Steve Norris

“Twenty-five years ago, when I first got involved, Bluff Lake was a magical place – a hidden gem surrounded by old industry and newly emerging urban sprawl, visited by few, but offering surprises around almost every corner. It was a blank slate in the hands of a grassroots organization charged by Denver with protecting it and turning it into a valuable community resource for nature-based education.

As a board member, executive director and volunteer almost continuously for 25 years, I am proud of how BLNC has become a stable, trusted and valuable part of the community. I am amazed at how it has achieved financial strength, gained ownership of the property, protected its diverse natural habitats, created programs for children and families, and assured a future water supply for the lake.

It is remarkable to see what Bluff Lake has accomplished. It is also remarkable to see what Bluff Lake is poised to do next.

Although I still miss the old magic, I know that times have changed and am convinced that the proposed capital improvements are essential to ensuring BLNC’s ability to succeed over the coming decades. It’s hard to protect an urban natural area while offering year-round education programs and free public access. I believe the proposed buildings and related improvements will serve as a strong foundation for doing both.”

Susie Crane

“Twenty years ago, I decided I wanted to get involved in a prairie restoration project with Denver Botanic Gardens. After some research, we picked Bluff Lake Nature Center for our project. At the time Bluff Lake had an intermittent lake that was dry for all of the summer months. It had been used as the dumping ground for Stapleton Airport. I didn’t know it then, but it was full of invasive plant species.

A small group of dedicated volunteers and a Denver Botanic Gardens staff member from the research department began experimenting with weed management techniques and researching plant species that would attract native insects and animals. Our goal was to improve the site so that native species would thrive and local students could learn the value of the natural spaces in a space that is as natural as possible in the middle of the city.

Bluff Lake Nature Center is a unique habitat and way station for animals traveling along Sand Creek. It is a refuge from the increasing human activity around it. As it is restored and reclaimed, its value to the native species of plants and animals increases greatly. In my opinion, it needs to remain, first and foremost, a natural area dedicated to sustaining the non- human inhabitants.

The success of the capital campaign and the campus improvements project will ensure that the Bluff lake site team has the space, support, and infrastructure to keep this work happening, even as development and site visitation increases, so that this unique place of nature does not get 'loved to death.'

As the value of Bluff Lake Nature Center increases for its non-human residents, it also increases for the many human visitors. There are more varieties of species, more diverse habitats, more healing places to pause in our busy city. The relative wildness of Bluff Lake sets it off from other more park-like areas around the city. This is what makes it so important to continue restoration of and education about all the plants, insects and animals that make Bluff Lake home. We can teach everyone to appreciate the native habitat better the better that habitat is.”

Barry Levene

“My first visit to Bluff Lake was about 20 years ago. I was there to take a walk and look for birds. I was immediately awed by the place and its varied ecosystems. As soon as I stepped down into the areas below the bluff, I felt far away from the urban experience that was in reality so close by. I considered it a refuge not only for wildlife but for people seeking an outdoor experience. The natural world was easily accessible by the simple act of taking a staircase down. It was a perfect outdoor classroom for students whose access to the natural world was limited. Yet that natural world was severely impacted by years of misuse and neglect as a dumping ground for the old airport. I began volunteering there to help remedy that situation in an attempt to allow Bluff Lake to live up to its potential.

Over the years I have pulled weeds, planted trees, rebuilt the boardwalk, led volunteer groups, picked up trash, improved trails, and talked to student groups, among many other activities. I have visited every corner of the site, including the property across Sand Creek, to assess and take remedial action. There were two dreams at the time that we volunteers had. One was to improve the lake so that it could retain water throughout the year. The other was to construct a building on the bluff to create a real nature center where there would be classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, and services to enhance the visitor’s experience. There would be continual onsite presence of Bluff Lake staff. The lake dream was completed. The building dream is within reach.

Much has changed over the years. Central Park has been built out so that houses can now be seen from the Bluff Lake trails. More people are using the site. With inevitable change, Bluff Lake needs to change as well. The proposal for the building, I believe, is the beginning of the next chapter in the story that began with our original dream and the back-breaking labor to restore its 123 acres to a more natural condition for wildlife and plants to thrive in harmony with visitors. It will assure that Bluff Lake will be around for a long time fulfilling its mission and providing the same solace and contentment to others as it has provided for me. I encourage everyone to participate in this effort to the degree they are able and to get outside to enjoy all that Bluff Lake offers.”