In 2015, Boise voters approved a $10 million levy to support the preservation of open space and the implementation of habitat and clean water improvement projects in areas such as the Boise foothills and the Boise River. The funds from this levy are managed by the Open Space and Clean Water Advisory Committee.
Projects recommended for approval by Boise City Council to receive levy funds include:
The project proposes construction of a wildlife overpass at Cerivdae Peak, MP 19.3 on State Highway 21. The City is partnering with the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation (IFWF) on behalf of Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Idaho Transportation Department D3 (ITD) and many others to fund this project. This will be Idaho’s 1st wildlife overpass project and since 2016, 77 elk and deer have died due to collisions in the area where the wildlife overpass is proposed.
The total expected cost of the project is approximately $3 million. The City’s contribution is up to $40,000.
The project is currently in the contract advertisement and award phase. Construction expected to occur in 2023.
The two new projects identified to increase accessible options for users in the foothills include:
The City of Boise owns nearly 6,000 acres of open space reserves and they are managed for wildlife habitat, ecosystems services and recreational access. One of the most important ecosystem services provided by open space is the ability of the land to store carbon in the plants and soil by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon sequestration of open space reserves potentially store significant amounts of carbon in plants and soils, but the quantitative value of this carbon remains unknown.
This project aims to quantify below-ground carbon sequestration in open space reserves. The resulting carbon storage map will allow the City of Boise to quantify preservation efforts based on carbon sequestration, guide future acquisitions efforts, and target restoration projects to increase carbon storage where feasible.