Natural Areas

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.

Restoration Update Fall 2019

The earth-moving phase of restoration work at Kingfisher Point is complete, and the focus has moved to monitoring and maintenance.

The Cache la Poudre River ecosystem relies on high water in the spring, so by lowering steep river banks, the flows can now nourish the surrounding corridor and bring in native cottonwood seeds. With the natural process restored, about eight acres of new native cottonwood forest are on their way to becoming established. Non-native trees have been removed and replaced with natives. Work in the river channel improved fish and aquatic insect habitat. There is now a broader area of wetland and riverside habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife that rely on the river.

At nearby Gadwall Pond, a former gravel mining pit with steep banks, the pond edges were lowered to create a more naturally sloping bank. It is now a great place for native wetland plants to thrive.

Volunteers were important to the Kingfisher Point Restoration Project because they collected the seed that produced the wetland plants used to revegetate Gadwall Pond’s shores and they planted hundreds of native trees and fruit-bearing shrubs. Thank you!

Did you notice that in June 2019, high river flows successfully surged onto the newly connected floodplain and into the newly created off-channel wetland? The backwater area has slow-moving water which attracts great blue herons, bluet damselflies, and Woodhouse’s toads. The mats of wetland plants at Gadwall Pond are taking root and expanding. The Natural Areas Department is excited to monitor the response of the river and pond to these restoration efforts. Have you seen the changes at Kingfisher Point too?