- This event has passed.
Grand Junction Pub Talk
November 11, 2015 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
FreePlease join us for a pub talk
featuring a presentation about the
Benefits of Successful Ecological Restoration Following Oil and Gas Development
by Richard Alward
followed by audience discussion
on Wednesday, November 11th from 6 to 9pm
at Baron’s Bar and Grill in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Appetizers provided. Cash bar available.
Dr. Alward will talk about ecological restoration following oil and gas development in Colorado, highlighting important concepts, challenges, research results, solutions and benefits. He will also address the existing state rules for oil and gas restoration and solicit input about the adequacy of these rules and suggestions for rule changes that might better ensure successful restoration. Please consider the two questions below before and during the presentation as they will be used as a jumping off point for discussion after Richard’s talk:
1. What Should be Goals and Objectives for Ecological Restoration in Oil & Gas Fields?
a. Vegetation Structure
b. Ecological Function
c. Ecosystem Services
d. Regulatory Compliance
e. Only ‘a’ and ‘d’
f. All of the above
g. It depends
h. Other _____________
b. Ecological Function
c. Ecosystem Services
d. Regulatory Compliance
e. Only ‘a’ and ‘d’
f. All of the above
g. It depends
h. Other _____________
2. What rules are necessary to ensure that these goals and objectives are met?
Richard Alward is a Certified Senior Ecologist and Owner of Aridlands Natural Resource Consulting in Grand Junction, Colorado. For over ten years, he has been conducting ecological research and surveys on the impacts of development on native ecosystems, especially in areas supporting important wildlife habitat and rare and endangered plants in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Much of his work occurs on public lands on behalf of private developers – including energy, mining, and reservoir-related projects. In addition to extensive canyon country work experience, he has participated in Great Plains research projects from New Mexico to South Dakota, and overseas in Antarctica and Swaziland. He has been serving on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for over eight years; he was appointed by Gov. Ritter and re-appointed twice by Gov. Hickenlooper to provide expertise in reclamation and conservation and the perspective of a scientist. Prior to moving to Grand Junction, he earned a Ph.D. in Ecology from Colorado State University, and both an M.S. and B.S. in Biology from the University of Nebraska.
Food, Beer, and Ecological Restoration!