Audubon Center at Chatfield State Park
"Connecting to nature enriches my life.
I have a role in taking care of nature."
Table of Contents
- Introduction to the Audubon Center
- The Audubon Center campus
- Phase 1 - Completed September 2004
- Phase 2
- Phase 3
- Location of the Audubon Center
- Nature Programs at the Audubon Center
Nature Education at its Best
The Audubon Center fulfills an important niche in the South Platte River watershed by bringing hands-on, investigative nature programs to young children and their families. Responding to a comprehensive market research study recently completed, the Audubon Center is designed especially for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary students and families.
School programs engage curious young minds in the exploration of local ecology. The experience begins with a visit by an Audubon naturalist to the classroom and is followed by a full-day field trip to the Audubon Center. Activities are created to promote scientific investigations and personal discovery in the out-of-doors. Nature walks and evening programs bring adults and youngsters together to learn about wildlife through first-hand experiences.
At the heart of the Audubon Center is a nature- based preschool that provides a unique opportunity for parents to introduce their love of nature to their children at an early, impressionable age. The program develops physical, emotional, social, creative and intellectual skills by combining traditional learning objectives with the wonders of nature.
Service learning projects for youth groups and adults create opportunities for individuals to develop a stewardship ethic through practice. The Audubon Center's "learn by doing" approach benefits the participant as well as the environment. Projects include habitat restoration, building and monitoring nest boxes and gardening with native plants.
The Outdoor Classroom
The Audubon Center site provides critical habitat for an abundance of plants and wildlife. Set alongside the South Platte River - an important wildlife corridor - the site offers visitors the chance to explore forests, shrublands, grasslands, ponds and wetland ecosystems. On a hike at the Audubon Center, you may chance upon mule deer grazing, prickly pear blooms drying in the sun, red-winged blackbirds singing loudly to defend territories or raccoon tracks left in the mud. Designated as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, the park boasts a list of 345 bird species that spend part of their year at Chatfield. More than 150 types of butterflies inhabit the site, along with a wide variety of plants and other wildlife.
The Audubon Center Campus
The Audubon Center breathes life into old buildings that have stood dormant for many decades. Originally part of a 5,000-acre working ranch, the two stone structures were built in the early 1940's, serving as a home for the Atchison family. In 1955, the site was transformed into the headquarters for the Glen L. Martin Company - now Lockheed Martin. After the flood of 1965, the land became part of the Chatfield Dam Construction Project and, subsequently, Chatfield State Park.
In 1998, Audubon Society of Greater Denver ( ASGD ) was invited by Colorado State Parks to create a nature center at the site because of an overwhelming demand for environmental education programs. Colorado State Parks recognized that ASGD has been a leader in environmental conservation in the Denver-area since 1969 and has received numerous national awards for its environmental education programs. It was a natural fit for ASGD to begin work on a nature center at Chatfield State Park.
Phase 1 - Completed September 2004
The stone garage building has been transformed into an outdoor learning lab. The building was recently renovated to provide a shelter for visiting school children. Wooden rafters were reinforced, a new floor was put in, water and electricity were installed and a pellet stove now provides warmth for visitors. Taking advantage of the existing design, large overhead doors were added on three sides. The result is a unique classroom with walls that open into nature.
The classroom is being outfitted with educational equipment - binoculars, aquatic sweep nets, insect nets, track molds, microscopes and more - to facilitate a hands-on approach to nature discovery. Native gardens will attract butterflies and birds near the building while showcasing Colorado plants and organic gardening practices. A children's sensory trail will invite kids to explore smells, textures, sounds, shapes and colors.
Phase 2 - Completed October 2006
This phase of the Audubon Center development will include rehabilitation of the stone farmhouse, creation of an outdoor amphitheater and a trail at the Chatfield Wetlands. The stone farmhouse will serve as a large classroom with the original hand-laid fireplace as a focal point. A volunteer workshop will create space to work on trail, garden and habitat restoration projects. The amphitheater will seat 200 people for family programs such as stargazing and Native American storytelling. A trail and bird blinds at the Chatfield Wetlands will provide exclusive access to this diverse wildlife habitat for school children.
These improvements will enable the Audubon Center to double the number of young children currently visiting the site for field trip experiences. Families will have a place close to home to come together and learn about local wildlife, plants and ecology.
Phase 3
A new energy efficient facility will serve as a visitors center, preschool and administrative headquarters for Audubon Society of Greater Denver. The nature-based preschool will awaken young minds and foster the next generation of conservationists. The new building will also include a wildlife exhibit area and nature library to engage families in actively learning about their environment. The auditorium will be a large multi-purpose room, serving as a classroom for elementary students during the day and a meeting place for volunteers, members and visitors in the evening. An additional habitat garden will create opportunities for visitors to watch wildlife up close.
With the realization of the vision for the Audubon Center campus complete, 10,000 children and adults will be able to experience nature education at its best each year. From toddlers to grandparents, the Audubon Center will open countless minds to the wonders of nature. Inspired by what their new awareness and understanding of nature brings to their lives, the next generation will be caretakers of the natural world.
Location of the Audubon Center
The Audubon Center is located on the southwest side of Denver in Littleton, Colorado.
- From I25 & C470, go west on C470.
- Exit onto Wadsworth, travel south on Wadsworth about 4.4 miles. (Go PAST the main entrance for Chatfield State Park.)
- Turn left on Waterton Road.
- Immediately turn left into the first parking lot at the Audubon Center sign.
