Bio
Mr. Ernst Strenge is an environmental conservation and park and open space planning professional with more than 25 years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He has led several effective conservation and planning programs and projects in Colorado and California that have created meaningful outcomes for people and nature. He is known for being thorough, accurate, and detail oriented, following through on projects from beginning to end. His leadership skills and ability to facilitate large and small interdisciplinary teams and stakeholders have helped him deliver successful projects. He specializes in team facilitation and coordination, natural resource planning, ecological restoration, community and stakeholder engagement, partner and agency collaboration, and environmental conflict resolution. He has managed the planning and development of several ecological restoration plans, natural area and recreation management plans and policies, and strategic initiatives.
Relevant Experience
Environment, Social and Governance
Open Space Planning and Project Management, Colorado — Worked as a planner and project manager in local open space agencies along the Front Range of Colorado for more than 20 years, working at the intersection of natural resource conservation, cultural resource preservation, water and agriculture management, and public recreation by utilizing skills in planning, facilitation, project management, collaboration, and coordination.
Open Space Management Plans and Policies, Colorado — Managed and led the preparation of several open space management plans and policies for Boulder County Parks & Open Space, including facilitating and leading interdisciplinary teams and the community through planning processes, developing and analyzing alternatives, and securing approved decisions. Processes included preparing and coordinating planning processes, scoping issues and interests, collaborating with multidisciplinary specialists and stakeholders on data needs and resource concerns, presentation and engagement with the community and decision-making bodies, and adoption of plans and policies.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Strategic Plan, Colorado — Led a departmentwide strategic planning effort for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to help the department prioritize projects, funding, and staffing and improve operations with the goal of achieving desired outcomes for the resources they steward, programs they lead, and services they provide for the community.
Asset Management System, Boulder County, Colorado — Managed the acquisition of an enterprisewide asset management system for Boulder County to better track amenities, facilities, and infrastructure and the staff time and resources required to maintain them, which has helped the agency prioritize work and tackle maintenance backlog.
Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion Strategic Plan, Boulder County, Colorado — Championed and managed the creation of a departmental plan for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to increase engagement with historically underserved and marginalized communities and led the internal working group assisting with implementation.
Greater Sand Dune Fire Management Planning, Mosca, Colorado — Lead planner and project manager for Greater Sand Dunes Interagency Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy’s Medano-Zapata Ranch. Facilitated discussions about appropriate fire management alternatives among multiple federal (National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service) and state (Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife) agencies and scientists from The Nature Conservancy.
Planning and Permitting
Open Space Planning and Project Management, Colorado — Worked as a planner and project manager in local open space agencies along the Front Range of Colorado for more than 20 years, working at the intersection of natural resource conservation, cultural resource preservation, water and agriculture management, and public recreation by utilizing skills in planning, facilitation, project management, collaboration, and coordination.
Open Space Management Plans and Policies, Colorado — Managed and led the preparation of several open space management plans and policies for Boulder County Parks & Open Space, including facilitating and leading interdisciplinary teams and the community through planning processes, developing and analyzing alternatives, and securing approved decisions. Processes included preparing and coordinating planning processes, scoping issues and interests, collaborating with multidisciplinary specialists and stakeholders on data needs and resource concerns, presentation and engagement with the community and decision-making bodies, and adoption of plans and policies.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Strategic Plan, Colorado — Led a departmentwide strategic planning effort for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to help the department prioritize projects, funding, and staffing and improve operations with the goal of achieving desired outcomes for the resources they steward, programs they lead, and services they provide for the community.
Asset Management System, Boulder County, Colorado — Managed the acquisition of an enterprisewide asset management system for Boulder County to better track amenities, facilities, and infrastructure and the staff time and resources required to maintain them, which has helped the agency prioritize work and tackle maintenance backlog.
Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion Strategic Plan, Boulder County, Colorado — Championed and managed the creation of a departmental plan for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to increase engagement with historically underserved and marginalized communities and led the internal working group assisting with implementation.
Greater Sand Dune Fire Management Planning, Mosca, Colorado — Lead planner and project manager for Greater Sand Dunes Interagency Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy’s Medano-Zapata Ranch. Facilitated discussions about appropriate fire management alternatives among multiple federal (National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service) and state (Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife) agencies and scientists from The Nature Conservancy.
Policy Analysis
Open Space Planning and Project Management, Colorado — Worked as a planner and project manager in local open space agencies along the Front Range of Colorado for more than 20 years, working at the intersection of natural resource conservation, cultural resource preservation, water and agriculture management, and public recreation by utilizing skills in planning, facilitation, project management, collaboration, and coordination.
Open Space Management Plans and Policies, Colorado — Managed and led the preparation of several open space management plans and policies for Boulder County Parks & Open Space, including facilitating and leading interdisciplinary teams and the community through planning processes, developing and analyzing alternatives, and securing approved decisions. Processes included preparing and coordinating planning processes, scoping issues and interests, collaborating with multidisciplinary specialists and stakeholders on data needs and resource concerns, presentation and engagement with the community and decision-making bodies, and adoption of plans and policies.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Strategic Plan, Colorado — Led a departmentwide strategic planning effort for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to help the department prioritize projects, funding, and staffing and improve operations with the goal of achieving desired outcomes for the resources they steward, programs they lead, and services they provide for the community.
Asset Management System, Boulder County, Colorado — Managed the acquisition of an enterprisewide asset management system for Boulder County to better track amenities, facilities, and infrastructure and the staff time and resources required to maintain them, which has helped the agency prioritize work and tackle maintenance backlog.
Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion Strategic Plan, Boulder County, Colorado — Championed and managed the creation of a departmental plan for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to increase engagement with historically underserved and marginalized communities and led the internal working group assisting with implementation.
Project Management
Open Space Planning and Project Management, Colorado — Worked as a planner and project manager in local open space agencies along the Front Range of Colorado for more than 20 years, working at the intersection of natural resource conservation, cultural resource preservation, water and agriculture management, and public recreation by utilizing skills in planning, facilitation, project management, collaboration, and coordination.
Open Space Management Plans and Policies, Colorado — Managed and led the preparation of several open space management plans and policies for Boulder County Parks & Open Space, including facilitating and leading interdisciplinary teams and the community through planning processes, developing and analyzing alternatives, and securing approved decisions. Processes included preparing and coordinating planning processes, scoping issues and interests, collaborating with multidisciplinary specialists and stakeholders on data needs and resource concerns, presentation and engagement with the community and decision-making bodies, and adoption of plans and policies.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Strategic Plan, Colorado — Led a departmentwide strategic planning effort for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to help the department prioritize projects, funding, and staffing and improve operations with the goal of achieving desired outcomes for the resources they steward, programs they lead, and services they provide for the community.
Asset Management System, Boulder County, Colorado — Managed the acquisition of an enterprisewide asset management system for Boulder County to better track amenities, facilities, and infrastructure and the staff time and resources required to maintain them, which has helped the agency prioritize work and tackle maintenance backlog.
Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion Strategic Plan, Boulder County, Colorado — Championed and managed the creation of a departmental plan for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to increase engagement with historically underserved and marginalized communities and led the internal working group assisting with implementation.
Greater Sand Dune Fire Management Planning, Mosca, Colorado — Lead planner and project manager for Greater Sand Dunes Interagency Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy’s Medano-Zapata Ranch. Facilitated discussions about appropriate fire management alternatives among multiple federal (National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service) and state (Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife) agencies and scientists from The Nature Conservancy.
Recreation
Open Space Planning and Project Management, Colorado — Worked as a planner and project manager in local open space agencies along the Front Range of Colorado for more than 20 years, working at the intersection of natural resource conservation, cultural resource preservation, water and agriculture management, and public recreation by utilizing skills in planning, facilitation, project management, collaboration, and coordination.
Open Space Management Plans and Policies, Colorado — Managed and led the preparation of several open space management plans and policies for Boulder County Parks & Open Space, including facilitating and leading interdisciplinary teams and the community through planning processes, developing and analyzing alternatives, and securing approved decisions. Processes included preparing and coordinating planning processes, scoping issues and interests, collaborating with multidisciplinary specialists and stakeholders on data needs and resource concerns, presentation and engagement with the community and decision-making bodies, and adoption of plans and policies.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Strategic Plan, Colorado — Led a departmentwide strategic planning effort for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to help the department prioritize projects, funding, and staffing and improve operations with the goal of achieving desired outcomes for the resources they steward, programs they lead, and services they provide for the community.
Asset Management System, Boulder County, Colorado — Managed the acquisition of an enterprisewide asset management system for Boulder County to better track amenities, facilities, and infrastructure and the staff time and resources required to maintain them, which has helped the agency prioritize work and tackle maintenance backlog.
Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion Strategic Plan, Boulder County, Colorado — Championed and managed the creation of a departmental plan for Boulder County Parks & Open Space to increase engagement with historically underserved and marginalized communities and led the internal working group assisting with implementation.
Greater Sand Dune Fire Management Planning, Mosca, Colorado — Lead planner and project manager for Greater Sand Dunes Interagency Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy’s Medano-Zapata Ranch. Facilitated discussions about appropriate fire management alternatives among multiple federal (National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service) and state (Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife) agencies and scientists from The Nature Conservancy.
Ecological Restoration
Lower Boulder Creek Restoration Project, Boulder County, Colorado — Partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a staff liaison for Boulder County Parks & Open Space on the feasibility, design, permitting, and construction of a multimillion-dollar creek restoration project in Boulder County, Colorado.
South St. Vrain Creek Restoration Projects, Boulder County Colorado — Managed consultants and interdisciplinary teams on the planning, design, funding, and permitting for multimillion-dollar creek restoration projects in Boulder County, Colorado.
2013 Boulder County Flood Recovery, Colorado — Assisted community and Boulder County in recovering from historic 2013 flood by coordinating and communicating with community members, funding agencies, consulting teams, and agency staff.
Lyons Quarry Reclamation, Boulder County, Colorado — Worked closely with mining company on the reclamation design and implementation of a former dacite mine, including grading and revegetation plans to ensure the site on county open space was successfully reclaimed and met the requirements of the county.
Leona Quarry Restoration Planning, Oakland, California — Contributed to the preparation of revegetation plans for the Leona Quarry restoration project, a drastically disturbed, quarried landscape. The project included the revegetation of coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and oak woodland habitats across 800 vertical feet of steep, denuded quarry slopes.
Penn Mine Ecosystem Restoration Project, Campo Seco, California — Assisted with the implementation and long-term monitoring of the Penn Mine restoration project. The project sought to establish native herbaceous and woody vegetation on a 30-acre abandoned copper and zinc mine in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Education & Credentials
M.S., Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 1999
B.S., Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 1995