I started this post several months ago but never finished it or posted it. Sometimes I start posts and decide that they are not really meaningful or blog worthy. This was not the case with this post, I was simply trying to decide how to tell the story. In addition I was unsure how to include pictures since I had a new computer that I didn't totally know how to use.
A Warm Fall Day
Today I spent part of the day walking and exploring Majestic View Nature Center and Community Park with a friend. We started out to walk in a pleasant outdoor setting since the weather was well above average and it was a beautiful day. We ended up being amazed at what we found. This reserve sits just off busy streets surrounded by housing. If you enter the park from 72nd Street you park in a parking lot that faces west and offers a spectacular view of several acres of prairie grasslands, Oberon Lake and foothills in the distance.
Normally at this time of the year the air would be crisp and there might even be snow on the tops of the foothills, but not this day. The temperature was in the low 80's. First we walked down to a little lake that is home to water fowl and birds of all sorts. We stopped on a little observation platform and looked out across the little lake (we later learned it was Oberon Lake) where we enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. We listened to the birds as they flew into the trees that circled the lake and we felt like we could just stand there all day, but instead we decided we needed to see as much as we could of the surrounding Nature Center. We walked up the hill passing several different demonstration gardens that contain various plants and trees found in various natural environments and topography of Colorado; prairie grasslands, mountain tundra, riparian (which I found out means wetlands along a river or stream, semi-desert Shrubland, Montane Forest among others. Outside the building containing classrooms, kids activity area and meeting rooms, it was quiet and peaceful. A bench provided seating and I felt as if I could just sit there for a long time soaking up the stillness and serenity. Instead we entered the building where a truly educational experience awaited us. There are several docents who will gladly tell you everything that the center has to offer. There are interactive exhibits, books, hands on displays ,examples of wildlife of the area, public classes, demonstrations and classes for school age children. There are several meeting rooms that are available to rent for events or groups. My daughter, Baby Bird, is an elementary school teacher and each year her class visits the center for part of day. She relates that the students love the experience and all the volunteers and docents are enthusiastic and informative. It is incredible and impressive that within a few miles of home this remarkable place exists.
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| View to the West
The City of Arvada provides funding for Majestic View in additional donations from the public which make it possible.
Several miles away from Majestic View you can also visit Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge. It covers 72.2 acres which includes 63.2 acres of uplands, 9 acres of wetlands and three small ponds. The reserve also sits just off a busy urban street and when suburban expansion threatened the space in 1990 concerned citizens worked to save it from development. In 1992 the Reserve was established to protect various animals and high plants. Two Ponds is the smallest urban unit in the National Wildlife Refuge system. The east side of the refuge is open May-September, the west side is accessible all year long.
 Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge Both of these wonderful places are within 3 miles of my home, right in my own backyard! |
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