NEWS

Join DLC staff and board members at our monthly community meet up THIS Friday, July 29th, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Grab a coffee and join us at the covered picnic structure at Festival Park in downtown Castle Rock. This is a casual opportunity to talk about anything...

After over 22 years of exemplary service guiding Douglas Land Conservancy, Patti Hostetler, our Executive Director, will be leaving DLC this year. Thank you, Patti, for all you have done and for putting DLC solidly on the path to further success in the future. The...

Easter Daisy by Curt Frankenfeld By Elizabeth Taylor All of us are familiar with the saying, “April showers bring May flowers.” However, along Douglas County Open Space (DCOS) trails, we start seeing native wildflowers blooming in March or April, long before the...

2/25/2022 After more than 21 years with DLC, I have made the difficult decision to retire by the end of 2022. I began my career with DLC in 2000 after working as a resident of Castle Rock helping protect what is now known as the Woodlands Bowl Open Space, in Castle...

DLC’s Board of Directors is a dedicated group of volunteers. For Thankful Thursday, we’d like to share our heartfelt appreciation for outgoing Board President, Jane Boand. Jane is a founding DLC Board member and this was her second time serving as Board President....

It was a call from a close friend, Mike, he and his wife will be moving. Mike asked me if I wanted his observatory. The kind with a dome, large telescope, computer controls and all matter of neat‘ stuff.’ He wanted it to be used for education, outreach and a place...

Photo Credit: Bob Karcz Dear Friends of DLC, Earth Day began in 1970 and gave a voice to a growing consciousness about the state of our planet. Since then the movement has grown and today is marked by more than a billion people annually as a day of action to change...

Douglas Land Conservancy (DLC) increased its portfolio of conserved lands by more than 2,500 acres this week (Feb. 17) as the conservation easements for the Sandstone Ranch and the Schmidt property in Douglas County’s West Plum Creek valley were finalized. DLC, a...

By Alan Clarke During times like these, when momentous events dominate the news on a daily basis and danger lurks everywhere, even at the corner market or in the coffee shop, the world may seem to constantly be on the brink of total chaos with no light visible at the...

By: Mary Ellen Fitzsimonds When we relocated from the Chicagoland area, my husband and I were in search of an area with open spaces and beautiful vistas. Settling in Douglas County, we have been blessed with both. We began looking for ways to connect with our new...

Douglas Land Conservancy would like your time outdoors to be memorable and educational. If you plan to spend time on the trail this weekend or over Fall Break with the whole family take along one of the activities we’ve created or check out the list of (free) apps...

Historic 1,500-acre Ditmars Ranch protected in Douglas County One of Douglas County’s most historic ranches is now protected with a conservation easement made possible by County taxpayers, County Commissioners, The Conservation Fund, Douglas LandConservancy (DLC), and...

When everything has changed and life seems so uncertain, one thing remains forever…the power of protected open space to fill our hearts with hope and our minds with inspiration for generations to come.

Being a DLC Volunteer Have you ever been standing in a forest surrounded by tall evergreens that touch the sky? You smell the sweet dampness of the pine needles and the greenery underfoot. You hear the melodic chirp of arobin that sounds a bit like, “cheer up.” You...

DLC Presentation: Celebrating the Bicentennial of the Long Expedition Exploring the Front Range 1820 By John Stansfield Did you know? Many of the areas where the Long Expedition traveled in Douglas County are landsthat DLC permanently protects. Sketches and journal...

by Leslie Clemensen In Thailand, the words for truth and nature are synonyms. As we bounce from one media alert to the next during this COVID 19 pandemic, we are all seeking truth…true information and deep truths about what this means for us as individuals, families,...

Meet DLC’s Doug Landry! He’s a handsome, waterfowl who enjoys the great outdoors. Doug heads outside often to hike our local open spaces and enjoy all the benefits that these DLC protected lands offer; fresh air, beautiful views and of course, clean water. Follow...

By Gloriana The shady buck wanders in the wild and in the dark when the skies are pink and purple. He wanders in the shadows of the black fields. The shady buck runs in the wild when the sky fades. He is beautiful. He is strong. He is wild.About the Author: Gloriana...

by Alan Clarke As I watched flames shoot through the roof of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, and beheld its majestic spire topple and plunge to the ground, tears threatened. I reflected upon what I was witnessing. Notre Dame has graced Île de la Cité in Paris...

Congratulations to Douglas Land Conservancy’s 2019 Oak Leaf Award recipients, Richard and Susan Farmer, owners of the historic Abbe Ranch and conservationists, who have made a significant impact on the community through their land conservation efforts in Douglas...

Campanula aparinoides, the marsh bellflower or bedstraw bellflower By Elizabeth Taylor On the morning of August 3, 2018, three amateur plant enthusiasts—Barb Harbach, Cathy Fischer, and I—were inventorying plant species along the bank of Gove Ditch in Sandstone Ranch,...