Douglas County

“DOUGLAS” in bold 3D purple-pink letters above a pastel-toned city skyline with mountains in the background.

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"I did what anyone else would do"

A stranger on a dark sidewalk needed help. Brent Buford didn't hesitate.

Culture

Outside a room packed with nearly 100 people there to celebrate him, Brent Buford wanted no part of the fuss.What he&#x27;s saying: &quot;I did what anyone else would do,&quot; the 68-year-old grandfather said.

Parker is giving its history a second look

A revamped Heritage Center will tell Parker's fuller story.

Parker&#x27;s starting over on how it tells its story.Zoom in: The town spent the past 45 years growing into a destination — a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="72,000-resident" data-vars-click-url="https://www.parkerco.gov/159/About-Parker" data-vars-content-id="2ed51988-ce44-4ad0-8095-7a8de0471090" data-vars-headline="Parker is giving its history a second look" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.parkerco.gov/159/About-Parker" target="_blank">72,000-resident</a> suburb with schools, sprawling trails, ever-developing neighborhoods and a new, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$400+ million Mainstreet transformation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/douglas/2026/04/27/parker-downtown-transformation-mainstreet-investment" data-vars-content-id="2ed51988-ce44-4ad0-8095-7a8de0471090" data-vars-headline="Parker is giving its history a second look" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/douglas/2026/04/27/parker-downtown-transformation-mainstreet-investment" target="_self">$400+ million Mainstreet transformation</a>.

DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo

A massive development proposal awaits its next hearing.

Business

A Douglas County real estate agent is building a community coalition to fight a controversial development near his town whenever the project resurfaces.Why it matters: Crowsnest has already run into opposition in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Parker" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/controversial-crowsnest-annexation-colorado-castle-pines/" data-vars-content-id="abf5b3e9-7856-40d6-9ed7-6b2d3d316bb0" data-vars-headline="DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/controversial-crowsnest-annexation-colorado-castle-pines/" target="_blank">Parker</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Castle Pines" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/crowsnest-annexation-petition-colorado-castle-pines-withdrawn/" data-vars-content-id="abf5b3e9-7856-40d6-9ed7-6b2d3d316bb0" data-vars-headline="DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/crowsnest-annexation-petition-colorado-castle-pines-withdrawn/" target="_blank">Castle Pines</a> and nearby residents — including Joey Lugo — are ready for battle.

Douglas County's disappearing dirt roads

Roads are being paved as growth reshapes Douglas County

Dusty gravel roads are slowly giving way to asphalt in Douglas County.Why it matters: Every new paved road makes the community safer and is less expensive to maintain and more useful in emergencies.

Castle Rock unveils Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space

New trails will give hikers access to a long-restricted property.

Environment

Two years after Castle Rock and its partners preserved Lost Canyon Ranch from potential development, the 681-acre site is going public next month.Why it matters: Visitors will soon have free access to terrain that&#x27;s largely been hidden behind private gates.

Douglas County's crop lab

Volunteers test crops that handle drought and temperature swings.

A mostly volunteer-run Douglas County orchard is helping residents figure out what can actually survive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="drought" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/04/30/colorado-wildfire-risk-2026-drought" data-vars-content-id="159303f2-d622-49b4-8fe4-d69187d2d32d" data-vars-headline="Douglas County&#x27;s crop lab" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/04/30/colorado-wildfire-risk-2026-drought" target="_self">drought</a>, wind and wild weather.Why it matters: The county&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Hidden Mesa Research &amp; Demonstration Orchard" data-vars-click-url="https://www.douglasco.gov/open-space-natural-resources/projects/hidden-mesa-research-demo-orchard/" data-vars-content-id="159303f2-d622-49b4-8fe4-d69187d2d32d" data-vars-headline="Douglas County&#x27;s crop lab" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.douglasco.gov/open-space-natural-resources/projects/hidden-mesa-research-demo-orchard/" target="_blank">Hidden Mesa Research &amp; Demonstration Orchard</a> near Franktown has tested hundreds of fruits, vegetables and other crops in real-world conditions — creating rare local data on what grows, what doesn&#x27;t and how to save precious resources.

Shrinking prairie pushes public grazing

Private land available for grazing has fallen roughly 16% across Douglas County since 2016.

Colorado&#x27;s cattle grazing season ramps up this month, but Douglas County&#x27;s ranching tradition is shrinking.The big picture: Growth is consuming the formerly wide-open spaces across the county, squeezing out the range that long powered the region&#x27;s ranching economy.

Douglas County readies residents for fire season

Officials urge residents to create evacuation and mitigation plans, coordinate with neighbors, and sign up for emergency text alerts now.

Climate

Colorado is heading into what officials warn could be an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="active fire season" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/04/30/colorado-wildfire-risk-2026-drought" data-vars-content-id="5e52c5aa-c4ec-410d-92d0-0505b9d496fe" data-vars-headline="Douglas County readies residents for fire season" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/04/30/colorado-wildfire-risk-2026-drought" target="_self">active fire season</a>, with up to 9,000 wildfires expected this year.Why it matters: In Douglas County, that means creating evacuation and mitigation plans, coordinating with neighbors, and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="signing up for emergency alerts" data-vars-click-url="https://dougcoalert.com/" data-vars-content-id="5e52c5aa-c4ec-410d-92d0-0505b9d496fe" data-vars-headline="Douglas County readies residents for fire season" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://dougcoalert.com/" target="_blank">signing up for emergency alerts</a> now.

An oasis hiding amid Douglas County's growth boom

A little-known reservoir doubles as a water source and uncrowded outdoor escape.

News

Rueter-Hess Reservoir is, at its core, a water bowl for many of Douglas County&#x27;s thirsty residents.Yes, but: Standing at the water&#x27;s edge, it feels more like an oasis amid the area&#x27;s explosive growth.

A highway fix that could save Colorado's wildlife

A new I-25 crossing could help elk and pronghorn reconnect and survive long term.

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Greenland Wildlife Overpass" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/12/16/colorado-greenland-wildlife-overpass-complete" data-vars-content-id="c88883cc-511d-4606-beea-147b46dee4d9" data-vars-headline="A highway fix that could save Colorado&#x27;s wildlife" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/12/16/colorado-greenland-wildlife-overpass-complete" target="_self">Greenland Wildlife Overpass</a> is lauded as an engineering marvel that not only reduces animal strikes on Interstate 25 but could help to ensure elk and pronghorn survive for centuries to come.Why it matters: Highways don&#x27;t just kill animals — they cut off movement and weaken herds over time.

Environment

DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo

Douglas County's disappearing dirt roads

CU study challenges Colorado's moose origin story

Castle Rock unveils Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space

Douglas County's crop lab