Middle Park Conservation District

06/05/2026

Check out www.middleparkcd.com/webinars! Middle Park Conservation District, in collaboration with several partners, is excited to announce a Webinar Series happening this June. In fact, the first one is TONIGHT (6/5/26), and is hosted by Grand County Wildfire Council. These webinars are meant to educate Grand and Summit County homeowners on various conservation topics that have local and timely relevance. You can tune in anywhere, on any device, by clicking the appropriate webinar date listed on the link above. FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION BY GCWC, YOU MAY ALSO ATTEND IN PERSON AT GRAND FIRE IN GRANBY! Grand County Colorado, Summit County Government, Colorado, High Country Conservation Center

06/04/2026

Middle Park Conservation District and Grand County Natural Resources will be presenting a new "W**d of the Week" every week this summer. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐢𝐥. Keep an eye for this state-listed noxious weeds and manage it according to the suggested prescriptions. Visit https://www.middleparkcd.com/noxious-weeds for more information.

06/02/2026

Lots of upcoming events happening, starting this week! Check out the latest events, articles, news, and insights from Middle Park Conservation District. https://www.middleparkcd.com/summer-2026-mpcd-news

05/28/2026

Middle Park Conservation District and Grand County Natural Resources will be presenting a new "W**d of the Week" every week this summer. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧. Keep an eye for this state-listed noxious weeds and manage it according to the suggested prescriptions. Visit https://www.middleparkcd.com/noxious-weeds for more information.

05/23/2026

Middle Park Conservation District and Grand County Natural Resources will be presenting a new "W**d of the Week" every Friday this summer. This week, we have two weeds: Chamomile Daisy and Cheatgrass. Keep an eye for these state-listed noxious weeds and manage them according to the suggested prescriptions. Remember, noxious weeds are a danger to native ecosystems, and we must all do our part to stop their spread. Visit https://www.middleparkcd.com/noxious-weeds for more information.

05/12/2026

With May designated as Wildfire Awareness Month, the Grand County Sheriff's Office is calling on residents and visitors to prioritize emergency planning. To strengthen community resiliency, officials are highlighting three critical tools: the new Grand County Alerts emergency notification system, the county’s real-time Evacuation Map, and the Ready, Set, Go! program.

Emergency Notifications: Grand County Alerts

As of April 2026, Grand County has transitioned to “Grand County Alerts,” a state-of-the-art emergency notification system powered by Rave – Motorola and Smart911. Individuals who were previously signed up for CodeRED will not be automatically enrolled in Grand County Alerts. To receive FREE life-saving notifications about law enforcement activity, evacuations and other emergency situations, all residents, business owners, second-home owners and visitors must manually register.

Registration takes less than five minutes and allows users to opt-in for alerts via text, call, or email. The new system also allows users to provide optional, vital information for first responders—such as medical needs, disabilities, or the presence of livestock—to assist during a crisis.

To register:
● Visit GCEmergency.com and click on “Register for Grand County Alerts,”
● Text “GCALERTS” to 67283, or
● Download the “Smart911” app from the App Store or Google Play

For help registering, call 970-725-3801 or email [email protected].

Know Your Zone: Real-Time Evacuation Map

In an emergency, every second counts. Grand County utilizes a color-coded evacuation map to communicate real-time threats. Residents are urged to visit gcgov.us/GCEvacMap today to locate their specific zone.

The map divides the county into labeled areas (using letters and numbers) to ensure clear communication during an incident. The status of these areas is indicated by color:

Green: No evacuation order.

Yellow: Pre-evacuation warning (Get Ready).

Red: Immediate evacuation (Go).

The public is encouraged to become familiar with the evacuation map and utilize the search box to enter their address and view which evacuation area they live and work in.

Ready, Set, Go!

The Grand County Wildfire Council reminds the community that wildfire resiliency starts at the doorstep by following the Ready, Set, Go! Program.

READY: Create defensible space by clearing brush, using fire-resistant landscaping, and hardening your home’s exterior with fire-safe construction measures. Assemble emergency supplies and belongings in a safe spot. Make sure everyone residing within your home is on the same page and plan escape routes.

SET: Have your "Go Bag" packed with essentials (medications, documents, and pet supplies).

GO: When an evacuation order is issued, do not delay. Leave immediately to keep roads clear for first responders.

Learn more about ways to prevent, prepare and survive a wildfire at BeWildfireReady.org.

Stay Informed, Stay Safe

The Sheriff’s Office emphasizes that preparedness is a shared responsibility. By registering for Grand County Alerts and familiarizing yourself with your evacuation zone, you provide first responders with the best opportunity to protect lives and property.

04/24/2026

🍂 Do you know the difference between “Get Ready” and “Go Now”?

In Grand County, conditions can change rapidly. Understanding the difference between a Pre-Evacuation Alert and an Evacuation Order can save precious minutes when it counts.

⚠️ Pre-Evacuation: Use this time to pack your “Go-Bag,” secure your pets, and ensure your vehicle is ready to go.

🚨 Evacuation Order: This is a mandatory order. Leave the area immediately via designated routes.

Stay ahead of the curve. Sign up for Grand County Alerts today at GCEmergency.com to get real-time updates sent straight to your phone.

04/19/2026

⚠️ Knowing how to use 9-1-1 effectively can save lives. Here’s what you need to know:

Call if you can, Text if you can’t: Voice calls are best, but texting is available for those who are hard of hearing or in danger.

Pinpoint Your Location: GPS helps, but be ready to give dispatchers specific details or landmarks.

Don’t Hang Up: Even for accidental calls! Stay on the line to let them know you’re safe so they don’t have to send a unit to check.

Light the Way: If waiting for help at night, turn on your exterior lights to help responders find you faster.

04/03/2026

03/24/2026

If you live in bear country, this is the week to bring your bird feeders in.

Bears that emerged from dens in mid-March have spent the last two weeks eating whatever they can find — early plants, overwintered berries, emerging insects. They lost a significant portion of their body weight during hibernation and they're searching for calorie-dense food sources on a scale that early spring vegetation can't match.

A tube feeder full of sunflower seed is one of the most calorie-dense food sources in any yard. Bears can detect it from remarkable distances. A bear that finds a feeder returns nightly until the food source is gone — and then searches neighboring properties for more.

The real cost isn't the destroyed feeder. A bear that learns to associate yards with food stops avoiding people. That behavior shift is the leading reason bears are killed by wildlife agencies. The bear doesn't become aggressive — it becomes comfortable. And comfortable bears don't get relocated. They get removed.

The birds don't need your feeder from April through October. Natural food is abundant through the warm months. The feeder matters most in late fall and winter when natural sources are scarce.

🐾 This week in bear country:

- Bring feeders in by April first and leave them down through November — this single change eliminates the most common cause of bear-human conflict in suburban areas
- Store birdseed in a metal container with a latched lid inside a garage or shed, not on a porch or in a plastic bin
- Clean fallen seed beneath the feeder location — the ground scatter is as attractive as the feeder itself
- If you want to keep feeding birds through spring, switch to a window-mounted feeder you bring inside each evening — smaller volume, less scent, and easy to remove nightly
- Check your state wildlife agency's bear range map if you're unsure whether bears are in your area — the range has expanded significantly in recent years

Feeding birds in winter helps them. Feeding birds in bear country through spring helps bears find your house.

The timing matters more than the feeder 🌿