Conservation

Colorado on the Road, a joint gathering of members of the Garden Club of Denver and the Broadmoor Garden Club, met on July 12 for a day-long conservation tour of South Park hosted by Colorado Open Lands (COL) and Twelve Mile Ranch. We learned about the ecology of South Park and the efforts of COL to conserve this area.  South Park is a 1,000-square-mile high altitude grassland basin with an average elevation of 9,000 feet, surrounded by majestic mountain peaks.  It’s located in the center of the state and has many unique features, including incredible scenic views, abundant wildlife, rare alkaline fens, and globally rare plant species.  Population is sparse and most of the land is used for agriculture; both outdoor recreation and tourism are also important.