nederland
- Covered Treasures Bookstore, 105 Second Street, Monument CO
- Boulder Audubon Chapter’s annual holiday sale
- Amazon: Butterflies of the Colorado Front Range or Dragonflies of the Colorado Front Range
- Brigham Distributing
- Some Barnes & Noble stores in the Front Range
- Butterfly eBooks are available from Amazon, Apple Books (purchase using the Apple Books app), and barnesandnoble.com.
Banner Photo: Mink at Sawhill Ponds, Boulder; July 24, 2021 © CCVanWie
Boulder County Nature Association
P.O. Box 493, Boulder, CO 80306