Description
Start Date-End Date: 06/08/2019-06/08/2019
Land Manager Office: Bluff Lake Nature Center
Land Manager Contact: Rachel Crouch
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Celebrate National Get Outdoors Day on this project exclusively for families with children ages 6-12.
Description: Project photo courtesy of Bluff Lake Nature Center
Where You'll Be:
Located in the Stapleton area of Denver, the Bluff Lake Nature Center is a 123-acre wildlife refuge that allows people of all ages the chance to connect with nature without leaving the city. As the city's largest open space, Bluff Lake Nature Center engages thousands of school groups in environmental education and is home to beavers, bats, turtles, and hundreds of other bird, mammal, insect, and plant species.
What You'll Do:
Celebrate National Get Outdoors Day on this project designed exclusively for families with children ages 6-12! After a light breakfast provided by our volunteer Crew Chefs, you and your family will help remove invasive weeds and restore the area with native seeds. Kids will also get to enjoy exploring the nearby creek with naturalists from Bluff Lake Nature Center and learn about what it means to be a good steward of the environment. This project is a fantastic way to introduce your child to the joys of nature and volunteering, while also enjoying new experiences as a family. A light lunch will also be provided at the end of the morning.
Why It Matters:
Bluff Lake Nature Center is a true refuge for wildlife and native plant species in the middle of the city. By helping to remove invasive plants known for crowding out native ones, you will help create a healthier habitat for the unique species that call Colorado home. In addition, by connecting the children in your life to nature, you'll help foster the next generation of outdoor caretakers - and make new family memories along the way.
Need-to-Know Details:
Minors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on single-day projects.
Cancellation:Our partners rely on VOC volunteers to accomplish critical stewardship needs, and our projects often have wait lists. If you need to cancel, pleasecontact Emily Schaeferat 303-715-1010 ext. 116 as soon as possible so we can free your spot for another volunteer and have a full workforce.
About Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC)
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is the state's oldest, largest, and leading outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. Founded in 1984 to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources, VOC has engaged nearly 120,000 people in more than 1,000 volunteer projects for a donated labor value of $24 million. Through award-winning youth and volunteer programs, leadership training, capacity-building programs, and collaborative efforts with nonprofits and land management agencies, VOC is an invaluable resource in Colorado, especially as our outdoor stewardship needs are approaching near-crisis levels. For more information, visit www.voc.org or call 303-715-1010.
Latitude/Longitude: 39.759172, -104.857150
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 30
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 18
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 19
Total Volunteer Days: 37
Total Unique Volunteers: 37
Total Volunteer Hours: 148
Staff Hours: 9
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: This project was a huge success! We had 37 people attend and were able to get all 6 trees (3 cottonwoods and 2 box elder maples) and 18 shrubs (5 golden currents, 8 three lead sumac, and 5 chokecherries) in the ground.
Rachel and I began the day with a quick introduction of the work and Bluff Lake Nature Center. We walked about 5-10 minutes to the work site, where we split up in small groups to plant the trees and shrubs. The cement dispersed throughout the bank was difficult to work with in some areas, but for the most part, the ground was soft and wasn't too tough for the families to work with.
At around 10:45, we wrapped up work, and Rachel took the kids over to the stream to catch crawfish, using their nets and water shoes. I picked up Which Wich (for 15% off!), and lunch was served at 11:45.
Successes and Challenges: Successes:
- partnering with Bluff Lake on nature play
- perfect amount of work for this group!
Challenges:
- wish I had done a better job explaining how to plant a tree and shrub well (there were groups digging different sized holes and not breaking up the roots properly)
- neither Rachel nor I had much experience with wetland planting, so it was difficult to know where the trees and plants would thrive and have enough shade and moisture
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
