Boulder County Commissioners appoint new 
Parks & Open Space Director

(Boulder County, Colo.) -- The Boulder County Commissioners have appointed Eric Lane as the county’s new Parks & Open Space Director. Lane takes over the position from Ron Stewart who retired on Sept. 9 after 17 years as the department’s director.  

“After a rigorous recruitment and interview process – and extensive consideration of the many qualified candidates who applied for this highly-publicized position – we are pleased to name Eric Lane as the new head of the county’s nationally-recognized, award-winning Parks & Open Space Department,” said Board of County Commissioners Chair, Elise Jones.

Lane most recently served as the Director of Conservation Services Division for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. He comes to Boulder County with a strong background in conservation and the sciences, beginning his career as an ornithologist and continuing his work in the areas of land stewardship and natural resource conservation and management. In addition, Lane has worked with agricultural interests and has a strong understanding of agricultural issues in Colorado.

In their appointment of Lane, the County Commissioners noted his proven interest in and respect for public service, and praised his recognition of the importance of carefully managing public funds and resources entrusted by the public. 

They were also attracted to Lane’s established record as a strategic thinker and thoughtful decision maker. Much like the county’s current team of dedicated Parks & Open Space employees, Lane has demonstrated an ability to work across multi-disciplinary organizations with numerous stakeholder groups and across conservation disciplines.  

“Eric’s professional experience includes working with a wide variety of interest groups to assess and promote the adoption of scientifically sound conservation practices, and we believe his blend of experience and pragmatism will serve the county well as we transition to a new era of open space management,” said County Commissioner, Deb Gardner. 

Lane holds a Master of Science degree in Natural Resource Policy from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Swarthmore College in Pa. 

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The Boulder County Parks & Open Space Department recently celebrated its
40th Anniversary.