Peak Environment

How homeowners and the community can reduce wildfire risk and prepare for a wildfire event. Ashley Whitworth, Wildfire Mitigation Program Administrator for the Colorado Springs Fire Department, brings us up to speed on defending against wildfire. She also tells us about the Division of the Fire Marshal, and Peak Alerts. Ashley served as a Wildland Firefighter on the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest F...

Have you heard of Permaculture? Join the Pikes Peak Permaculture's team as we introduce ourselves, permaculture and our mission here in the Pikes Peak region. Learn about the programs we offer, including certifications, teacher training, classes and workshops.  Pikes Peak Permaculture is an educational 501(c)3 nonprofit educating Southern Colorado in the ways and nature of permaculture. Pikespeakp...

If you’re looking for a place to grow delicious produce this summer, get the scoop here. Colorado Springs Sustainability Program Administrator Samantha Bailey provides an update on city sustainability initiatives and a new website to help you find a garden plot. She is joined by Westside Community Center’s Felicia Barnhart, who updates us on what’s happening there (including LOTS of available comm...

What does the April ballot success of the Trails and Open Space tax renewal tell us about our community, and how might we use that to address shortfalls in county and city parks funding? Susan Davies, Executive Director of the Trails and Open Space Coalition (TOSC), fills us in. She shares highlights of our areas parks and open spaces, and discusses ways we can improve funding for future needs. Af...

Learn about the 2022 county parks master plan, including updates to future open space and park areas, revisions to trail alignments, and an asset management plan to outline critical needs. Jason Meyer, Planning Supervisor for El Paso County Parks and Community Services, shares how the plan was created, and highlights of the plan. El Paso County's regional park system has over 8,000 acres of park a...

Hungry for good, local food? CSA’s, community gardens, farmer’s markets and the Hunt or Gather Buying Club are discussed by local food experts and champions, Michele Mukatis and Megan Andreozzi Harris. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Hunt or Gather Buying Club https://www.facebook.com/HuntOrGather/ huntorgatherivywild@gmail.com New Roots Farm https://newrootsfarmllc.com/ Ellen’s Flowers https://www.ell...

Food cultivation, land-based learning in empowering youth, and the central role of farmers as caregivers in our region are essential parts of building resilient community relationships with land. Barak Ben-Amots updates us on his efforts as executive director of Flying Pig Farm, a community learning garden growing at the base of Pikes Peak in Manitou Springs, CO. He has worked over the last eight...

How will Colorado Springs’ updated zoning and subdivision ordinance make our community more sustainable and resilient? City of Colorado Springs Planning Supervisor Morgan Hester shares important details about RetoolCOS. The City of Colorado Springs City Council recently adopted the first comprehensive update of the City’s zoning and subdivision ordinance in several decades.  The 3-year process has...

The new disposable plastic shopping bag “ban” and Colorado’s miserable recycling rate (15%) are among the topics as we hear from Liz Chapman, Executive Director of Recycle Colorado. Chapman shares information about new waste policies being implemented or voted on in 2023, plus other efforts to improve recycling and reduce waste statewide. Of particular interest is the Producer Responsibility for R...

Learn about the changing climate in Colorado with Peter Goble of the Colorado Climate Center. Peter is a climatologist and research associate. The Colorado Climate Center is located at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, Colorado, within the Department of Atmospheric Science. As a recognized State Climate Office, the Center strives to collect and observe data with the purpose of monitoring...

In observance of arts month, get arts and culture updates from Andy Vick, executive director of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region; and Natalie Johnson, executive director of the Manitou Art Center. Andy shares about the community’s new cultural plan, Arts Vision 2030, and some of the work it has already inspired. Natalie shares about some of the specific programs and initiatives that th...

An update on the Colorado Water Plan from Jeff Rodriguez, Regional Water Coordination Specialist with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The 2023 Water Plan, to be finalized in January, builds on a legacy of integrated statewide planning for water in Colorado. This updated plan continues to focus on collaboration between the state and the water community on-the-ground. To help Coloradans take...

Stormwater management is a critical environmental concern for a large urban area like Colorado Springs. City of Colorado Springs Stormwater Enterprise Manager Richard Mulledy discusses the city’s new green infrastructure standards for development and redevelopment. He also shares some planned and some completed capital projects, and gives us an overview of the strategic vision of the Stormwater En...

Learn about the newly revived Kathleen Marriage Garden at Sondermann Park, and how you can incorporate native plants into your landscape and help support a healthy watershed. Colorado Native Plant Society Executive Director Maggie Gaddis and Fountain Creek Watershed District Interim Executive Director Alli Schuch talk about the history of the garden, how it was brought back to life, and how native...

A dry winter, long-term drought, and record low levels in major Colorado River reservoirs have all of us wondering what we can do to minimize our water consumption. Kate Larson of Resource Central shares how the organization is helping communities implement programs to encourage homeowners to conserve water. City of Fountain Conservation and Sustainability Manager Katie Helm also shares the respon...

How will Colorado Springs meet its water needs for the next 50 years? Our water system is complex and far-reaching – spanning more than 100 miles. Colorado Springs Utilities Senior Conservation Education Specialist Birgit Landin shares what it takes to acquire, treat and deliver water to our community every day. She also explains the challenges we face and Utilities’ roadmap for a cost-effective w...

Colorado Springs Sustainability Coordinator Samantha Bailey fills us in on her current efforts, the new SustainableCOS project, and her goals for the future of Colorado Springs. SustainableCOS is a city-wide sustainability action plan. LINKS: Samantha Bailey's Slide Presentation https://studio809podcasts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/03152022_SustainableCOS_PASF.pdf Colorado Springs Office of Inn...

Learn how to calculate the carbon footprint of some of your common activities and convert that it into work that reduces overall carbon emissions. Carbon Cut Colorado is a website and program of Colorado Springs-based Energy Resource Center (ERC). ERC Development Director Mike Mazzola sat down for this conversation with Peak Environment co-producer and co-host Ellen Johnson-Fay, to explain Carbon...

Get the state of the science and public policy related to wolves in the U.S. today. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) hosted this virtual conversation in a January 25 webinar. See the video replay here, or listen to this podcast replay. Learn about the history of gray wolf persecution and recovery, PEER’s unique approach using the Pittman-Robertson Act, hear from a notable s...

An introduction to Arts Vision 2030, the new cultural plan to support arts and culture in the Pikes Peak Region. It was developed by, of, and for the community, under the stewardship of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR), the Bee Vradenburg Foundation, and a diverse steering committee of 24 local creative leaders. COPPeR Executive Director Andy Vick introduces the plan, and he s...

Learn about opportunities to lower your carbon footprint by getting around town without a car. Electric scooters, all-electric buses and trains are among the topics. SPEAKERS: Jeff Hoover - Veo Brian Vitulli - Planning Supervisor, City of Colorado Springs Public Works, Transit Services Division (Mountain Metropolitan Transit)   LINKS: Veo https://www.veoride.com/colorado-springs/ Mountain Metro ht...

What should be considered in designing projects to address environmental issues, and how can we best integrate these? In designing projects to address environmental issues, we often underestimate the influence of social, financial and legal systems. Konrad Schlarbaum explores these systems using a permaculture framework and a real-world example. Konrad is Sustainability Coordinator at Pikes Peak C...

How and why has Colorado Springs grown to be the second largest city in Colorado, and what are the environmental implications of this? John Harner, author of the new book, Profiting from the Peak , shares highlights from the book. Harner is a professor of Geography at UCCS. LINKS: Speaker’s Slides http://studio809radio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/harner_podcast.pdf Profiting from the Peak: Land...

Creek Week events give you an opportunity to take care of our local water resource. It’s the largest watershed clean-up in the state of Colorado. Fountain Creek Watershed Outreach Coordinator Alli Schuch shares the exciting events offered during Creek Week, September 25 – October 3, 2021. Also get an update on the projects of the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District – from...

How do our local city and county governments compare to other communities in Colorado and the nation? How does this affect our quality of life? Get an advance look at the Local Government section of the Pikes Peak United Way Quality of Life Indicators Report, Peak Progress . Andy Gunning, Executive Director of Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, and Deb Hamilton, Strategic Services Librarian o...