Over
60 public and private agencies, organizations, and companies have banded
together to conserve an interconnected system of open space for wildlife and
people in southwestern metro Denver, surrounding Chatfield Reservoir.
Collectively, we have created an ambitious plan to coordinate the efforts of
developers and conservationists to protect connections and conserve major parts
of the ecological vitality of the Chatfield Basin, in parts of Jefferson,
Douglas, and Arapaho Counties.
One
day it struck South Platte Park naturalist, Ray Sperger. Black bears hadn’t
been seen in the park, just downstream from Chatfield State Park, since 1986.
Before that, they had been seen annually. Since 1990, regular visits by herds of
mule deer had stopped. He also knew that an increasing number of houses was
appearing along the park’s boundaries.
Sperger
started to wonder what other wildlife might disappear from the area as the park
became more like an island of nature in the expanding urban sea that is metro
Denver. What would become of the ferruginous hawks and other birds of prey that
used the park? Would the snapping turtles and painted turtles disappear as the
number of roads increased?
He
started talking over the situation with fellow biologists, planners, and elected
officials because he knew eventually the problem would face all the parks and
open spaces of the Chatfield Basin. He also knew something needed to be
done—and could be done. The Chatfield Basin Conservation Network was born.
Our
vision is of an interconnected and buffered system of open space for nature and
people on the southwestern urbanizing edge of the Denver Metropolitan area. We
envision healthy protected areas that are sustainable and rich in indigenous
species because these ecosystems are buffered and connected. This project vision
is supported by five goals:
1.
Conserve and enhance areas of significant wildlife habitat and protect a
connected system in support of wildlife movement.
2.
Conserve and enhance areas of significant vegetation.
3.
Conserve open lands and wetlands to protect water quality and help reduce damage
from flooding.
4.
Create an interconnected, non-motorized trail system for the Chatfield Basin.
5.
Coordinate open space systems across jurisdictions in the basin.
Copies
of the Network’s Concept Plan can be downloaded from our website:
www.chatfieldbasin.org
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