Blue Grama Awards

Every year the Colorado Open Space Alliance acknowledges outstanding projects through the Blue Grama Awards.

2025 Blue Grama Awards Nominations

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.

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.

Nominations are due by Friday, July 18 at 5 pm MST.

Submit a Nomination

2023 Award Winners

Outstanding Achievement in Recreation Management
Boulder Canyon Castle Rock Overlook Project, Boulder Climbing Community and Boulder County Parks & Open Space

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration
Shurview – Delta Park Project, City of Greeley and Trust for Public Land

Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Restoration
Environmental Learning Center Flow Restoration Project, City of Fort Collins, CPW, and CSU

Outstanding Achievement in Ecosystem Resilience
Front Range Foothills Habitat Restoration Project, Larimer County, Boulder County, City of Fort Collins, CPW, and Jefferson County

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration
Tin Can Camp, San Luis Valley Great Outdoors

2022 Award Winners

Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Management
Horseshoe Pond Algae Reduction Project, City of Lakewood

Outstanding Achievement in Recreation Management
Chubb Park Dispersed Camping Management, Colorado State Land Board

Outstanding Achievement in Visitor Engagement Program
Art Inspired by the Land Community Exhibit, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership & Collaboration
Urban Prairies Project, Butterfly Pavilion

Outstanding Achievement in Community & Ecosystem Resilience
Cal-Wood Fire Recovery, Boulder County Parks & Open Space

2021 Award Winners

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration
Estes Valley Open Space Plan, A Shared Land Conservation Strategy, Larimer County Natural Resources

Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Restoration
Northern Redbelly Dace Recovery Project, Boulder County Parks & Open Space

Outstanding Visitor Engagement Program
Youth Ranger Program, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks

Outstanding Visitor Engagement Program
Volunteer COVID Information Team, Jefferson County Open Space

Outstanding Achievement in Recreation Management
Flatirons Climbing Council

Outstanding Achievement by an Individual
Matt Tobler

2019 Award Winners

Outstanding Visitor Engagement Program
City of Fort Collins Natural Areas - ROOTS Club

Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Restoration
Boulder County parks & Open Space - Lower Boulder Creek Ecological Restoration

Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Restoration
Rocky Mountain Field Institute - Waldo Canyon Burn Scar Restoration

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration
Jefferson County Open Space - Jeffco Adventure Club

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnership and Collaboration
Interagency Boulder Mountain Bike Patrol - Boulder Mountain Bike Patrol

Outstanding Achievement by an Organization
City of Loveland - Open Lands and Trails

Outstanding Achievements by an Organization

2018 High Line Canal Conservancy
2018 City of Greeley Forestry, Natural Areas, and Trails
2016 El Paso County Fountain Creek Master Plan
2015 Eagle/Pitkin County
2014 Fort Collins - Black Footed Ferret Project
2013 Urban Drainage and Flood Control District
2012 Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
2011 Colorado Office of TPL
2010 Arapahoe County - South Platte Working Group
2009 Great Outdoors Colorado and Adams County - South Platte Heritage Project
2008 Boulder County IGA
2007 Yampa River

Outstanding Ecological Management Program

2018 Swan River Restoration, Summit County
2016 CPW - Aquatic and Fisheries
2015 South Suburban P&R Dist. - Rehabilitation South Platte Park
2014 Ft. Collins Natural Areas Department Resource Mgmt. Work Group - Cache La Poudre Restoration
2013 Rocky Mountain Field Institute Volunteer Restoration Projects
2012 Devil's Backbone Restoration Project - Larimer County
2011 Breckenridge - Cucumber Gulch
2010 Bryon Shipley - Rattlesnake Research (Denver Zoo)
2009 Boulder County - Platt Rogers Stream Restoration
2008 Ramsay Shockey - Larimer County (Forest Mgmt.)

Outstanding Outdoor Recreation or Environmental Ed. Program

2018 City of Colorado Springs, Trails Open Space and Parks, Park Ranger School Programs
2016 Native Plant Master - Barbara Fahey
2015 City of Boulder - Classical Music Nature Hikes
2014 CPW - Schools and Outdoor Learning Environments
2013 Ag. Division of Boulder Co. Parks and Open Space - Ag. Tours
2012 City of Boulder - Access to Trails Videos
2011 Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
2010 Castle Rock P&R - Colorado Bluebird Project
2009 Saddle Rock Golf Course - Native Plants, Aurora Parks and Open Space
2008 Preda-Tour, Aurora Parks and Open Space

Every year the Colorado Open Space Alliance acknowledges outstanding projects through the Blue Grama Awards.

Outstanding Achievement by an Organization or Individual – This award is given to an individual and/or organization that has made significant contributions to the conservation of Colorado's open spaces, community engagement, and/or conservation policy. The nominee’s impact should extend beyond their agency/organization, county, or municipality and should have lasting implications to open space conservation throughout the state. Nominees should show outstanding leadership achievement through acquisition, land management actions, community engagement, public safety, and/or public policy.One award is given to an individual and a second to a group or organization that have made significant contributions to the conservation of Colorado's open spaces. Nominees should have made a contribution recognized throughout the State of Colorado, an accomplishment with impact beyond the individual’s organization or agency. Nominees should show outstanding leadership achievement through acquisition, land management actions, or public policy.

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 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 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.

2019 Nominations

Nominations for the 2019 Blue Grama Awards are due July 16.

Nomination Instructions & Application