Field Trips

Recommended for the trip: Dress in layers. Long-pants, long-sleeved shirts, sturdy closed-toed shoes, broad-brimmed hat, gloves, jackets, rain gear, sunscreen, anddrinking water. Weather can vary since this is a field trip is at high elevations (7000- 10,200 feet) in early fall. Leadville, Colorado, has played a major role in Colorado’s economy, popularity, and ‘Wild West’ …

Field Trip SummaryWith close to a million accessions, the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) in Fort Collins, Colorado, conserves the world’s largest collection of plant and microbial genetic resources. Included is a growing collection of more than 23,000 native seed accessions collected for preservation and for use in ecosystem …

Your Tour Guides Joshua Eldridge is an ecologist with more than 20 years of experience, including 18 years as an ecological consultant. Joshua is a systems-level thinker that brings cutting edge ecological expertise to planning and design projects focused on creating functional and resilient ecosystems. He specializes in wildland and urban restoration, with particular emphasis …

High Level Summary Attendees of this field trip will learn about the issues that have resulted in degraded riparian wet meadow ecosystems in the park and will get to visit both passive and active restoration sites attempting to return some of these areas to functioning riparian wet meadow. Recommended for field trip: long-pants, long sleeve …

Denver Botanic Gardens is a regional leader in progressive horticultural design, water conservation, and use of climate-appropriate plant material in the semi-arid West. On this field trip, we will show participants examples of progressive horticultural installations and revegetation efforts in downtown Denver associated with the Denver Botanic Gardens, along with a tour of regionally appropriate …

Summary Northwest Colorado mining companies have been doing reclamation since the early-mid 1970’s. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) is the primary federal law that regulates the environmental impacts of coal mining in the United States. With the passage of SMCRA, coal mine operators have been required to minimize the environmental …