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CU Boulder inventories, donates 130,000 pieces of PPE for health care workers, first responders

A half-dozen volunteers outside of CU Boulder’s Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) building began piling a mountain of boxes into two pickup trucks and a moving truck Friday afternoon.

The load: a whole lot of help from nearly 40 campus units.

Across the country, health care professionals have pleaded for necessary supplies to respond to a pandemic that’s far outstripping their resources. The shortfall of so-called personal protective equipment (PPE) has left those workers in danger of becoming ill from COVID-19 as they treat patients. A lack of testing or vaccine has resulted in a virtual shut down of communities in an effort to flatten the curve, or slow the spread of coronavirus as it spreads around the globe.

CU Boulder joined an array of relief and supply efforts last week with a donation of more than 130,000 pieces of PPE. Dozens of departments, units and labs across campus donated gloves, N-95 masks, face shields, shoe covers and other PPE.

The donation went to the Boulder Office of Emergency Management (OEM), which will distribute the supplies to health care providers, long-term care facilities and first responders throughout the county.

“These donations far exceeded my expectations,” said Garry DeJong, director of campus emergency management. “Coupled with our researchers and engineers working on ways to keep people safe and finding ways to fight COVID-19, CU Boulder is making a sizable impact in this historic moment.”

PPE is regularly used throughout CU Boulder’s campus for research and other purposes from chemical labs to University Libraries.

DeJong led the charge alongside EHS Director Brandon Boger. Their teams worked for weeks soliciting donations across campus and creating an inventory. The donations equate to roughly 98% of the campus’ PPE. The remainder is being reserved for campus health care providers and essential workers. In alignment with Centers for Disease Control guidance, workers whose job duties do not require an N-95 mask are encouraged to wear homemade cloth masks.

“We were hoping for five to ten departments to donate a few items,” said DeJong.

“Once the word got out about the donations drive, the CU partners just continually kept stepping up.”

Mike Chard, director of the Boulder Office of Emergency Management, said he was extremely grateful.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created tremendous pressure on our health care systems, long-term care facilities and first responders,” Chard said. “Being able to keep the supply of medical and PPE at an essential service level preserves health care and government services and protects staff.”

Margie Hunter, assistant to the director of EHS, was involved in coordinating and documenting the campus donations. Hunter and a small group of coworkers watched as emails rolled in from departments around campus looking to put their PPE to good use.

“I think we all want to step up when a crisis occurs, but don’t always know what to do to help,” Hunter said. “I feel that this process gave each of us that measure of satisfaction and gratitude that we were doing something that would make a difference for those first responders and the medical personnel who are facing this thing firsthand.”

Broader efforts

Other faculty, staff and students have jumped into the fight as well.

Engineering faculty and students are 3D-printing key parts of protective face shields.

Daniel Larremore, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and in the BioFrontiers Institute, is using Facebook data to track the virus’ spread, and perhaps predict where it could go in the coming weeks.

The BioFrontiers Institute, the College of Engineering & Applied Science, the Sustainability, Energy & Environment Lab (SEEL) and other campus units also worked in the early stages of the pandemic to get respirators, sterilization ovens and other PPE to Boulder County Health officials.

Community needs

For students, faculty, staff and friends of CU Boulder looking to donate or give back to the community, you can find more via the new Buffs Together initiative.

The state is organizing giving and volunteer opportunities through Help Colorado Now.

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April 14, 2020
Construction firm settles Denver center bid-rigging claims

DENVER — A construction company settled bid-rigging claims in a Denver convention center expansion project with a promise of a state payment and a component aimed at helping the response to the coronavirus pandemic, the state attorney general said Monday.

Mortenson Construction is expected to pay $650,000 to the state and has agreed to donate construction services on a yet-to-be-determined project related to COVID-19, The Denver Post reports.

Mortenson’s donated work and materials must be worth at least the same amount as the fine, making the antitrust settlement’s value at least $1.3 million.

Attorney General Phil Weiser announced the first major resolution in Denver’s bidding scandal in a statement Monday.

The city halted its planned $233 million rooftop expansion project at the Colorado Convention Center in December 2018 when Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced officials had fired project management firm Trammell Crow Co.

Hancock cited evidence that Trammell Crow shared project-related information improperly with Mortenson, one of three bidders. Minneapolis-based Mortenson denied the allegations but President and CEO Dan Johnson acknowledged the company “did not meet our own expectations.”

The firm resolved the convention center claim “without adjudication or finding of liability,” but Mortenson’s involvement ” was neither consistent with who we are as a company nor our longstanding reputation,” Johnson said Monday.

The company agreed in a separate settlement with Denver in July that it would not bid on any city projects until at least March 2021, but the attorney general’s office continued with criminal and civil investigations.

The investigation of Dallas-based Trammell Crow is ongoing, Weiser’s office said.

“The silver lining is Coloradans will benefit from additional resources to respond to needs we have from the COVID-19 pandemic in our state,” Weiser said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

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April 14, 2020
Bennet Denounces Firing of Lead Oversight Official for $2.2 Trillion CARES Act, Calls for Stronger Accountability and Transparency

Denver – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet wrote to President Donald Trump to condemn his firing of Glenn Fine, the Department of Defense’s Acting Inspector General, effectively blocking his service as incoming chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). Congress created the PRAC to strengthen transparency and oversight of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the largest emergency spending bill in U.S. history.

Your decision to remove Mr. Fine…sent a clear and chilling message across government: Those who raise fact-based concerns and truths within the administration will be silenced,” wrote Bennet in the letter to President Trump. “We cannot think of a message more at war with America’s commitment to the rule of law and our constitutional checks and balances. Your decisions risk lasting damage, not only to the proper implementation of the largest emergency spending bill in U.S. history, but to the confidence of the American people in our government.”

Last week, Congress learned that the president had fired Glenn Fine as the Department of Defense’s Acting Inspector General. Mr. Fine had been chosen to lead the PRAC by a consensus of inspectors general across the federal government, as required by the CARES Act. As Inspector General for the Department of Justice from 2000 to 2010 and Acting Inspector General for the Department of Defense from 2016 to 2020, Mr. Fine developed a bipartisan reputation for integrity and independence. Over his career, he led large, complex, and controversial investigations that exposed, among other things, violations of civil liberties and ethics at the Department of Justice. He was the longest-serving inspector general in the Department’s history.

President Trump’s firing of Mr. Fine came on the heels of his decision to remove the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community and to criticize the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services over their report on testing shortages. It also followed the president’s statement after signing the CARES Act that risked hindering the PRAC’s ability to share timely information with Congress required for proper oversight of the massive emergency legislation.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Mr. President:

I write to express profound concern about your removal of the Department of Defense’s Acting Inspector General, Glenn Fine, effectively blocking his service as incoming chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). I urge you to reinstate him and do everything in your power to subject the new authorities in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to the highest degree of scrutiny and oversight.

Congress established the PRAC to promote transparency and accountability for the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, the largest emergency spending bill in American history. This unprecedented level of funding, combined with the need to rapidly deliver said funds to those in need, raises obvious risks of waste, fraud, abuse, and favoritism. Rigorous and independent oversight is therefore essential to giving the American people confidence that their money is supporting a broad economic recovery by going to workers, families, small businesses, and historically overlooked communities in need, instead of the politically-connected. That is why Congress created the PRAC.

Mr. Fine was ideally suited to lead the PRAC. Before his termination, Mr. Fine brought to the position impeccable credentials and a distinguished career serving administrations of both parties. As Inspector General for the Department of Justice from 2000 to 2010 and Acting Inspector General for the Department of Defense from 2016 to 2020, Mr. Fine developed a bipartisan reputation for integrity and independence. Over his career, he led large, complex, and controversial investigations that exposed, among other things, violations of civil liberties and ethics at the Department of Justice. It is one reason he was the longest-serving inspector general in the Department’s history.

As with any oversight role, leadership of the PRAC is especially susceptible to undue influence – a concern made especially salient given the Administration’s record of withholding taxpayer funds to advance personal, political goals. Mr. Fine’s experience underscored his ability to manage investigations without succumbing to political pressure. It is why a consensus of federal inspectors general selected him for the position, as required by law.

Your decision to remove Mr. Fine, which came on the heels of decisions to remove the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community and to criticize the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services over their report on testing shortages, sent a clear and chilling message across government: Those who raise fact-based concerns and truths within the administration will be silenced.

We cannot think of a message more at war with America’s commitment to the rule of law and our constitutional checks and balances. Your decisions risk lasting damage, not only to the proper implementation of the largest emergency spending bill in U.S. history, but to the confidence of the American people in our government. To make matters worse, your statement after signing the CARES Act risks hindering the PRAC’s ability to share timely information with Congress required for proper oversight.

We urge you to reinstate Mr. Fine, safeguard the PRAC’s independence, and subject implementation of the CARES Act to the highest degree of scrutiny and oversight.

Sincerely,

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April 14, 2020
Bennet, Colleagues Urge Support for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Denver – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined a bipartisan group of 41 senators in a letter to Senate leaders requesting that any future legislation to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis includes support for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In the letter, Bennet and the senators express concern over reports from service providers stating that abusers are using the crisis to isolate their victims, withhold financial resources, and refuse medical aid. In addition, rape crisis centers are seeing an increased need for services and many local law enforcement agencies are receiving an increased number of domestic violence-related calls.

“We appreciate that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided $45 million for domestic violence services funded through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and $2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline,” wrote Bennet and his colleagues. “While this funding provides critical resources, the legislation did not include any additional support for sexual assault or domestic violence-related programs funded through the Department of Justice. These programs deliver essential support that is particularly needed at this time, including support for sexual assault service providers, law enforcement, and transitional housing programs, as well as for organizations that address the needs of communities of color and underserved populations.”

Bennet also joined his colleagues in a letter of support for domestic violence programs authorized by the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act at the Department of Health and Human Services.

In addition to Bennet, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The letter is supported by leading organizations, including Break the Cycle; National Alliance to End Sexual Violence; National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; National Domestic Violence Hotline; and more.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Chairman Shelby, and Vice Chairman Leahy:

We write to respectfully request that any future legislation to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) provides funding to support victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including through programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). At a time when people who experience domestic violence are at increased risk, and requests for sexual assault and domestic violence-related services have sharply increased, additional funding for these programs is critical.

On Sunday, April 5, 2020, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for governments around the world to help address the “horrifying global surge in domestic violence” by making services for victims and survivors a “key part of their national response plans for COVID-19.” The United States must demonstrate leadership in this effort by continuing to provide the additional resources needed to support at-risk families and children.

Historically, instances of domestic violence have increased in times of national crisis—and this crisis may be particularly dangerous for people who experience domestic violence. Following the urging of public health officials, approximately 95% of Americans are now living under a stay-at-home order to help prevent the spread of the virus. But for many, home is not a safe place. Reports suggest that abusers are using COVID-19 to isolate their victims, withhold financial resources, and refuse medical aid. Rape crisis centers are seeing increased need for services and are confronting complex and difficult requests. And in communities across the country, local law enforcement agencies are receiving an increased number of domestic violence-related calls.

Domestic violence service providers across the country are facing funding and staffing challenges related to the pandemic and have seen an increased need for services including crisis intervention, shelter and transitional housing, and legal assistance. Rape crisis centers need funding to shift their services from in-person to virtual and meet the emergency needs of survivors. This strain on resources is expected to disproportionally impact traditionally underserved populations such as black and Latino communities as well as people who live in rural areas.

American Indian and Alaska Native communities in particular face disparities in shelter capacity and resources that have been exacerbated by the virus, and many of these communities already experience overcrowding in homes and a lack of sanitation services. We ask that Tribal sovereignty is acknowledged and that the federal government fulfill its trust responsibility to Indian Tribes by providing equitable resources to American Indian and Alaska Native communities to address domestic violence. Shelters and Tribal advocacy programs are often all that stand between safety and Native women going missing and/or murdered (MMIW). In addition, because many rural Tribal communities lack the necessary infrastructure to take advantage of internet-based options, we ask that there be outreach to these communities whether from the federal departments or through enlistment of technical advisers who have established relationships with many of these communities.

We appreciate that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided $45 million for domestic violence services funded through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and $2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. While this funding provides critical resources, the legislation did not include any additional support for sexual assault or domestic violence-related programs funded through the Department of Justice. These programs deliver essential support that is particularly needed at this time, including support for sexual assault service providers, law enforcement, and transitional housing programs, as well as for organizations that address the needs of communities of color and underserved populations.

Therefore, we respectfully request that any future legislation to address COVID-19 include the following:

Support through the Department of Justice
- At least $100 million for the Sexual Assault Service Program;
- At least $225 million for VAWA STOP Grants with a priority on flexible funding for victim service providers, with at least 20 percent of the funding for eligible entities under 34 U.S.C. § 20124(c) and equitable distribution of funding between services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault;
- At least $10 million for Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations; and,
- At least $40 million to VAWA Transitional Housing Assistance Grants.
- We also request that the matching fund requirements for the Victims of Crime Act grants be waived during this crisis to more quickly meet survivors’ needs.
Set-aside assistance for Tribes and Tribal Organizations
- VAWA programs:
  - $22.5 million for grants to Tribal governments;
  - $10 million to Tribes under the Sexual Assault Services Program;
  - $3 million to Tribal jurisdiction; and
  - $3 million to Tribal coalitions.
- Office of Victims of Crime: $16,765,000 additional set aside for Tribal governments.
As we work together to address the health, wellness, and economic security of all Americans, we urge you to support victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

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April 14, 2020
COVID-19 HR Open Session for Unemployment Questions

April 15, 2020 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Online

Join Tina Todd of simplyHR to discuss frequently asked Questions about State Unemployment Insurance, layoffs, and the tough choices as you navigate the quickly changing COVID-19 landscape.

Tina will outline provisions of the CARES Act as it pertains to Unemployment and the differences between layoff, temporary layoff, furlough, and the different unemployment programs.

Tina will also be reviewing best practices and current updates related to COVID-19.

Please register using the link below. Once registered, you will be emailed an access link for Wednesday’s webinar.

https://eastcoloradosbdc.com/hr-open-session-for-unemployment-questions-covid-19/

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April 14, 2020
Agate School District Providing Aid to Families in our Community

Food:

-Breakfast, snacks, lunches for all Agate students (school provided)

·         In-district Agate students will receive their food on Tuesday’s bus route.

·         Out-of-district Agate students can pick-up their food at the school during food pantry hours (Tuesdays 1-4pm).

-Our food pantry is available for all members of the community at the school on Tuesdays 1-4pm. Please note: for any food pick-ups at the Food Pantry, we are following all health and safety recommendations and will bring all items up to you at the door.

-We are partnering with the Kiowa food bank to provide additional food options for all families in the community. By filling out a proxy order form, the school will pick-up food boxes from the food bank that will be available for pick-up during our food pantry hours (Tuesdays 1-4 pm).

Proxy Forms must be filled out and returned by Friday to be delivered by the following Tuesday. You can fill out the form by:

·         Via phone by calling the school Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am-1pm.

·         Picking-up a form from the food pantry during operating hours and returning in our proxy lock box outside of the school (near the entrance).

image credit – MGN online

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April 14, 2020
ACEP Stands in Solidarity with Emergency Physician in COVID-19 Related Custody Dispute

In response to news reports that an emergency physician has temporarily lost custody of her child because of her job on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, the president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), William Jaquis, MD, FACEP, released the following statement:

“It is unconscionable to force Dr. Theresa Greene or any emergency physician to choose between their family and their oath to their patients. These are scary and uncertain times, but emergency physicians are expertly trained in how to protect themselves and their families during a pandemic like COVID-19.

“ACEP stands in solidarity with Dr. Greene and any health worker who is in this heartbreaking position. On behalf of all our members, we have released an official statement urging that a parent’s role in the fight against COVID-19 not be a factor when considering child custody or visitation matters.

“Emergency physicians, along with emergency nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and others, are leading the battle against the public health crisis of our lifetime. But they are also human beings, who need and deserve the comfort of their families when they are off duty.”

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 39,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

Photo credit: MGN online

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April 14, 2020
State activates new crisis standards for emergency medical services and personal protective equipment

The Chief Medical Officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment activated new crisis standards for emergency medical services and personal protective equipment earlier this week to help health care providers make decisions when responding to COVID-19. These standards are specific to the COVID-19 response.

The state has not enacted crisis standards of care for hospitals, as ongoing physical distancing policies have helped delay the strain on hospitals.

The emergency medical services crisis standards outline recommendations for how dispatchers, emergency transport services, and first-responders operate. The personal protective equipment crisis standards outline recommendations on use of PPE and alternate equipment to provide some protection from disease transmission.

With the activation of the emergency medical services and personal protective equipment crisis standards in Colorado, entities will then adopt the standard for their organization and should report this adoption to CDPHE by completing the Crisis Standards of Care Adoption Form.

“The activated crisis standards provide recommendations on the questions ambulance dispatchers should ask and the equipment first responders should wear — among other recommendations. They also clarify which first responders go out when, minimizing the number of people who could be exposed to COVID-19, while still providing care to people in need,” said Dr. Eric France, chief medical officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “The public can help preserve precious emergency resources by staying home, and only contacting 911 when it’s an emergency. We all play a role in slowing transmission of the virus and protecting the heroes on the frontlines.”

The Governor’s Expert Emergency Epidemic Response Committee approved these crisis standards of care on April 5. Several sub-groups reviewed the content, and community feedback and engagement were considered throughout the process to update these recommendations.

The complete crisis standards of care are available here. The state will continue to activate portions of the standards as the need becomes apparent.

Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov.

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April 13, 2020
When what-if scenarios turn real: CSU pandemic modeler provides COVID-19 insights on health care workers

As a Yale University postdoctoral researcher, economist Jude Bayham studied the potential consequences of a global pandemic that could shutter schools, close businesses, and strain hospitals.

That was back in 2013.

Now, as the world grapples with the coronavirus, the Colorado State University economist and a multi-institutional team are turning those prescient modeling exercises into real insights for policymakers.

“We’re repurposing models we had done a while back that frankly at the time, people didn’t really care about,” said Bayham, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. “It’s an ‘I told you so’ moment. I’m not happy about it. It’s unfortunate.”

In the last several weeks, Bayham and Yale collaborator Eli Fenichel have run a series of analyses illustrating the toll that long-term school closures may have on U.S. health care providers. They’re now fielding inquiries from all over the world, from state governments to child care needs assessment professionals, who think the economists’ work could help them navigate the here and now. In the last two weeks, the researchers created an interactive dashboard for drilling down statistics on child care needs by state, city and industry sector. Their data were published in The Lancet Public Health.

Bayham and Fenichel have also created another dashboard for viewing COVID-19 complication risk factors in the workforce.

A third of health workers care for young children

For their health care worker analysis, the researchers used data from the U.S. Current Population Survey to show that about a third of health care workers – doctors, nurses, hospital staff – care for children ages 3-12. Fifteen percent of those households don’t have other adults or older children who can help with child care.

At the time they did their original analysis, a long-term school closure was a far-off hypothetical. Now, as school districts nationwide shutter for weeks or months, Bayham’s work of yore takes on new significance, and the team is scrambling to update it with current figures.

School closures are intended to slow the transmission of the virus. But Bayham and Fenichel find that the toll school closures take on health care workers could potentially negate any mortality benefits from the closures. Their calculations indicate that if the health care workforce declines by 15 percent, due to the workers now having to care for their children, it could lead to an increase in coronavirus deaths, because the workers aren’t there to care for sick people. Specifically, they report that assuming a 15 percent loss of the health care labor force, a coronavirus infection mortality rate increase of just 0.35 percentage points would net a greater number of deaths than would be prevented by the closures.

These calculations are just that – calculations, which don’t take into account, for example, the potential rollout of state or federal programs to offer child care relief to workers. And the estimates aren’t perfect; the researchers don’t claim to know, down to a precise number, what one health care worker’s absence portends.

“We don’t know, in terms of a productivity measure, the estimate of one nurse saving this many lives or reducing mortality,” Bayham said. “But we think it’s not zero. So essentially we are getting at how productive they need to be for us to be concerned about how school closures would undermine the goal of saving lives.”

The work is a sobering reminder of the societal and public-health tradeoffs of large-scale disruptions like long-term school closures.

Forming networks

As the pandemic continues to unfold, Bayham and colleagues at Yale, Northwestern University and other institutions have quickly formed a network of economists and epidemiologists to continue this and other lines of work. They hope to help inform decisionmakers on questions not only of tradeoffs of school closures, but also, strategies for peeling back such restrictive measures when the time is right.

As researchers all over the world converge their expertise around the pandemic, Bayham and colleagues are also jumping into other projects to help. For example, Bayham is serving on a U.S. Forest Service task force that will examine potential outcomes of coronavirus on firefighters as fire season returns.

And along with CSU colleagues Becca Jablonski, Dawn Thilmany, Rebecca Cleary, Rebecca Hill, Alexandra Hill, Laura Bellows, Bob Delmore and Michael Carolan, Bayham is also serving on a Colorado Department of Agriculture-focused task force looking at effects of social distancing measures on food supply chain issues. CSU’s vice president for engagement and extension, Blake Naughton, established the CSU Task Force on Colorado Food Supply to conduct research on several key areas: food access and security; designating food retail establishments as “essential services;” food supply chain workforce readiness; and consumer expenditure and farm market access.

April 9, 2020
Help document nature in your area as part of global initiative: 2020 City Nature Challenge

City Nature Challenge 2020 is an international effort to find and document plants and wildlife across the globe.

DENVER – From April 24 through 27, Colorado residents are encouraged to go outside in their neighborhood to photograph and identify plants and animals using the free iNaturalist app as part of a global initiative called the City Nature Challenge.

City Nature Challenge 2020 is an international effort to find and document plants and wildlife across the globe. Cities are encouraging their citizens to get outside in whatever way is safe for each region and document the plants and animals in their surroundings. The City Nature Challenge is organized by the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

The City Nature Challenge and COVID-19

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City Nature Challenge has made some modifications to the annual event to help keep organizers and participants safe. Although it has been promoted as a friendly competition in previous years, this year it’s about embracing the healing power of nature. Participants should safely document biodiversity in whatever way they can, even from the safety of their own homes if necessary. Participants are urged to carefully follow public health guidelines provided by your local governments, as they are changing in real-time. Individual safety and public health is of utmost priority.

Citizen Science and the iNaturalist app

To participate in this collaborative effort, download the free iNaturalist app, join the project, then get outside and start taking pictures of nature around you. By participating, you will be embracing the healing power of nature while also contributing crucial data about Colorado’s unique biodiversity. Scientists can then use this information to make important decisions about how to protect and improve Colorado’s nature.

The iNaturalist app that people use to identify species during the City Nature Challenge has been part of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s efforts to engage citizen scientists over the past few years.

In just under four years, the app has documented more than 91,000 observations of nature in Colorado’s 41 state parks. The new technology is helping CPW biologists track the wildlife resources, and in some cases, even contributing toward furthering important research.

From April 28 – May 3, users who identify photos of wildlife down to the species level will count toward the point tally.

Colorado nonprofits and government agencies like Colorado Parks and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, the WILD Foundation, MetroDNA, Denver Botanical Gardens, and Denver Audubon all see the value in this effort to connect people to their environment and reap the benefits of crowd-sourced citizen science.

“We have so much amazing nature in and around Denver, that we encourage people to explore their backyards and neighborhoods to discover incredible wildlife,” said Chris Hawkins, urban conservation program manager for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. “Not only will participants be having fun outside, but they will also be making valuable scientific contributions that will help The Nature Conservancy as we work to create a thriving region for people and nature.”

“As a mom of two young children who have now transitioned to online learning, I am so excited about the opportunity to engage them in a community science project that gets us outdoors in our own neighborhood,” said Kate Hogan of Denver Audubon. “The iNaturalist.org app is easy to use, and even my 4-year-old knows how to take pictures with my cell phone, so each one of us can be involved!”

“The City Nature Challenge is an extraordinary opportunity for individuals to connect to the wild nature that surrounds them; something that is essential considering we live in this time of rapid human development, species extinction, and disconnection with nature,” said Melanie Hill, Director of Communications & Outreach at the WILD Foundation. “This event offers a fun and easy way for people of all ages to get to know these wild beings and understand not only what they need to survive, but thrive.”

“Plant and wildlife enthusiasts from across the region can participate simply by staying at home and helping to identify species through the iNaturalist program,” said Jennifer Neale, Director of Research & Conservation for Denver Botanic Gardens.

“The City Nature Challenge offers Metro Denver residents, especially kids and families, a chance to get outdoors in a way that contributes not only to our shared knowledge of the region’s biodiversity but to their physical and mental health,” said Dana Coelho, Metro DNA Director and co-lead of Safe Summer Kick Off on Get Outdoors Day, a Southwest Denver-based partnership inspired by and connected to the statewide Get Outdoors Colorado coalition of partners.

“At its core, it’s a citizen science project that is trying to engage as many people as possible to record the diversity of life wherever they happen to be,” said CPW Forest Management Coordinator Matt Schulz. “Anyone can participate with this challenge, just by observing what is outside their door, whether it’s the tree that lines your street or the bird stopping over to find a bit of food.”

Colorado state parks are a great place to be outdoors, as well as a great place to participate in the City Nature Challenge. But please remember to only visit your neighborhood state parks consistent with public health recommendations. Colorado state parks within this year’s boundaries include: Barr Lake, Boyd Lake, Castlewood Canyon, Chatfield, Cherry Creek, Cheyenne Mountain, Eldorado Canyon,Golden Gate, Lory, Roxborough, St. Vrain and Staunton.

Check CPW’s City Nature Challenge page or the co-organizers page at www.wild.org/naturechallenge for updated information on the City Nature Challenge project.

Details

More information on the City Nature Challenge is available at: https://citynaturechallenge.org.

For those interested in the Denver-Boulder Metro area: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020-denver-boulder-metro-area

For those interested in the Colorado Springs area: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020-colorado-springs

For those interested in the Fort Collins/Northern Colorado area: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020-northern-colorado

Stats from last year:

Boulder-Denver Metro Area 2019:

Total observations: 6,374

Total observers: 433

Species identified: 955

Worldwide 2019

Total observations: 963,000+

Total observers: 35,000+

Species identified: 31,000+

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April 9, 2020