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Lorch picked to head open space program

BOB BERWYN
summit daily news
Summit Daily/Mark Fox
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Summit County, CO Colorado

SUMMIT COUNTY ” The appointment of Brian Lorch as director of the county’s open space and trails department will ensure a seamless transition for the program, said interim county manager Steve Hill.

Lorch, who has been with Summit County government since 2000, was picked to replace Todd Robertson after a statewide search.



Under Robertson’s leadership, the open space program has protected about 13,000 acres countywide with a combination of conservation easements and outright open space purchases. Robertson left the department last month to work with Western Land Group, a private company that facilitates land trades with federal agencies.

“Brian’s experience with the department, his proven track record and his work with the Open Space Advisory Council are all qualities that uniquely position Brian to continue the County’s successful efforts to protect and manage our important open spaces and trails,” Hill said.



“I am delighted. There was a solid field and we got the winner,” said County Commissioner Bob French.

Lorch started as an environmental planner with the county planning department in 2000. He became a resource specialist with the open space department in 2001, using his background and education in watershed sciences to take on a lead role in a number of significant local restoration projects.

“I look forward to working with members of the community, elected officials, and other stakeholders to further the open space and trails mission of protecting the character of Summit County and providing opportunities for current and future generations to enjoy this wonderful area of Colorado,” Lorch said.

Lorch said he doesn’t expect that the nature of the open space program will change drastically in the future.

“We’ve got a great program going,” Lorch said, explaining that the department’s role is gradually evolving toward management of existing open space. “We’ve protected some of the big areas. Most of the easy ones have been done,” he said.

Lorch said one of his biggest challenges will be to ensure continued funding for the program, which is financed by a mill levy. The county will probably seek voter approval to extend that financing mechanism in November 2008.

Some of the top tier items on Lorch’s desk include management of the Golden Horseshoe open space (co-owned with Breckenridge) and funding for the next section of the Swan Mountain Recpath.

More environmental restoration is also in the works, with plans for work in the Swan River drainage already at a conceptual stage, Lorch said.


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