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 happens after you comment depends on how you get in touch:

Anytime Feedback Form

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.

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.

• 911 - Call in an emergency

• 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.

• Email naturalareas@fcgov.com

• Call the Natural Areas Department at 970-416-2815, M-F, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

• Reach an on-duty ranger at 970-416-2147

• Tag @FCNaturalAreas on facebook, twitter and instagram 

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.