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Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area

Oct 10
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Tom Trout

Volunteer of the Month: Tom Trout

By News

Much of our work would not be possible without volunteer power! This month we are honoring Tom Trout, one of our Heritage Culturalist Volunteers, who brings a passion for water and history to his volunteer experiences here at the Poudre Heritage Alliance. Thanks for all of your time and energy, Tom.

Tom grew up on a small farm in Ohio.  As an agricultural exchange student to Peru, he experienced irrigated agriculture in an arid climate, and, on his return, headed West to graduate school in Agricultural Engineering at CSU.  After 2 years improving irrigation systems in Pakistan, he joined the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) as an irrigation scientist.  He retired in 2015 after 32 years conducting research in irrigation water management in Idaho, California, and Colorado.  He continues volunteering at ARS and as an adjunct faculty member in Civil Engineering at CSU, and takes an occasional consulting trip overseas (going to Uruguay in November). As a Heritage Culturalist for the Poudre Heritage Alliance, Tom combines his favorite subjects:  Water and History.  Tom and his wife, Vickie, remain involved in activities at CSU through alumni functions, sports and hosting international students.

Interested in volunteering with the Poudre Heritage Alliance? Please contact Jordan Williams at programs@poudreheritage.org to learn how you can support the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, or click here to sign up!

Oct 01
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Pedaling the Poudre Bike Tours Help Educate Citizens, Youth, and Professionals About Past and Present Water Issues Along the Cache la Poudre River

By News

A Peadling the Poudre participant enjoys the views of the Poudre River from the bridge at Lions Open Space.

 

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA), managing nonprofit of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA), hosted two Pedaling the Poudre™ – Urban Water Cycle Tours on September 20 and 21 with support from Water Education Colorado and several planning partners including Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, Bike Fort Collins, and City of Fort Collins Utilities.

The tours started in Bellvue by the Watson Lake Fish Hatchery and finished at Odell Brewing, with most of the ride taking place along the scenic Poudre Trail. Several stops at locations like Lions Park Open Space and the new Poudre River Whitewater park allowed each group of 25+ people to hear from water experts and natural resource professionals.

State Representative Jeni Arndt, who participated in the September 20th tour, commented, “I’m so appreciative of the Poudre Heritage Alliance for a wonderful, educational tour of the Poudre River—all on bicycles!  As we move into our water-short future, people will need an in-depth understanding of one of our most precious resources.”

This program received financial support from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment through their nonpoint source mini-grant initiative. Other financial partners included Morning Fresh Dairy,  which provided snacks for the tours, and the Colorado Water Center. Registration was free for all participants because of generous support from these organizations.

Topics discussed along the way included agriculture in Northern Colorado past and present; the development of water law and water management systems; river and natural area restoration; water quality and utility customer best practices; hands-on macro and micro invertebrate displays; and water conservation through craft brewing process innovation. “The tour was great. I really enjoyed all the speakers who were arranged – it made for an informative and dynamic event!” said David Fetter, Natural Resources Project Manager from SWCA Environmental Consultants.

Speakers from Northern Water, Poudre Valley Community Farms, Larimer County Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Odell Brewing, and the City of Fort Collins Park Planning, Natural Areas, and Utilities helped ensure that the tour presented a wide variety of perspectives.

The Poudre Heritage Alliance, in conjunction with its Heritage Culturalist volunteers, leads several bike tours each summer, spring, and fall. From March – October 2019, PHA hosted 8 tours at different locations along the Poudre Trail, including two educational rides through the Town of Windsor’s Park, Recreation, Culture department. Over 100 people participated this year, which included groups rides affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers and Colorado State University. To stay-up-to-date when the next tour registration opens, interested individuals can visit PHA’s website or email programs@poudreheritage.org.

pedaling the poudre_program impacts 2019

Sep 09
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Poudre Heritage Alliance Honors Senator Wayne Allard and Dr. Richard Bond at 2nd Annual Emeritus Dinner

By News

Senator Cory Gardner, Emeritus honorees Senator Wayne Allard and Dr. Richard Bond, and 2018 PHA Emeritus Richard C. Maxfield (Photo credit: Sara Capen)

 

The Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA), managing nonprofit of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA), honored Senator Wayne Allard and Dr. Richard Bond at the 2nd Annual Emeritus Dinner this past Saturday, September 7th, for their outstanding service to the PHA and the National Heritage Area.

PHA Emeritus are selected from those individuals who have served the Poudre Heritage Alliance and/or the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area with distinction and excellence and considered deserving of this role for outstanding service. Board members emeritus may have been on the PHA Board of Directors or engaged in major volunteer or advocacy activities in his or her service to the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area.

Dr. Richard Bond was a former Board Member of the Poudre Heritage Alliance and was integral in the organization and creation of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, the first Heritage Area to be designated west of the Mississippi. Dr. Bond was introduced by 2018 PHA Emeritus honoree Richard Maxfield, also a former board member of the PHA.

With his sponsorship of the Cache la Poudre River Corridor Act in 1996, the precursor to the legislation that created the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, Senator Allard was instrumental in the creation of the CALA. He was introduced by his former legislative aide, Senator Cory Gardner. Speaking about the CALA, Senator Gardner said, “We can protect our truly special places by working together with communities of different needs and different interests to bring them together, and with community input we can find a way to protect and preserve the most precious places among us.”

During his acceptance speech, Senator Allard said, “The Poudre River has a reputation. It appeals to all sorts of interests, recreational interests, hunters and fisherman, it appeals to the economies of Greeley and Fort Collins because the water there has contributed to their urban growth. And, also, because it has environmental concerns. And what they [PHA] are trying to do is to bring together a balanced effort and that’s one of the main reasons that I went on ahead and got involved with that particular piece of legislation.”

The event program for the Emeritus Dinner consisted of introductions by colleagues and friends of the PHA, with special awards being given to each of the honorees. The presentations and speeches were recorded for historical archiving purposes.

Several Larimer and Weld County business leaders and commissioners, Greeley, Fort Collins, Windsor and Timnath municipal leaders, and Colorado State University and University of Northern Colorado faculty and Board of Regents attended the dinner. Other leaders in attendance included Maria Secrest, Regional Director for Senator Cory Gardner, Sara Capen, Alliance of National Heritage Areas Chair, and the National Park Service’s Intermountain Regional Director of National Heritage Areas, Alexandra Hernandez. The emcee for the evening was Town of Windsor Open Space & Trail Manager and current PHA Board Chairman, Wade Willis. For the full list of PHA’s current Board of Directors please visit www.poudreheritage.org/board

For pictures and video from the event or for more information about PHA and CALA, please contact Megan Maiolo-Heath at the Poudre Heritage Alliance Office: 970-295-4851.

 

Sep 05
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Ross Proving Up House

Poudre Heritage Alliance Receives “Friends of Preservation” Award

By News
The Ross Proving-Up House at it’s new location at The Farm at Lee Martinez Park in Fort Collins.

 

The Poudre Heritage Alliance was honored on Tuesday evening with a “Friends of Preservation Award” from the City of Fort Collins for “Outstanding Preservation of Historic Resources” for our work on the preservation of the Ross Proving-Up House, a project to stabilize, repair, paint and move the historic structure to The Farm at Lee Martinez Park (600 N. Sherwood) in Fort Collins. Other partners on the project included the City of Fort Collins Recreation Department, City of Fort Collins Parks Department, Ethan Cozzens, and Empire Carpentry.

James Ross just before leaving Scotland. (Image from the Fort Collins Archive #S01532.)

The house, constructed by Scotsman James Ross in 1891, was built to meet the size qualifications under the 1862 Homestead Act of 10 feet by 12 feet. The 1862 Homestead Act encouraged settlers to claim 160 acres of land owned by the U.S. government. The only stipulation was that the settlers live on and improve the land. After a minimum of five years, they could pay a small fee, apply for a patent and receive title to the land. This is how much of the vast United States prairie was settled.

Meg Dunn, a Historian at Northern Colorado History, writes, “Because of the tremendous amount of work that was necessary to put the land under cultivation, families often built a small, simple structure to live in until a point when they could spend more time and resources on building a larger house. This small building (Today we’d likely call it a shack.) was referred to as the “proving up” house because it was a step in proving up for the land.”

To learn more about this historic building please visit this great blog post from NOCO History: https://www.northerncoloradohistory.com/james-ross-proving-up-house/

Sep 03
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Learning in Our Watershed

Learning in Our Watershed Field Trip Grant Application Now Open!

By News

The Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA) is now accepting applications for its 2019-2020 field trip grant program, Learning in Our Watershed! With funding partners like the National Park Foundation, PHA is very excited to expand this program and provide additional resources to program participants.

Interested parties will need to submit their application online: https://poudreheritage.org/field-trip-grants/. Priority is still based on first come-first serve requests, so make sure to apply at least three weeks in advance of your trip. However, because of grant requirements, Title I schools and fourth grade classes will be considered first for funding.

Popular field trip locations include the Poudre Learning Center, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Children’s Water Festivals, and Centennial Village. Check out out the program page online for more information, including guided tour options along the Poudre Trail that highlight the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area itself.

PHA looks forward to partnering with your school while promoting programs that introduce local youth to the river and the area’s heritage. Contact Jordan Williams at programs@poudreheritage.org if you have further questions, or call 970-295-4851.

Aug 30
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4 Fun Labor Day Activities in the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area

By News
The Cache la Poudre River is a fly fishing haven in the heart of Northern Colorado.

 

Happy Labor Day weekend! This is a great time of year to get out with your family and enjoy all that the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area has to offer. Need some ideas for fun, family-friendly Labor Day activities? We put together this list to help you explore your National Heritage Area over this long weekend.

1) Bike the Poudre Trail.

The Poudre River Trail offers many miles of bike trails along the scenic Cache la Poudre River, showcasing the natural beauty of the river as it moves from the mountains to the plains. Need a bike to ride the trail? You can rent bikes from Pace starting at $1/15min.

 

2) Picnic at River Bluffs Open Space.

River Bluffs Open Space is a small but spectacular open space located on the Poudre River in Windsor. The River is its signature feature and provides one half mile of pools and riffles for ducks, other waterfowl, wading birds, and curious anglers. Raptors such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls also call River Bluffs home.

The Poudre River Trail at River Bluffs Open Space connects to 21 beautiful miles of trail running and biking southeast through wildlife areas and parks. All non-motorized activities including walking, biking and inline skating are allowed at River Bluffs Open Space. Picnic tables and river access provide a great setting to relax and enjoy the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area.

 

3) Fish the Poudre River. 

Fort Collins is well known for fishing, with a bounty of trout and other fish species thriving in the Poudre River and surrounding lakes and ponds. With miles of fishing all along the Poudre River, it is truly a fly fishing paradise. If your looking to fish beyond the Poudre River, Fort Collins has 15 natural areas that permit fishing.

 

4) Take a self-guided walk of Riverbend Ponds.

With 3-miles of trail right near the Poudre River, this is a great spot to do some birding, go fishing, or just take a stroll among natural beauty. Birders can enjoy over 200 species of birds feed, rest, nest, and migrate through this natural area, including blue herons, a wide variety of ducks, American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants and others. Dogs are also welcome so don’t forget your fury friends! Download the walking guide here.

Aug 19
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Volunteer of the Month: Kenton Daubert

By News
Our work would not be possible without the volunteers that donate their valuable time, talents and energy to making our programs successful. Thank you to each and every person that has become a part of the Poudre Heritage Alliance family through volunteering. Now, please meet Kenton Daubert, our Volunteer of the Month!

 

Hello to everyone! My name is Kenton Daubert and I reside in Greeley, CO. I got involved at Poudre Heritage Alliance as a Heritage Culturalist while attending a presentation at Farr Library in November 2016 about the Volga German – Russian immigration, which I am a descendant. There was a slip of paper on a table about PHA which I thought that I would enjoy being a part of. Jordan contacted me in April 2018 and asked if I would be interested in being a part of PHA. I replied “Yes I am”. I was fortunate by being given an opportunity to be an intern from May 17, 2018 until March 30, 2019. At that time Jordan informed me that PHA would be happy to have me continue as a volunteer. Since then I have been serving in this capacity.

 

Reasons I enjoy working with PHA are there is so much to learn concerning the culture of this area. Water is a very important concern to everyone in the world. I recommend that if a person can attend the West Slope and East Slope tours that Northern Water provides to do so. They are highly informational! I have attended many Pub Talks and have learned lots about the Poudre River from the early days of colonization on up to the present time. I enjoy meeting the people that I have met by being involved with PHA. Everyone has a history and many talents.

 

Take care everyone and enjoy life!
Your friend,
Kenton Daubert
To learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Poudre Heritage Alliance please contact Andy Auer, PHA Volunteer Coordinator, at programs@poudreheritage.org.
Aug 13
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Video: In Their Own Words – Northern Arapaho Leaders

By News, Video

“Water is sacred and we respect that. Without water there is no life.”

– Crawford White, Arapaho Elder

 

Water makes life possible and with all of the pressures on our freshwater resources today, we can’t possibly navigate a topic as large as this without some sense of perspective, and some help from the past.

Through an online video series, the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA) has been capturing and sharing knowledge from individuals who collectively hold vital knowledge about water heritage, particularly related to the Poudre River corridor.

Elders from the Northern Arapaho Tribe were generous in sharing their perspectives and stories about their descendants. These individuals reflect on life for Arapaho living in their homelands along the Poudre River in the 1800s and what has happened to their culture.

The PHA considers the Northern Arapaho Tribe a partner and friend and look forward to more opportunities to work with them in interpreting their unique history in the Fort Collins area of Northern Colorado.

To view more videos from this series please visit www.poudreheritage.org/videos

May 30
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Play It Safe on the Poudre this Summer!

By News

As the Colorado snowpack starts to melt and rivers and streams across the state begin to rise, its important to remember to Play It Safe on the Poudre!

The Cache la Poudre River offers many miles of incredible recreational opportunities – the scenic river runs from mild (class I-II) to wild (class V), attracting people from around the country to its beautiful waters. However, most people do not understand the dangers that exist while recreating on the river.

The Poudre River presents numerous hazards. Broken or low-hanging tree branches, hidden beneath the water, can snag a person out for a lazy afternoon tubing trip. Freezing waters made cold by spring runoff can cause a person to react slowly, when quicker action is needed, or possibly suffer hypothermia. And deceptively fast-moving waters pose a drowning risk to even the most experienced swimmers.

“The Poudre River is a source of local pride that draws thousands to its waters each year. We wouldn’t dissuade peoples’ love for it and what it represents. But the river is equal parts beautiful and destructive. Its power is easy to underestimate, and river-related tragedy can befall anyone at any time,” said former Poudre Fire Authority spokeswoman Madeline Noblett.

The Play It Safe on the Poudre program raises awareness about approaches to recreating on the river in safe and sustainable ways, and helps to build the capacity of the Poudre Fire Authority and Larimer County rescue teams. The program also calls attention to the history of in-river structures that represent hazards to recreation.

Play It Safe on the Poudre principles:

  1. Wear a life vest
    • Use proper floatation devices
    • Wear shoes
    • Wear a helmet
    • Don’t tie anything to yourself or your tubes
  2. Safe to go?
    • Know the weather and water conditions
    • The water is melted snow – it’s always cold!
    • Avoid rocks, branches, logs and debris in the river
  3. Know where you are
    • Take a map
    • Plan your take-out location before you get in the river
  4. Float sober, float safe
    • Alcohol and drugs impair judgement
  5. Be Courteous
    • Pack it in; Pack it out
    • Share the river
  6. What if you flip?
    • Don’t stand up in the river; avoid foot entrapment
    • Float on your back with feet pointing downstream and toes out of the water
    • Use your arms to paddle to shore

 

Download a River Access and Safety Map

 

 

Other representatives who have taken part in the group’s efforts represent: Poudre Fire Authority; multiple departments within the City of Fort Collins, including the city’s Natural Areas Department; Larimer County; the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Larimer County Emergency Services; Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and more.

For more info please visit www.poudreheritage.org/playitsafe

May 12
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Mothers Day

4 Fun Mother’s Day Adventures in the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area

By News
Take your mom on a Mother’s Day adventure she will never forget! (Photo by  Gabriele Woolever)

 

Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful mommas out there! It’s a wonderful time of year in Northern Colorado to get outside and enjoy the outdoors as a family. The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA) has some incredible natural, cultural and historical resources that make a Mother’s Day Adventure possible for the entire family.

Check out some of the ideas we have put together for your family this Mother’s Day:

  1. Bike the Poudre Trail! PHA’s Pedaling the Poudre program has some great self-guided routes that are appropriate for all skill levels!
  2. Get wet in the river or take a stroll down the Poudre Trail, while remembering to Play It Safe.
  3. Head to Picnic Rock for a beautiful family lunch on the river.
  4. Take mom to River Bluffs Open Space for a nature hike and some birding. Bring your binoculars! The Poudre River Trail at River Bluffs Open Space connects to 21 beautiful miles of trail running southeast through wildlife areas and parks.

 

About Poudre Heritage Alliance
The goal of the Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA) is through interpretive and educational programming and media to build a deeper understanding of the Poudre River’s national significance including its role in influencing water development, water law, and water management.  
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