Each year, the Colorado Open Space Alliance acknowledges outstanding projects through the Blue Grama Awards. This year’s award will be presented at the annual conference in Steamboat Springs, Colorado from October 6-8.
Award winners are highly encouraged to attend the conference. Please review the award categories carefully before submitting the nomination form.
Nominations are due by Friday, July 18 at 5 pm MST.Outstanding Achievement in Community/Ecosystem Resilience: This award recognizes projects or programs within open space teams or on open space properties that demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. Nominees must demonstrate creative problem solving and outcomes that champion conservation and/or community resiliency. Preference will be shown to projects that are complete or can otherwise demonstrate positive outcomes from the work, rather than those still in progress or awaiting final results.
Outstanding Visitor Engagement Program: This award is presented to an open space organization that shows innovation and leadership in volunteer engagement, environmental education, interpretation, and/or diversity and inclusion practices. Nominees must demonstrate that they have engaged in creative and exemplary work that enhances the visitor experience through education programs, volunteer opportunities, interpretive media, and/or other innovative public engagement strategies.
Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration: This award recognizes achievements made in open space conservation, management, or community engagement through partnerships and collaborative efforts. The nominee’s work should include at least two or more contributing organizations which demonstrate that through collaboration, they have achieved outstanding accomplishments in open space preservation and conservation. Partnerships may include open space agencies, nonprofit entities, business groups, community organizations, local, state, and/or federal government programs or divisions.
Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Restoration or Recreation Management: This award recognizes projects or programs that have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in ecological restoration or recreation management resulting in the conservation/protection of natural resources, enhancements in the health of a landscape, and/or the improvement of an open space area to promote safe and sustainable recreational practices. This award may also recognize innovative and successful research and monitoring programs as well as the development of sustainable recreational facilities.
