Summary and Logistics:

Quick description: This field trip will take place at Daniels Park, located about 25 miles (40km) south of Downtown Denver. Daniels Park occurs right at the intersection of the High Plains, Southern Rockies, and Southwestern Tablelands ecoregions of Colorado

This diverse environment offers views of Pikes Peak up to Wyoming’s Snowy Range on clear days. The park is also home to one of Denver’s two bison herds, and the TallBull Memorial Grounds, which is an area reserved for Native American use. This field trip will explore some of the unique ecological stewardship activities taking place on the site such as bison grazing, native dung beetle breeding and release, back country erosion control methods, scrub oak management and invasive weed control. In addition to ecological restoration, field trip attendees will learn about a newly created Medicine Wheel garden and the growing collaboration among Denver Parks and Recreation, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance and the TallBull Memorial Council.

Logistics: Expect to be outside for the duration of the field trip. The locations of different restoration projects are dispersed across the land, so walking from site to site will occur on uneven ground without a formal trail system. This field trip is expected to take a full day. The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado.

We honor Elders past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land throughout generations. We also recognize that government, academic and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities and recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Denver.

Detailed Description:

Buses will leave from the Denver Convention Center and arrive at Daniels Park after a 35-minute drive. Upon arrival individuals will be greeted by staff from Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR), Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA), Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area (HRBWA) and the TallBull Memorial Council.

Bison once numbered between 30-60 million individuals on Great Plains, as such, they were an incredibly common species within the geographic boundary of Colorado before European movement west. Today only a few areas in Colorado have bison at all and there are no areas in the state where bison graze in the numbers they once did. DPR, DZCA, and HRBWA received a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation ‘RESTORE’ grant to help reestablish grassland habitat across Daniels Park and HRBWA by engaging in multiple restoration activities, such as bison reintroduction. Speakers will provide information on what changes they have seen since the shift in management practice began.

Nutrient cycling is a key component of bison grazing on landscapes. To help facilitate the incorporation of organic matter and bison dung into soils, the DZCA has been working with DPR to start a breed and release program for rainbow scarab beetles. Speakers will talk about their findings thus far.

Plant communities on grazed landscapes have an impact on many ecological factors such as forage quality and availability, soil stabilization, and habitat complexity. Ongoing efforts to restore typical plant communities within the park include weed mapping and treatments, mechanical removal of invasive woody material such as scrub oak, and the installation of small check dams to limit water caused erosion. Field trip attendees will engage in a conversation about these management activities and may even be able to participate in the construction of an erosion mitigation structure.

Daniels Park is home to the TallBull Memorial Grounds, an area reserved for use by the TallBull Memorial Council, a group comprised of multiple American Indian tribes. Time during the field trip will be set aside to hear from a representative about topics of their choosing. If time allows attendees can further explore the park via hiking trails. Upon conclusion, everyone will return to the Hotel via the provided buses.

The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional  territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal  nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. We honor Elders past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land throughout  generations. We also recognize that government, academic and cultural institutions were founded upon  and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of  oppression and inequities and recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities  in Denver.