As we launch into the month of October, we are wrapping up our 15th season at the Evergreen Nature Center! This is the first season in two years that we have been able to operate for a full season with 87 days of operation. We were supported by 180+ volunteer hours and staffed primarily by the amazing Maddy McFarland, our Seasonal Naturalist.
While we are still collecting visitation data for the remaining few weeks, this season saw a decline in foot traffic at the Nature Center. This is largely due to a shift in the Evergreen Parks & Recreation District’s (EPRD) boating operations; in prior years, we would get a significant amount of incidental visitation solely due to the public’s assumption that we were the boat rental facility. While these folks did not have the explicit intent on visiting the nature center, it led to a significant boost in visitation as they took time to look around while waiting for their rentals. With EPRD moving their rental closer to the parking lot, we did not receive nearly as much foot traffic as prior seasons. While this may feel disappointing, it is important to be prepared for inevitable shifts and to be hopeful in the challenges it presents for adaptation and growth. I am confident in our ability to grow our partnerships with both EPRD and Denver Parks & Recreation for increased education and programmatic opportunities. This includes creative ways we can boost our attendance at the nature center and ways for increased visibility at the lake.
As a contrast to the decreased numbers at the nature center, our program numbers have shown substantial growth. We are already 500+ participants above our year total for 2021, and have many more programs scheduled for the remainder of the year! This has come from increased partnerships, the return of our summer camps, and the ability to launch more school programs. While I would love to see a joint increase at both the nature center and in our programs, there is higher value in repeat engagements and intentional program encounters than passive engagement at the nature center.
As our outreach impact continues to grow and partner conversations evolve, I am very excited by the possibilities that are unfolding. Evergreen Audubon is a powerhouse of environmental education and conservation, and has so much potential unfolding within our community. We will continually strive for excellence and seek out creative solutions to the challenges we encounter.
Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm for this organization! If you have yet to visit the nature center this season, our final day of operation is Sunday, October 9th. We would love for you to come say, “Hi”!
We need your help!
The closing of the nature center means we are in need of a significant amount of help moving all of the exhibits to our storage unit. We will be hosting a large-scale moving day on Saturday, October 22nd. We will also need help during the week leading up to the move (10/17 – 10/21), packing and cleaning the center. Please email me, eod@evergreenaudubon.org, if you are able to help!