Mark Giebel grew up roaming and hunting in the wild spaces in north Douglas County in the only neighborhood just south of County Line, Acres Green, long before the days of Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree development.
“I grew up outside, playing in the fields,” Mark says. “I definitely gained an appreciation for the outdoors.”
That wildness caught hold and never let go, says Mark, who is the director of the Highlands Ranch Community Association’s Backcountry Wilderness Area, an 8,200-acre protected open space in Douglas County.
Mark has spent his entire 27-year career at HRCA, first as a lifeguard and manager of pools, then as a recreation center supervisor. Mark eventually learned about a large swath of protected open space in Highlands Ranch just waiting for funding and a management plan. With his biology degree with an emphasis on ecology from Trinity University in San Antonio, he eventually landed the role of director for what is now Backcountry Wilderness.
“I called it my dream job when I got it in 2006,” Mark says. “I had my eye on it since 1999. It’s a perfect fit for me, growing up here, working outdoors, working for wildlife conservation.”
Backcountry Wilderness — larger than Cherry Creek State Park and Chatfield State Park combined — was a concept created by Douglas County officials and housing developers when planning the Highlands Ranch community in the late 1970s and early ’80s.
To allow for higher-density neighborhoods that would reduce infrastructure costs, officials wanted to approve an Open Space Conservation Agreement that set aside the space for Backcountry, which is one third of the 24,000 acre Highlands Ranch land.
Today, Backcountry offers recreational and educational opportunities that include 14 miles of single-track trails, three archery ranges, horse programs and nature education and volunteer opportunities for adults and children.
In addition, there are areas within Backcountry that are protected from uncontrolled human access to allow for wildlife conservation.
“You can have federal and state laws, but the local rules you have in place are really important too,” Mark says. “We don’t allow dogs because they have a big impact on wildlife. And we have seasonal closures. We close Wildcat Mountain trail, for instance, in the winter for elk wintering. And that’s when our golden eagle pair begins their courtship.”
Building open space should be much more than just building paths for people to walk on, Mark says, which is why Backcountry is such a great example to other communities that are struggling with an explosion in population.
“We have to protect it from being loved to death. Every open space on the Front Range is dealing with overuse issues,” Mark says. “We have recreation and education, but we have set aside a big chunk for conservation. We want to educate our community. We might add trails in the future but they would have to be in the right spot” to protect wildlife habitat.
“I feel really fortunate to do what I do, especially growing up here and seeing everything develop around us,” Mark says. “I want to help conserve this amazing wildlife habitat and resource for the community.”
Backcountry's The Big Help!
The Big Help! is the biggest volunteer event of the year for Backcountry Wilderness Area. On Apil 25, help clean up trails and facilities as an individual or group. Register through Douglas County Volunteer Connect. Plan to stay for a bring-you-own picnic party after the work is done. For more information or a link to register, go to hrcaonline.org.
