Welcome to the Fort Collins Natural Areas Feedback Portal!
Your perspectives are crucial and will help the City manage natural area sites effectively. We want to hear from you regardless of whether you visit natural areas and no matter what your feelings are about them. You play an important role in shaping the future.
What is your feedback on how natural areas are managed? Would you like to see more or fewer visitor amenities, habitat restoration, or facility projects? New ways to reach people? A change to a rule or regulation? The Natural Areas Department is listening!
En Español: ¡El Departamento de Áreas Naturales le está escuchando! Clic aqui.
Share Management Feedback Anytime
You can share feedback about the management of natural areas at any time. On this form, you can indicate whether your input is about a specific natural area or group of natural areas, what type of feedback you are leaving, and your comments. The comments will be reviewed annually. A summary will share themes and how management will be adapted.
Soapstone Prairie Signage Feedback
In the Mountains to Plains Zone Update process, community members shared that it is hard to tell when you have arrived at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area and that the trail signage is confusing. A new entrance feature at the south boundary and new trail signage is being considered.
Please rank your preferences for several options on this feedback form by September 2.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Natural Areas is Listening
Access Fort Collins is an easy way to contact the City with your questions, comments, and service requests whenever it is most convenient for you.
You may also email naturalareas@fcgov.com, call 970-416-2815, or reach an on-duty ranger at 970-416-2147.
Public Engagement Update
Thank you to everyone who shared feedback about Kestrel Fields and Soapstone Prairie natural areas and the 21 natural areas along the Poudre River. Over 330 people participated in onsite drop-in events, online feedback opportunities, and presentations.
The feedback is being processed and will influence the trail alignment at Kestrel Fields, and how Soapstone Prairie and the Poudre River natural areas are managed.
Kestrel Fields Natural Area
- The feedback is informing exploration of an updated trail alignment. There will not be access from the Greyrock Commons private property.
- The entry sign will feature mountains in the background and a grasshopper in the kestrel's beak.
- Further updates will be available by the fall.
Soapstone Prairie/Mountains to Plains Zone Update
- Further engagement is underway (see feedback opportunity below) to respond to comments that its hard to tell when you have arrived at Soapstone Prairie and that the trail signage is confusing.
- Minor changes are being made to the Zone Update document and a final draft is expected in the fall.
Poudre River Natural Areas
- The feedback will inform the upcoming draft Zone Update.
Natural Areas Zones#
Explore natural areas divided by geographic location.
- Foothills Zone
- Fossil Creek Zone
- Montane Zone
- Mountains to Plains Zone
- Poudre River Zone
- Urban Zone
Frequently Asked Questions #
- Why is the feedback process changing?
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The Natural Areas Department is changing the way it gathers community input for management planning. Instead of bringing questions about one zone to the community every 10 years, management questions needing community input will be brought to the community every year spanning the whole City natural areas system. This means that the community has more opportunities to give input and your input has more impact because it is timely and relevant.
- What will happen once I comment?
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What happens after you comment depends on how you get in touch:
The Natural Areas Department reviews comments annually to influence and inform the management of the natural areas. Due to the amount of feedback received, staff cannot respond directly to every comment. A summary document will be published annually summarizing themes and ways management will be adapted.
Engagement Cycle Feedback Form
Your input will be shared with planners to inform the specific management questions being asked and the Zone Update document. Due to the amount of feedback received, staff cannot respond directly to every comment.
Access Fort Collins, Calls, Emails, Tag @FCNaturalAreas on Social Media
Your feedback and questions will receive a response and be shared with planners to inform the management of natural areas.
- How will Natural Areas respond to my comment(s)?
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If you commented via Access Fort Collins, called Natural Areas, emailed naturalareas@fcgov.com or tagged @FCNaturalAreas on social media, you'll receive a response within 5 business days.
If you commented on the Anytime Feedback Form or an Engagement Cycle Feedback Form, subscribe to Natural Areas Enews monthly email newsletter (top of page) to read summaries and responses which will be published in Enews and on the Natural Areas website.
- What should I do with a comment that is about something more urgent?
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- 911 - Call in an emergency
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Access Fort Collins is an easy way to contact the City with your questions, comments, and service requests whenever it is most convenient for you.
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Email naturalareas@fcgov.com
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Call the Natural Areas Department at 970-416-2815, M-F, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
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Reach an on-duty ranger at 970-416-2147
- What other surveys are underway?
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The Natural Areas Department listens to the community through the feedback opportunities on this webpage and also through scientifically-valid surveys:
Resident Survey- completed every five years, this mailed and online survey measures community perceptions and satisfaction with the Natural Areas Department's work and the natural areas. Visitation and recreation patterns at natural areas are also documented. Read the Resident Survey reports since 2006 here.
Intercept Surveys- The data from these on-site visitor interviews gives insight into visitor demographics, place of residence, visitation patterns, primary activities, group characteristics, and perceptions of visitor satisfaction and safety. The locations of the intercept surveys correspond to the Natural Areas Department's management zones.
- Visitors to the City of Fort Collins Poudre River Natural Areas, 2021
- Indicators and Standards for Quality Visitor Experiences at City of Fort Collins Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, 2019
- Indicators and Standards for Quality Visitor Experiences at City of Fort Collins Foothills Natural Areas, 2019
Community Survey- The Fort Collins Community Survey serves as an annual consumer report card for the entire City, including the Natural Areas Department's work. Residents rate the quality of life, their satisfaction with community amenities and local government. Residents also provide feedback on what is working well and what is not, and identify priorities for community planning and resource allocation.