Bringing a child, youth group, or signing up as a family?
Please follow this step-by-step guide to register as a team. It’s quick and helps us get all the info we need.
Where You'll Be:
This project takes place at the Plains Conservation Center managed by City of Aurora’s Open Space and Natural Resources Department. The Plains Conservation Center provides the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of Denver Metro’s eastern plains. It features stretches of native prairie and offers a sense of vast grasslands far removed from the city. The Plains Conservation Center also serves as nature preserve and education center that model what Native American camps and pioneer homesteads looked like in the late 1800s.
What You'll Do:
Volunteers will help plant about 200 cottonwood trees along the creek and in nearby wet areas at the Plains Conservation Center.
These trees will be either bare root plants or 5-gallon container plants. After planting, volunteers will install wire cages around each tree to protect them from being eaten by pronghorn and other wildlife.
This work supports a recently installed beaver dam analog (BDA), which aim to slow the flow of water replicating the effect of natural beaver dams. While beavers once lived in this area, they are no longer present. Without beaver dams to slow the creek, water levels dropped over time, making it difficult for cottonwood trees to survive. The BDA helps slow the flow of water, raising the water table and keeping moisture in the soil longer. This creates better conditions for cottonwoods to grow and establishes a healthier riparian area along the creek.
Why It Matters:
This project builds on the planting that VOC volunteers started in the spring of 2025.
Adding more trees will expand habitat for breeding birds and support existing nesting eagles in the area. Cottonwoods also help stabilize the East Toll Gate Creek's banks, reduce erosion, and provide shade that keeps water cooler and supports long-term water availability. Together, these improvements strengthen the overall health of the creek and the surrounding prairie ecosystem.
Eligibility Requirements:
Ages 12+
Youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older.
Bringing a child, youth group, or signing up as a family?
Please follow this step-by-step guide to register as a team. It’s quick and helps us get all the info we need!
Project Difficulty:
This project is considered easy to moderate; please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details.
General physical considerations for participating in this project (Some or all may apply): Volunteers will work in sun-exposed areas and on uneven terrain, performing tasks such as bending down, de-potting saplings, and digging. Other tasks may include: moderate lifting, moving soil, walking and tool use.
Access Factors:
Vehicle Access: 2WD accessible
Other Notes: Bathrooms are available at the Plains Conservation Center Visitor Center, about a half-mile from the work site.
If you enjoy planting projects, you can view similar projects here.
