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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAddenda - RFP - P982 BOBCAT RIDGE TRAIL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTON (8)Chapter 7. Education and Outreach Educational and outreach opportunities are many and varied at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area. The variation in terrain, diversity in habitat, open vistas, unique geology and bountiful cultural history provides endless subject matter for presentations by volunteer and staff naturalists as well as permanent interpretive displays and features. The mission of the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Education Program is to increase the public’s awareness of natural areas; promote understanding of natural systems, and foster each individual’s realization of the importance and meaning natural places add to our lives. The education program accomplishes this by providing diverse materials on a variety of topics concerning natural areas; by actively providing experiential and participatory learning situations; and by personal outreach by trained volunteer naturalists. The education program integrates education with appropriate recreation in natural areas to further promote awareness. Bird watching, plant identification, reflecting, looking at scenery, attending a guided nature walk, hiking, horseback riding and biking allows all citizens to explore and discover natural areas in a relaxed setting. At Bobcat Ridge, field tour surveys (summer 2004) asked visitors “What topics would you like to see on education and interpretation signs?” The most requested education topics at Bobcat Ridge included plants (22%), birds and wildlife (21%), geology (13%), historical features (15%), cultural heritage (8%), and fire history (6%). Thus, both presentations and interpretive materials will feature these themes. The Natural Areas Program takes an interpretive approach to all educational products and activities including presentations, brochures, signage, and displays. This means taking technical concepts and language of the natural and cultural sciences and making it meaningful to non-scientists - even those who may not necessarily be very interested. It is our goal to arouse people’s interest, make this information as accurate as possible and relevant to our audiences, to encourage participation, and reveal meanings and relationships in our natural and cultural heritages. Interpretive features, print material and personal communication by interpreters via guided field trip and presentations, will help citizens understand the complexity Bobcat’s ecology, the long cultural history of the area, and some of the challenging management issues. The management issues to be addressed may include on-going ranching activities, management of grazing by domestic and wild animals, hunting, and prescribed burning. A strong emphasis in the education and outreach efforts will be placed on “Leave No Trace” ethics that help inform visitors about the impacts of their actions on the land, on wildlife, and on other users. These will help the visitor learn to recreate on the land in a sustainable low-impact fashion. Initial Interpretive Plan Overall Theme “Bobcat Ridge Natural Area is a land of surprising diversity in its landscapes, history, plants and wildlife.” Objectives Through interpretive panels, brochures, waysides, and other educational features, programs, presentations and personal contacts with education personnel, visitors to Bobcat Ridge Natural Area should:  Recognize that this area is managed to conserve the natural resources and provide appropriate recreation opportunities.  Be oriented on the site and easily recognize designated trails and closed areas.  Know and follow the regulations for use, and understand the reasons for these (including why dogs are not allowed).  Understand the potential risks of visiting this natural area (e.g. rattlesnakes, steep rocky trails, exposure to weather extremes).  Be aware of the some of the management issues at the site.  Have an increased awareness of the rarity, vulnerability, and diversity of prairies and foothills in general.  Feel a sense of responsibility and stewardship toward Bobcat Ridge Natural Area in particular.  Feel a sense of wonder and fascination from having the seen the landscape in a new way.  Willingly conduct themselves so that the resource is not damaged.  Seek out other learning opportunities about nature.  Have an understanding of previous and ongoing research projects at this site.  Learn about the ecology of the mountain shrub and ponderosa pine communities of these foothills and their associated riparian areas.  Explore different habitat types and realize their significance.  Identify some of the common plants of the mountain shrub community.  Learn some of the common and rare animals of this area.  Anticipate seasonal changes in the wildlife community.  Appreciate the role fire has in the ponderosa pine forest.  Discover some of the geology of the area.  Learn about the history of this site.  Understand the role of grazing in vegetation management.  Understand the ethics of “Leave No Trace” and demonstrate appropriate behavior. Proposed Education Products Interpretive panels and features - These will be designed and placed to fit into the landscape, yet allow the visitor to fully learn and appreciate the amenities of Bobcat Ridge. Interpretive features will be designed to be unobtrusive and fit into the landscape. This objective will be balanced with the goal of providing visitors with a clear orientation to the site and the regulations for use. The interpretive features will be presented in dynamic, accurate, and engaging ways, and will balance the aesthetics of the site while providing fun interpretive experiences for the visitors. The interpretive features will be designed to engage a wide range of visitor ages and abilities, and enable visitors to use many different senses and preferential learning styles. Interpretive features will be interactive where possible. Exhibits will be inviting, drawing in visitors with dynamic illustrations, easy-to-read active voice text, and three dimensions as appropriate, and will allow visitors to learn through exploration. Self-guided interpretive walk with brochure - This may involve numbered posts or other unobtrusive structures that allow the visitor to learn more in-depth material about Bobcat Ridge. This type of brochure is can be updated and changed over time, to provide repeat visitors new material. Kiosk with orientation panel, bulletin board and brochure racks - This structure will be located at the trailhead parking lot in a manner that requires all visitors to pass by it and have the opportunity to read the information, become oriented to the site, and learn more about the Natural Areas Program. The kiosk will house an interpretive panel that welcomes and orients visitors to the site and informs them of the regulations. The kiosk will also house a bulletin board for staff to inform visitors of upcoming programs and events, wildlife sightings, additional safety information, or other topical subjects. The brochure holders will have information concerning the Natural Areas Program, pertinent topics to this site and general information of interest to the visitors. Site-specific brochure - This will incorporate a trail map, distances, elevation gain and major landscape features. This will be designed so the visitor can carry it with them and refer to it while visiting the site. Animals species lists - These will be developed over a period of several years as more surveys are completed, but will initially include birds and mammals. Eventually butterfly, amphibian and reptile lists will be developed. These lists enable some visitors to more fully explore the diversity of wildlife at Bobcat Ridge and more fully appreciate the dwindling habitat of this type along the Front Range. Plant species lists - This will also be developed over a period of several years as more surveys are completed. Proposed categories will be trees, shrubs, grasses, vines and forbs (herbaceous flowering plants). Plant lists help the visitor learn what to expect at the site and to appreciate the large diversity of plants and their habitats at Bobcat Ridge. Suggested Education and Interpretive Topics Ecology of the Red Sandstone Cliffs - The red sandstone cliffs are a major feature of Bobcat Ridge and their spectacular beauty is highly visible from many vantage points at Bobcat Ridge. Although not all the cliff sides are a part of the natural area owned by the City of Fort Collins, they should be a major topic of interpretation because of their visibility. The geology of their formation as well as the plants and animals that inhabit them are of interest. Animals that use the cliffs include a variety of raptors, turkey vultures, ravens and crows, white-throated swifts, cliff swallows, rock pigeons, rock wrens, canyon wrens, rattlesnakes and rock squirrels. Ecology of the Mountain Shrub Community - This plant community, along with its associated drainages, is important in Colorado’s landscape. The dominate plants include mountain mahogany, three-leaf sumac, winter fat, American plum, chokecherry, and several currants. The importance of this habitat type will be one focus of the education efforts. Ecology of the Ponderosa Pine Community - Most of the site is dominated by this plant community. Adaptations of the ponderosa pine to dry conditions and fire, regeneration and plant succession following a fire, the fire regime and wildlife associated with mature forest and post-burn forests are topics to interpret. Helping visitors understand forest fire ecology along the Front Range and why a prescribed fire may be a good management tool in an already burned forest may also be a main topic. Cultural History - Staff will explore the possibilities and extent of interpreting the cultural use of the site. There are several remnants of cabins at Bobcat Ridge (see chapter 5 for a more complete description) and possibly tipi rings. There is opportunity for living history programs. The rings of stones may denote Native American use of this site. The lifestyle of the particular tribe, as well as the dates and seasonal use by Native Americans are of interest. Other related topics may be how tipis are constructed and used, life inside a tipi and other social dimensions. Descriptions of the use of the cabins by hunters, trappers and homesteaders could be of interest. The isolated cabin will be a major destination spot with an accessible trail to this point. Details and anecdotes of daily life of that era, as well as specific family history will be explored and presented via signage and personal communication. Because ranching activities will continue for the immediate near future at Bobcat Ridge, explanations about this (including grazing rotations, haying operations, equipment and machinery, fencing, etc) may need to be explained to the public. This could be handled via flyers, fact sheets and personal communication by Master Naturalists and Natural Areas Program staff.