Douglas County

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Walk on Colorado's wild side

Animals are crossing the new wildlife overpass — an early sign the $15 million project is working.

Environment

Pronghorn and elk are taking the high road in Douglas County.Why it matters: The animals are crossing I-25 on the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Greenland Wildlife Overpass" data-vars-click-url="https://www.codot.gov/projects/archives/i25greenlandwildlifeoverpass" data-vars-content-id="4227a05c-2b3a-4404-9835-bd1277da8d77" data-vars-headline="Walk on Colorado&#x27;s wild side" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.codot.gov/projects/archives/i25greenlandwildlifeoverpass" target="_blank">Greenland Wildlife Overpass</a> — a promising sign that the continent&#x27;s largest wildlife superhighway is working.

DougCo tames fiery summer

Climate

For a wildfire season that looked downright scary a few months ago, Douglas County fared pretty well.The latest: The county Sheriff&#x27;s Office responded to 113 wildfires through August, emergency management director Mike Alexander tells Axios.

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Pines" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/crowsnest-annexation-petition-colorado-castle-pines-withdrawn/" data-vars-content-id="abf5b3e9-7856-40d6-9ed7-6b2d3d316bb0" data-vars-headline="DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo"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

Culture

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.

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.

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

Walk on Colorado's wild side

DougCo tames fiery summer

DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo

Douglas County's disappearing dirt roads

CU study challenges Colorado's moose origin story