”BRICKS FOR BRIDGES”
The Foundation is embarking on a major fund-raising effort to assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in completing various development projects. The "Bricks for Bridges" campaign will focus on selling engraved bricks to raise funds for building a pavilion/indoor facility, developing educational materials and constructing two bridges across the Farmers' high Line and Croke Canals. (The bridges will link the east and west areas of the Refuge and facilitate better management practices.) These funds will be used as matching funds for grant requests. Our goal is to raise $50,000 from selling bricks, and another $450,000 from grants. Paul Hartmann, a board member of the Foundation, is leading this fundraising effort. Tim Cook, also a Foundation board member, donated the first 2,500 bricks, and Gary and Cindy Belhumeur provided addresses and labels for over 3,000 local residents. The engraved bricks will be placed in a walkway or a low retaining wall near the main entrance to the Refuge along 80th Avenue. Additional information about this activity will be mailed sometime in May.
HAPPENINGS AT TWO PONDS
Public Activities
Throughout 1999, the Colorado Division of Wildlife held its Wonders in Nature/Wonders in Neighborhoods (WIN-WIN) Program at Two Ponds. Thirteen schools from around the metro area participated in this program. In addition to Arvada and Westminster schools, students also came form Boulder, Castle Rock and Aurora. Nine other schools, not associated with the WIN-WIN Program, also held educational programs at Two Ponds. A total of 1,036 students and adults participated in these school programs.
During 1999 there were 12 tours and one open house. The open house was held on June % to celebrate National Trails Week. This event was co-sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the City of Arvada and North Jeffco Parks and Recreation District. Activities focused on urban wildlife issues and trails that link open spaces found in urban areas. Visitors were invited to walk three miles along the Farmers" High Line Canal and the Croke Canal to Majestic View Park. Organizations participating in this event included the Colorado Raptor Rehabilitation Foundation, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Wildlife Federation, Region 8 EPA, Two Ponds Preservation Foundation and North Jeffco Parks and Recreation. A ceremony was also held to celebrate the acquisition of approximately 20 acres from the Lutheran Medical Center Foundation. More than 500 people attended this open house.
Volunteers
In 1999, 53 volunteers provided 764 hours of service. These volunteers helped with leading tours, facilitating environmental education programs, conducting open house activities and performing several maintenance projects. To volunteer at the Refuge, please contact David Jamiel at 303-289-0471.
Scout Projects
One Eagle Scout project was completed this past year. Jay Mulloy completed approximately 60 feet of a nature trail. He was assisted by 18 volunteers. this project required 85 hours of volunteer service.
Construction Projects
Three construction projects were completed in 1999. A wooden canopy (14-feet by 14-feet) was installed near the main entrance kiosk along 80th Avenue. The canopy provides some shelter for Refuge visitors caught in inclement weather.
Two kiosks were also constructed at the Refuge entrances along West 77th Drive and near Kipling Street. Refuge information will be posted at the kiosks. A footbridge (30-feet by 6-feet) was also installed over a small wetland area along the trail near Kipling Street.
Materials used to build the canopy and foot bridge were recycled from the Ridge Home Site. Many thanks to Ranya Kelly, President of the Redistribution Center and a Two Ponds Preservation Foundation Board Member, who donated these materials. Thanks also go to the Ridge Crane and Rigging Company for donating a crane and operator to place the canopy on the four support posts, and to Service personnel, State Land Board members, Mile High Properties, Red Rocks Community College, City of Arvada and all the volunteers who helped to salvage the materials. Of the 20 evergreens moved from the Ridge Home Site to Two Ponds, 16 survived.
Refuge Visitors
From 1994 through 1999, the number of visitors to Two Ponds was 4,850. This does not include all the hikers on the canal trails, or those using the open trails on the west area of the Refuge.
SOME INTERESTING WEB SITES
www.fws.gov Information on the national wildlife refuge system, with links to individual refuge web sites, including Two Ponds
www.epa.gov/surf Surf your watershed
www.epa.gov/region08/cross/wetlands.html EPA Region 8 Wetlands Web site
www.oocities.org/~envirochic/2ponds.html Two Ponds unofficial web site
UPCOMING EVENTS
| April 5 | Presentation by the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center - Standley Lake Library |
| April 5 | Two Ponds Preservation Foundation Annual Meeting - Standley Lake Library |
| May 7 | International Dawn Chorus Day |
| May 20 | Arvada Pride Day/Refuge Cleanup |
| May 20 | Moring Bird Walk |
| June 3 | National Trails Week Celebration |
| June 17 | Learn about plants found in wetlands |
Starting in April, the eastern area of the Refuge will be open to the public, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, two days a week. During the summer months, the Refuge will be open three days a week. Look for further information on the Refuge kiosks.
2000 MAJOR ACTIVITIES
Construction of a parking lot near the main entrance along 80th Avenue will be completed this year. Funding was obtained from the Federal Highway Department. Currently buses unload children along 80th Avenue, creating a safety hazard with the high volume of traffic using this street. Also, during Refuge events, visitors and volunteers must park at Lutheran Medical Center at 80th and Kipling and then walk along 80th Avenue to the Refuge entrance. Because both of theses situations create a safety hazard, building a parking lot is top priority.
T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE
Have you wanted a Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge T-shirt but did not know where to get one? The Foundation is now offering two styles of T-shirts, a Henley-style with an embroidered fox logo, and a T-shirt with a silk-screened pond scene. To order a T-shirt, please fill out and mail in the order form.T-shirts will also be avialable at the annual meeting of the Two Ponds Preservation Foundation.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Foundation is looking for volunteers to assist with publishing a quarterly newsletter, help with a variety of fundraising activities, and manage T-shirt sales. If you are interested in helping the Foundation in any of these activities, please contact Janet at (303)423-2069. Refuge volunteers are also needed to conduct environmental education programs and for cleanup activities during Arvada Pride Day, May 20, 2000. Please contact David Jamiel at (303)289-0471 to volunteer for this event.
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This past year has been a fun year for the Foundation. We were able to celebrate, along with our community, the preservation of another 20 acres for the Refuge, bringing the total acreage to approximately 70 acres. With this acquisition, there will be no more development threats for Two Ponds. Fortunately for our community, Two Ponds remains intect and we can again work at making Two Ponds a worlld class refuge. Our next challenge will focus on raising funds for improvements to the Refuge. the Foundation is in the process of implementing a major fund raising effort through our "Bricks for Bridges" campaign. The bridges are important to the Refuge because they will tie the Refuge together, and allow students to use all of the Refuge for outdoor educational activities. Presently, educational uses are limited to the eastern half of the Refuge: concentrating all such activities on this part of the Refuge has already resulted in damage to the grasses. Give something to your community and becaome part of this exciting challenge. To learn how you can help, please come to our annual meeting. It will be on Wednesday, April 5, 6:30 pm at the Standley Lake Library, 8485 Kipling, Arvada. Thank you for all your support and interest in Two Ponds, and remember "We have not inherited the Earth from our ancestors, but we are borring it from our children." |