HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 04/28/1993• 0
NRAB Education/Land Use Joint Committees
April 28, 1993
Topic: Natural Areas Education Program
Filenotes.
Natural areas education outreach in the city will have a new
importance in the next few years. The city will be acquiring a
significant natural area land base which will have an entirely
different philosophy for its acquisition, use, and maintainance
compared, for instance, to the city parks.
Many folks will be stimulated by the different character of
the natural areas land base. Thus, the need for an education
program designed to explain what naural areas are, the diversity of
biota found there, the special niches required to support the
lifeforms, the symbiotic relationships, food chain cycles, "pest"
species introduced by man etc.
Some minimum goals would be to:
1) coordinate a master naturalist training and certification
program. The city could hire/contract with a recognized
naturalist to coordinate and certify the master naturalist
program.
2) over the next 4+ years, introduce 2000 PR-1 students to
Fort Collins natural areas using the master naturalists to
spearhead this aspect. Ten naturalists committing to 2
Saturday mornings per week, taking 2 groups of 20-25 students
each would have the capacity to reach 800-1 0 students each
year and a good chance of actually reachip400-500. PR-1 —
teachers who are trained and who incorpora a natural areas
visits could extend the outreach much further.
3) hire a ranger/naturalist educator. Someone will have to be
dedicated to the land base and perhaps be much involved in 1)
above.
4) establish adult outreach.
a) indirectly, through the program for students
• b) repeating tours with adult leaders of student groups
like scouts so that they are aware that this is an
opportunity for their group. Do tours for special groups
like the Optimists, Lions, etc.
c) SDIC used, especially, in design planning for
use/management of new natural areas to draw neighborhoods
into stewardship.
d) young adults. Can use design planning for practical
projects for involving CSU students needing that
experience and Eagle scout projects.
e) Kevin Cook column. He is interested in featuring
/r
_ natural ar aA%:in his Coloradoan Column. If possible,
provide Kevin and others who will do this the necessary
grist.
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f) giwmmm*� crosscurrents program with the League of
Women Voters. A natural areas feature. Other ChV 14
features "Natural area of the month/season" 1 2"16v`
g) Interpretive program to involve casual visitors.
5) Staff schedule to work on this. Late summer/fall. They
need budget and part time job description to develop education
program.
Other notes.
Staff suggests that with the present personnel they can forsee
time for coordinating but not doing the program. Focus on
volunteer naturalists and ranger/naturalist (ppew job description)
to carry out load. egi.ce V
Cem Bassman noted that the CSU Natural Resources department
has students (undergrad and grad) who have intern teaching
requirements/community service projects who would fing a "natural"
outlet here in Fort Collins for satisfying their requirements.
Cem also noted that the International Interpretive Center is
housed at CSU and might be of help in developing the program.
Cem has experience with "adopt a trail" programs in Pueblo
which might be translated into "adopt a natural area" here.
Mike Bilseng from PR-1 described a environmental network of
teachers 'who, potentially, could be an enormous help in the
outreach education program. Perhaps, an effort to certify a group
of PR-1 teachers as Master Naturalists might be a very efficient
direction.
Mike said that local outdoor education will likely become much
more important given the present budget pressures. Besides, if the
program has good things to offer, the easy proximity makes the Fort
Collins natural areas a viable program because of opportunities for
repeated visitation, tracking seasonal changes etc.
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