By Rich Bangs
Dozens of people gathered in Parker last week to honor two conservation heroes and learn more about how to help preserve land by using the strength of volunteers.
It was the inaugural edition of Douglas Land Conservancy’s Oak Leaf Symposium. DLC traditionally had an evening event to honor people who demonstrated exceptional efforts in conservation and stewardship of land in Douglas County and the Front Range.
This year, those honors were paired with an all-day symposium featuring presenters who focused on the passion of two DLC volunteers, Brian O’Malley and Elizabeth Taylor, who have spent many years helping to preserve and steward open spaces and wildlife locally and regionally.
About 80 people attended the day to honor the recipients and attend the educational sessions.
“It was a great success,” said DLC’s Executive Director Laura Sanford.
O’Malley was given the Oak Leaf Award to recognize his long-time efforts as a volunteer for Douglas County Open Space and Natural Resources department and volunteering in Jefferson County and other organizations, such as the Highline Canal Conservancy.
Taylor was given the Mel Sorensen Stewardship Award for her decades-long work to rehabilitate and grow the Bluebird monitoring program that DLC and Douglas County manage together.
The day kicked off with a keynote address by Beth Steinhorn, president of VQ Volunteer Strategies, on how valuable volunteers are, especially to non-profits. She spoke on how to recruit and motivate people to become a resource that can make a difference.
The key, said Steinhorn, is to build a relationship that involves innovation, leadership development and investment while shifting expectations from transactional to transformational. When done correctly, “volunteers can accomplish almost anything,” said Steinhorn.
After the keynote address there were two breakout sessions, one by Steinhorn and one by Shelby Johnson, Volunteer Services Specialist for Jefferson County Parks and Open Space.
Steinhorn focused on making volunteers programs sustainable. Johnson shared about a volunteer program in Jefferson County working to remove barbed wire. In a hands-on and informative workshop, Johnson explained the danger barbed wire poses to wildlife and livestock, and that the program has removed and recycled nearly 73,000 feet of wire in 2024 and 2025.
The day wrapped up with the presentation of awards. DLC President Todd Warnke introduced each recipient with short videos in which Taylor and O’Malley explained how they got involved in volunteerism, and why they have spent decades helping to make Douglas County a special place for open space and wildlife.
Warnke said “38 years ago, DLC was founded by volunteers, and today, with over 80 properties and more than 28,000 acres under conservation easement, volunteers remain essential to how DLC fulfills its mission. So, to take a day to recognize volunteers in general, and Elizabeth and Brian in particular, was an absolute pleasure, as well as an opportunity to thank so many of the people who help drive conservation forward in our community.”
Besides helping pass open space initiatives and being Chair of the Douglas County Open Space Advisory Council, O’Malley has volunteered as a team leader for such programs as Trail Ambassadors, Weed Warriors and guiding hikes. He also volunteers regularly for DLC activities. Taylor, besides growing the Bluebird program, has served on the DLC Board of Directors, has been a regular hike guide and is a certified Native Plant Master and expert in wildflowers. Each recipient then received a plaque commemorating their honors.
Kaitlyn Stabell, DLC’s Outreach and Engagement Manager, who helped organized the event, said “These volunteers are an incredible representation of the time, talent, and heart all of our volunteers dedicate to DLC every year as we work together not just to conserve and steward lands of conservation significance in our region, but to build those deep connections to nature in our community and in ourselves.”