Links of Local Interest for Naturalists

This page contains links to some of the sites that might be of interest to naturalists and others interested in the many varied ecosystems of Colorado’s Front Range. For apps, see the BCNA list of nature apps for Boulder County and the Colorado Front Range.

Websites are frequently updated and links to the site change or break. Should you find that a link does not take you to the correct page, you can generally find the relocated or modified page by searching for the link name that is on this webpage.

Please send any new sites you find with a short review of the site to webmaster@bcna.org. The sites listed below are just a sample of those available. Hopefully this list will grow quickly!

LOCAL HIKES AND PROGRAMS

Friends, local publications and websites are likely the best resources. For ideas:

BOULDER COUNTY

The SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ELEMENT contains an extensive list of references for wildlife and vegetation resources, rare plants and significant natural communities, wetland and riparian areas, critical wildlife habitats, and Boulder County-designated environmental conservation areas.
Prairie dog management policies

PLANTS

The US Forest Service has a site on Tree Conservation with numerous links about trees and conservation.
Eastern Colorado Wildflowers This site has photos and information for over 525 species that grow east of the Continental Divide in Colorado.
Trees of Colorado This website is an easy to use guide to Colorado native trees that has more information than most tree books. It includes information about habitat and the role of trees in Colorado forests.
Wildflowers, ferns and trees of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah This website is an excellent tool for identifying flowers, and covers many of the flowers on the Front Range.
Survival adaptations: How trees cope with winter How trees survive winter
Boulder County Extension – Native Plant Master Program
Colorado Native Plant Database: Colorado Plant Database, Colorado State University Extension, Jefferson County
CU Herbarium: An extensive list of plant resources
CSU Herbarium: CSU Herbarium
Wildflower apps for Colorado Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Glacier, the Wasatch, and Washington. By selecting key characteristics of a flower, one can quickly narrow down the possibilities. Excellent photographs and drawings.
Identify that tree has lots of links to tree identification sites that cover the United States.

BUGS, SPIDERS AND INSECTS

Welcome to BugGuide Identification, images, and information for insects, spiders and their kin for the United States and Canada
Butterflies of the Northern Colorado Front Range contains photographs, species accounts and checklists.
Bumble Bee Watch Join other citizen scientists to identify and track bumble bees. This is a new website that will help you identify bumble bees. You can also submit pictures of bumble bee sightings, which will be verified by an expert and used to track bumble bee populations.

SNAKES, LIZARDS, TURTLES AND AMPHIBIANS

Colorado’s reptiles and amphibians Pictures and information about selected species
Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Information about the 18 species of amphibian (16 native anurans, 1 introduced anuran, 1 native salamander), 6 species of turtle (5 native and 1 introduced species), 31 species of snake, and 19 species of lizard currently recognized in the state of Colorado

WILDLIFE

Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)

BIRDS

Birds of Boulder County is a website put together by local photographers and birders that has not only beautiful photographs of each species but also information about the bird and its local habitats.
Beginner birdwatching guide
How to begin birding

FIRE

The Southern Rockies Fire Science Network is an excellent source of science-based information about all aspects of wildfire. It covers South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and central Utah.

WEATHER

Links to climate and weather historical data for Boulder.

FOR CHILDREN

Nature Detectives Kid’s Club and Library has all the articles that have been published by Boulder County Parks and Open Space in Images for children. These articles are each about a single topic and cover that topic quite thoroughly with stories and drawings.