Enhancing Climate Resilience in Boulder County: A Comprehensive Approach to Desertification Risk Analysis

As climate change intensifies, urban landscapes face unprecedented challenges, including desertification and its ecological and economic impacts. In response, the City of Boulder, Colorado, has initiated a project aimed at identifying vulnerabilities within Boulder County's landscapes and developing a user-friendly web-based tool for non-technical audiences. This tool will serve as a crucial resource for public and private land managers, community leaders, and policymakers to inform effective land management strategies and increase resilience to extreme drying. The project's core objectives include: (i) mapping significant risks and vulnerabilities to raise awareness and target conservation efforts, (ii) quantifying potential ecological and economic costs associated with desertification alongside the benefits of regenerative land management practices, and (iii) establishing key indicators and methodologies to evaluate landscape resilience. By harnessing existing data from ground-based measurements and remote sensing technologies, the initiative aims to produce a comprehensive assessment of land parcel risks and resilience dynamics. A strong emphasis on user-centered design ensured that the resulting tool is accessible and engaging while effectively communicating complex scientific data. The approach incorporates iterative development, informed by feedback from stakeholders, to create a resource that aligns with the diverse needs of the Boulder community.