In an annual effort to protect several animal species, including nesting raptors and calving elk, Jefferson County Open Space rangers temporarily closed three public spaces — including parts of trails and climbing routes — this month. Two more areas will temporarily close March 1.
Visitor services manager Mary Ann Bonnell said the closures affect only 11 of the more than 1,000 climbing routes and only 5.4 miles of the 236 miles of trails the agency oversees, leaving plenty of terrain to enjoy.
“A lot of the reasons people come to our parks is to enjoy wildlife,” Bonnell said. “If you enter closed areas, you’re jeopardizing these ecosystems and the opportunity for people to see the wildlife in the future.”
Not only do the closures help protect species from people, but they also help to protect them from other predatory animals.
“Raptors might seem like impressive birds, but their nests are very fragile,” Bonnell said. “If you scare a red-tailed hawk off its nest, it only takes a couple of seconds for a crow or a blue jay to land, destroy and eat the eggs. It only takes a few moments for them to peck the nestlings to death. That’s something most people don’t think about when they decide to go hiking through these closed areas.”
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