Patrick Murphy

I am a plant ecologist living in Boulder Colorado.  I have my own consulting company called Ecotone Corporation specializing in vegetation related studies.

I first moved to Colorado in 1962 when my father was stationed at the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs.  I was in 5th grade and fell in love with Colorado.  I moved to Boulder in 1969 to start college at the University of Colorado.  I received a B.A. in biology and an M.A. in plant ecology.

The goal of this site is to document events related to family and friends, and to provide some details about the work and volunteer projects I am associated with.

I have written many letters to the Boulder Daily Camera related to Weed and Dog issues.   I have found that a repeated cycle of education is necessary for issues to be incorporated into the social fabric.  This site will help document some of the awareness cycles, and let people know what my goals are and who I am, based on what I do, rather that what they think I do.

If you have opinions that you want to express, please submit them to the Boulder Camera or your local paper.  The newspaper, internet, TV, radio, and public gatherings are places where the community can meet and document what we value as a whole, and how we can change destructive (intentional or not) behavior.

Nothing on earth changes or improves without confrontation.  Let's learn how to confront issues and each other with respect, but not be afraid or intimidated by political correctness.  Think, rethink, act, rethink, act - this is the learning cycle.   Good confrontation is productive.  Avoiding confrontation can often be destructive.  There is a balance that should be pursued, and in that ecotone between violent confrontation and passive denial lies the zone of productive communication.   Let's go there!

  Definition of Ecotone - a transition zone between two ecological communities usually exhibiting competition between organisms common to both.  In terms of biological communities, these "in between" areas are typically the most productive and diverse zones on the landscape.