What makes an independent bookstore thrive for over 50 years? Step into one of Boulder’s most beloved cultural landmarks.

In this episode of Voices of Open Space, host Eva Lark sits down with two longtime stewards of Boulder Bookstore—Manager and Head Buyer Arsen Kashkashian and Marketing & Promotions Manager Stephanie Schindhelm—to explore the magic behind an independent bookstore that has shaped community, creativity, and conversation since 1973.

Together, they reflect on their personal journeys, the evolution of Boulder Bookstore over the past five decades, and the vital role bookstores play as a “third place” where ideas, authors, and readers meet. The conversation then turns to an eclectic and thoughtfully curated list of 20 standout book recommendations for 2025, spanning fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s books, graphic novels, and local authors—perfect for avid readers, curious explorers, and meaningful gift-givers alike.

Whether you love discovering your next great read, find the perfect gift, or simply want to understand why independent bookstores matter more than ever, this episode invites you to turn the page and linger awhile.

*** DISCLAIMER: Boulder County Parks & Open Space does not endorse or promote any businesses. References made in this podcast are solely for the purpose of highlighting shared values and recognizing cultural landmarks within our community.

Featured Resources:

• Boulder Bookstore Website: https://boulderbookstore.net
• BB Instagram: instagram.com/boulderbookstore
• BB Youtube: youtube.com/@BoulderBookstore
• Donate to the Literacy Foundation: https://boulderbookstore.net/Foundation
• Upcoming Reader's Retreat: https://boulderbookstore.net/ReadRetreat

Book List (in Order Mentioned):

• Buffalo Hunter Hunter
• Once Upon a Kwanzaa
• The Martians
• Worthy
• Endling
• Butt or Face
• Little Mercy
• Bud Finds Her Gift
• Wanderlust
• Big Jim Believes
• 1929
• Tales of Pirates
• Portrait of Boulder
• The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang
• A Complete Fiction
• Away
• The Correspondent
• Legendary Frybread Drive In
• What We Can Know
• The Coven Tendency
• Gift: Monopoly

🎧 Subscribe to Voices of Open Space on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen and join us in protecting what makes Boulder County wild, rooted, and resilient. (https://linktr.ee/VoicesofOpenSpace)

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

Did you know cormorants can dive over 100 feet underwater? Or that the Christmas Bird Count has been going strong for 125+ years?

In this second episode of Tale Feathers, Eva Lark is joined by Lauren Szabo from Environment for the Americas for a cozy and curious conversation about backyard birds, the mighty California condor, diving cormorants, and how to prepare for winter birding in Colorado.

In This Episode:
• Northern Flicker: ground-loving woodpecker
• Spark Bird stories 🪶
• Tips for birding in the snow ❄️
• Christmas Bird Count traditions 🎄
• A condor encounter that might just make you cry

Featured Resources:
Parks and Open Space Foundation: https://preservebouldercounty.org/
Environment for the Americas: https://environmentamericas.org/
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Condor Work: https://science.sandiegozoo.org/species/california-condor
Spark Bird Stories: https://www.spark-bird.org/

Bird species profiles:

• Northern Flicker
• Sandhill Crane
• Neotropic Cormorant
• California Condor

Christmas Bird Count: https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count
Parks & Open Space Event Calendar: https://discover.bouldercounty.gov/

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

Have you ever heard of the phenomenon called plant blindness?
Most people haven’t—and yet it shapes the way we understand nature, conservation, and even our own backyard.

Boulder County is home to more than 1,600 native plant species—half of all native plants found in the entire state of Colorado. Thanks to the dramatic rise of the Rocky Mountains and the steep elevation changes from plains to tundra, our county holds an incredible variety of ecosystems packed into less than 40 miles.

But when you picture Boulder County’s open space, what comes to mind? A moose at Caribou Ranch? Tracks in the mud? A bald eagle overhead? We often notice wildlife long before we notice the plants that make their lives—and ours—possible.

In this episode, Director Therese Glowacki sits down with three members of the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Plant Ecology Work Group:

• David Hirt, Senior Plant Ecologist with 28 years of service

• Carrie Cimo, Plant Ecologist and Volunteer Program Manager of 11 years

• Brad Winckelmann, Plant Ecologist who has contributed to many major vegetation projects over the past 6 years

Together, they explore what “plant blindness” means, why it matters, how it affects conservation, and how we can all learn to see the plants that shape our ecosystems. They break down this concept with clarity, passion, and years of field experience, helping us open our eyes to the extraordinary world of plants all around us.

• Colorado Natural Heritage Program (https://cnhp.colostate.edu/)
• iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org)
• Colorado Native Plant Society (https://conps.org/)
• Boulder County Parks and Open Space Volunteer Opportunities (https://bouldercounty.gov/volunteer/parks-and-open-space/)

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

This episode takes you inside the Left Hand Outdoor Challenge (LHOC) — a free outdoor leadership and community engagement program designed for Boulder County high school students. Through monthly base camps and Saturday service challenges, LHOC gives teens hands-on experience in trail work, stewardship, winter survival skills, volunteerism, and outdoor careers.

Host Bethany Eveleth speaks with:
• Ranger Sully Tun-Ake — Program Coordinator• Julietta Rozin — former participant & current mentor• Ranger Sarah Andrews — Caribou Ranch• Ranger John Queen — Hall Ranch

They share stories of confidence-building, mentorship, identity, and the joy of seeing teens fall in love with nature — sometimes for the very first time.

If you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe, and share. It helps more people discover the important work happening across our parks and open spaces.

📌 In this Episode:

• How LHOC empowers teens outdoors
• Monthly base camps + Saturday service challenges
• Hands-on skills: winter survival, trail work, first aid
• Building confidence, agency, and leadership
• Mentorship, squad structure, and belonging
• Exploring careers in natural resources
• Ride-alongs, job shadowing, career fairs
• Stories of transformation and returning participants
• Ranger perspectives from the early days
• Why community + stewardship matter in Boulder County

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

To learn more, visit: https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/get-involved/left-hand-outdoor-challenge/

Among the many who have helped shape Boulder County Parks & Open Space’s fifty-year journey stands Ann Cooper—a volunteer naturalist, educator, and writer who has dedicated nearly five decades to sharing the beauty of our open spaces. Her story intertwines with the department’s own—from leading pond adventures at Walden Ponds to inspiring generations of children and families to become “Nature Detectives.”

In this heartfelt conversation, host Larry Colbenson, former Natural History Program Coordinator, reunites with Ann to reflect on the evolution of the Volunteer Naturalist Program, the power of curiosity, and the enduring magic of teaching children to see the world with wonder.

Together, they remind us that open space is more than land—it’s a living classroom, a gathering place, and a gift that continues to grow with each new generation.

✨ A tribute to those who give their time, their knowledge, and their hearts to the land—and to the spirit of service that has shaped fifty years of Parks & Open Space.

The episode includes:

• Trust-building & community co-creation
• Inclusive hiring, power-sharing, and belonging at work
• Accessibility: transcripts and universal design that help everyone
• Indigenous ways of knowing; thinking across generations
• Flood & wildfire recovery (e.g., St. Vrain), working with nature
• Adaptive management, competing objectives, and funding realities
• Care, connection, and culture as resilience

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

In the values series finale, host Elisabeth Rios-Brooks gathers Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff to explore our last two guiding values.
For Inclusion, she speaks with Emma Dhimitri (Community Health Specialist, CSU Extension), Jarret Roberts (Deputy Director of Community Amenities), and Lucero Torres (Senior Park Ranger) about building true belonging—from outreach and inclusive hiring to “planning for the outliers” so everyone benefits.

For Resilience, she’s joined by Justin Atherton-Wood (Planning Group Supervisor), Ernst Strenge (Senior Planner), and Sharla Benjamin (Engineer) to examine systems-level resilience: caring for one another, learning from the land, and designing projects that bounce forward after floods and fires.

Topics & themes: trust-building with underserved communities; inclusive hiring and power-sharing; equitable service delivery; accessibility (transcripts & universal design); Indigenous ways of knowing; flood and wildfire recovery; adaptive management on the St. Vrain; caring cultures at work; belonging as a resilience strategy; transparency and long-view planning.

Subscribe to Voices of Open Space for more stories from the field, the forest, and the folks behind the work.

Original music, including the theme song and all transitional pieces, was composed and performed by Tim Ostdiek.

Resident Ranger Kevin Grady joins host Melissa Arnold to reveal what park management really looks like, well beyond recreation. Hear his mountain lion encounter, how staff rebuilt after the Cal-Wood Fire and the 2013 flood, why wildlife/seasonal and muddy-trail closures matter, how elk management works, and the volunteer power behind it all—plus hear about Dottie, his search-and-rescue pup.

The episode includes:

• A close encounter with mountain lions
• Stories of wildfire and flood recovery
• Why closures (wildlife, seasonal, muddy trail) matter
• Elk management and adaptive strategies
• The vital role of volunteers
• Introducing Dottie, the search-and-rescue dog

Featured Resources

• • Volunteer with Parks & Open Space
  • Elk Management
  • Heil Valley Ranch Cal-Wood Recovery
  • Flood Recovery Projects
  • Parks and Trails
  • Parks & Open Space Regulations
  • Boulder County man leaves animals behind as he flees CalWood Fire